Preload LCP Image
Allows you to specify on individual pages or posts the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) Image on that page to preload, making the page load quicker.
Solid choice
Preload LCP Image is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 3K+ sites, is rated 4.8/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 71/100 on our health check.
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Preload LCP Image stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| largest contentful paint | #2 |
| lcp | #1 |
| preload | #1 |
| site optimisation | #3 |
| site-speed | #37 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.8 from 5 reviews
About Preload LCP Image
From the official readme · v1.6Description
This plugin will add the ability to preload the largest contentful paint (LCP) Image on an individual page or post. This is designed to remove the “Preload the image used by the LCP element in order to improve your LCP time” warning that Google’s Pagespeed Insights sometimes serves.
For Support
I offer support in two places:-
- For urgent (paid for) support, please contact me directly.
- For not so urgent support, please use the WordPress.org forums.
On Github
This project is now on github, you can view the repository here. There are other versions, but this is the one I’ve put up, so where all the developmental will be tracked.
Installation
- Upload the plugin to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory or use the Add New feature
- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Go to any post and page and specify the LCP Image for that page.
Should you wish to use this plugin for custom post types, go to Settings > Preload LCP Image. By default it appears on posts and pages although you can set it to appear on any custom post type on this page.
For more guidance on how to determine the URL to use, please use my guide on how to determining the LCP image for a WordPress post
Changelog
1.6
- Added WooCommerce Compatability
- Fixed the bug that prevented the preloader to work on Taxonomy pages
- Tested with WordPress 7.0
1.5.1
- Tested with WordPress 6.9
1.5
- Make it work with AVIF images that image paths, not URLs, are used.
- Fix display bugs meaning the CSS formatting on the admin page on mobile displays correctly.
1.4.1
- Tested with WordPress 6.8
1.4
- Added the ability to add a LCP image to Taxonomy Pages
1.3.1
- Tested with WordPress 6.7
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Preload LCP Image alternatives
All largest contentful paint plugins →FAQ
Preload LCP Image: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 28, 2026
Is Preload LCP Image free?
Yes. Preload LCP Image is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Preload LCP Image safe to use in 2026?
Preload LCP Image is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 3K+ sites, is rated 4.8/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 71/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Preload LCP Image?
Preload LCP Image is active on 3K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 46,297 times since it launched in January 2023. It was downloaded 472 times in the last 30 days.
Does Preload LCP Image work with WordPress 7.1?
Preload LCP Image is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.6, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Preload LCP Image need?
Preload LCP Image requires PHP 8.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Preload LCP Image last updated?
The latest version, 1.6, was released on April 15, 2026 (6 months ago).
Who makes Preload LCP Image?
Preload LCP Image is developed and maintained by Rhys Wynne.
What are the best alternatives to Preload LCP Image?
The most popular alternatives to Preload LCP Image are Lazy Load Control For Eleme… (3K+ installs), LCP Booster for WooCommerce (100+ installs) and Core Web Vitals Monitor (30+ installs).
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
