Simple WP Slider
Create unlimited named sliders, each with its own settings and per-slide options (alt text, caption, link, call-to-action). Display them anywhere via the [simplewpslider id="ID"] shortcode or the bundled Gutenberg…
Use with caution
Simple WP Slider works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 30+ sites and was last updated 4 months ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (30+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
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 Simple WP Slider stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| carousel | >100 |
| gutenberg | >100 |
| slider | >100 |
| swiper | #52 |
| video | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Simple WP Slider
From the official readme · v2.0.0Description
Create unlimited named sliders, each with its own settings and per-slide options (alt text, caption, link, call-to-action). Display them anywhere via the [simplewpslider id="ID"] shortcode or the bundled Gutenberg block. Powered by Swiper.js 11 — accessible, touch-friendly, no jQuery.
Slide types
- Image slides (uses your Media Library, full srcset + lazy-load)
- Self-hosted video slides (MP4)
- YouTube and Vimeo slides (privacy-friendly click-to-load facade)
Per-slider settings
- Autoplay, speed, loop, transition (slide / fade)
- Arrows, dots, keyboard navigation
- Slides-per-view + responsive breakpoints
- Aspect ratio enforcement (16:9 / 4:3 / 1:1 / auto) to prevent layout shift
- Respect prefers-reduced-motion
Accessibility
- WAI-ARIA carousel pattern
- Drag-reorder via keyboard in the admin
- Full screen-reader live-region announcements via Swiper’s a11y module
Privacy
The plugin makes no outbound requests at runtime. YouTube embeds use youtube-nocookie.com and only load after user interaction. Vimeo thumbnails are fetched via Vimeo’s public oEmbed endpoint only when an editor adds a Vimeo slide in the admin — never on frontend page loads.
Installation
- Upload the plugin via Plugins → Add New → Upload, or install from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
- Activate the plugin.
- Go to Sliders → Add New, create a slider, add slides.
- Insert the slider via the “Simple WP Slider” block or with
[simplewpslider id="123"].
Frequently asked questions
I upgraded from 1.x. Where did my images go?
They were automatically imported into a new slider called “Default Slider” under the Sliders menu. The old [simplewpslider] shortcode (with no id) still renders that slider, so existing pages keep working.
Does this plugin send data anywhere?
No. Nothing leaves your site. YouTube and Vimeo embeds load only after a visitor clicks the play button, and YouTube uses the youtube-nocookie.com domain.
Can I display the same slider in multiple places?
Yes. Use the same id with the shortcode or block on any page or template.
Changelog
Major rewrite. Your existing images are imported automatically into a "Default Slider" and the old [simplewpslider] shortcode keeps working. Back up your site before upgrading if you depend on the plugin in production.
2.0.0
- Complete rewrite. Multi-slider support via a new “Sliders” menu (Custom Post Type).
- Dropped Slick (archived) in favor of Swiper.js 11 (modern, accessible, touch-friendly, no jQuery).
- Added Gutenberg block “Simple WP Slider”.
- Added per-slide metadata: alt text, caption, link URL + target, CTA.
- Added video slides: self-hosted, YouTube, Vimeo (privacy-friendly facade — embeds load only on click).
- Added per-slider settings: autoplay, speed, loop, effect, arrows, dots, keyboard, slides-per-view, breakpoints, aspect ratio.
- Added WAI-ARIA carousel markup + keyboard drag-reorder + prefers-reduced-motion respect.
- Auto-migration from 1.x: existing images become a “Default Slider” CPT post; the bare
[simplewpslider]shortcode keeps working. - Hardened against WordPress.org Plugin Review standards (prefixes, sanitization, escaping, REST permission callbacks, real uninstall cleanup).
1.0.2
- Tested up to 6.7.2.
1.0.1
- Tested up to 6.4.
1.0
- Initial version.
Screenshots
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 Simple WP Slider alternatives
All carousel plugins →
FAQ
Simple WP Slider: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 28, 2026
Is Simple WP Slider free?
Yes. Simple WP Slider is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Simple WP Slider safe to use in 2026?
Simple WP Slider works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 30+ sites and was last updated 4 months ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Simple WP Slider?
Simple WP Slider is active on 30+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 7,170 times since it launched in March 2022. It was downloaded 199 times in the last 30 days.
Does Simple WP Slider work with WordPress 7.1?
Simple WP Slider 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 Simple WP Slider need?
Simple WP Slider requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Simple WP Slider last updated?
The latest version, 2.0.0, was released on May 22, 2026 (4 months ago).
Who makes Simple WP Slider?
Simple WP Slider is developed and maintained by sungraizfaryad.
What are the best alternatives to Simple WP Slider?
The most popular alternatives to Simple WP Slider are Shortcodes Ultimate (400K+ installs), Carousel, Slider, Photo Gal… (70K+ installs) and Carousel Slider Block for G… (50K+ installs).
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