README

Lightweight image optimization for WordPress — auto-convert uploads to WebP via the HelloImg API. No bloat, no upsell, no tracking.

What it does

When a non-WebP image is uploaded to WordPress, LW Image sends it to the HelloImg API, gets back a WebP version, and replaces the original file before WordPress generates sub-sizes. One API call per upload — every thumbnail is built from the optimized WebP source.

JPEG / PNG / GIF / HEIC / TIFF / BMP → WebP or AVIF (output-format setting)
Already-WebP / AVIF uploads are skipped (no API call, no credit used)
Animated GIFs → animated WebP, frames and timing preserved (optional skip)
Optional resize on upload (max width/height, never upscales)
Size guard: the original is kept when the converted file would not be smaller
API failure → original kept (nothing ever fails because of LW Image)
Original backups (uploads/lw-img-backups/, on by default), restorable from the Media Library — thumbnails are regenerated on restore
Backup retention: daily cleanup after the configured days (default 30, 0 = keep forever)

Bulk & scale

Bulk-optimize the existing Media Library in the background (WP-Cron worker, resumable runs)
Built for large libraries: parallel-safe queue claiming means several wp lw-img optimize --all workers can drain the queue at once
Processing-speed profiles (gentle / normal / fast) with a CPU load guard, so a bulk run never starves the site
Content URL rewrite on bulk convert/restore — post content and page-builder data, serialization-aware — plus a 301 redirect from old image URLs
WP-CLI: wp lw-img status / optimize / restore / requeue

Admin

A single tabbed screen under LW Plugins → Image:

General — connection status, account, and current defaults at a glance
Stats — total savings, biggest wins, backup folder size, and leftover backup folders from other optimizers
Upload — auto-conversion settings grouped by question
Bulk — a live progress dashboard (segmented bar, speed, ETA, activity feed)
Backup — lifecycle, storage, retention presets, and how to restore
Tester — environment checks (database engines, WebP support, cron loopback, disk space, API reachability) so hosting problems surface before a bulk run trips over them
Log — filterable event feed of the last 200 upload events

Other integrations: Media Library savings column, "Optimize now" / "Restore original" row actions, an attachment info box, a Compare view, and re-optimize at another level. Images already optimized by ShortPixel, TinyPNG, or Imagify are recognized and left untouched.

Install

composer require lwplugins/lw-img

Or download the latest release ZIP from the Releases page.

After activation: LW Plugins → Image → paste your HelloImg API key. HelloImg is in open beta — any key value enables conversion for now.

Configuration

Setting	Default	Notes
Output format	`webp`	`webp` (widest support) or `avif`
Optimization level	`normal`	`lossless` / `normal` / `aggressive` / `ultra`
Keep EXIF	off	Smaller files, and drops camera/GPS metadata
Skip already-WebP	on	Saves credits
Skip animated GIF	off	Converted to animated WebP by default
Backup originals	on	Restorable from the Media Library
Backup retention	30 days	`0` = keep forever
Bulk speed	`normal`	`gentle` / `normal` / `fast`

Requirements

WordPress 6.0+
PHP 8.0+
An image editor (Imagick or GD) with WebP support — the Tester tab checks this for you

Notes on backups

Original backups live in wp-content/uploads/lw-img-backups/. The plugin drops an index.php and an .htaccess there to prevent directory listing and PHP execution. On Apache this also blocks direct access; on nginx the .htaccess has no effect, so a determined visitor could still reach a backup file by its URL — a guessable-name hardening is planned. Backups are never deleted on uninstall.

Sponsor

Development is sponsored by GoBird:

License

GPL-2.0-or-later

lwplugins / lw-img

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