A featured image allows you to associate one image to your post or page that will be displayed on archive pages, in the featured image area of your page, or maybe even other areas depending on your site’s customization. This image is displayed separately from the rest of your content. The image chosen for your featured image does not have to already be used within your content. It can be nice to have a photo for the featured image that is not already used within the content.
Adding a Featured Image
- Within the page or post editor’s right-hand sidebar, under “Featured Image” click on the “Set featured image” link.
- Upload your image to the media library or grab an image already in the media library.
- Once you’ve selected the image you want to use, click the blue “Set featured image” button at the bottom of the screen.
The featured image will then appear in the sidebar of your editor and will also show up on your site in a number of locations, depending on how your site is designed. The theme or design of your site decides where the featured image is used and the size it appears in each location. Some places your featured image may appear are:
- At the top of your page or blog post
- On the home page of your website above a link to the blog post
- On the blog or news page, where all your posts are listed
Your site will likely have a specific size your featured image should be. To find this size, check your dashboard under “Ideal Image Sizes“.