Add an image to a page

You can add images to the content of any page, task, news story or blog post. This page covers images inside your content. The image that represents a page in listings is separate: see Set a featured image.

Prepare the image before you upload it

  • Use JPG for photographs and PNG for screenshots, diagrams and logos. SVG files cannot be uploaded.
  • Resize large photos first. An image 1600 pixels wide is big enough for any page. Photos straight from a phone or camera are far larger than needed and make pages slow.
  • Aim for a file size under 1 MB.
  • Give the file a plain name, such as head-office-reception.jpg.

Every intranet has a maximum upload size. WordPress shows it on the upload screen as Maximum upload file size. If an upload fails with an error, the file is usually too big.

Add an image to your content

  1. In the editor, put the cursor where you want the image. An empty line is best.
  2. Select Add Media, above the editor toolbar.
  3. Select Upload files to add a new image, or Media Library to reuse one that is already uploaded.
  4. Select the image. Its details appear on the right.
  5. Fill in Alt Text. See the next section.
  6. Under Attachment display settings, choose the alignment, link and size. These are explained below.
  7. Select Insert into page or Insert into post.

Write alt text for the image

Alt text is read out by screen readers and shown if the image fails to load. Describe what the image shows and why it is there, in a sentence or less. Do not start with “Image of”.

If the image is only decoration, leave Alt Text empty. If the image contains important text, such as a poster, put that information in the page content as well.

If the Govintra accessibility checks are switched on, WordPress warns you when you save content that has images without alt text.

Choose the image size

The Size menu offers Thumbnail, Medium, Large and Full Size. WordPress makes these copies when you upload.

  • Choose Large for an image that spans the width of the content.
  • Choose Medium for an image that sits beside text.
  • Avoid Full Size, unless the image is an animated GIF.

The dimensions of each size are set by your intranet administrator in Settings, Media. See Change the standard image sizes.

Choose the image alignment and wrap text around it

  • None or Centre: the image sits on its own line.
  • Left or Right: the image sits at that side and the text that follows wraps beside it.

To make a heading or paragraph start underneath a left or right aligned image instead of beside it, put the cursor in that heading or paragraph, open the Format menu above the editor toolbar, choose Formats, then Clear float (start below image).

Choose what happens when someone selects the image

The Link To menu controls this.

  • None: the image is not a link. This is the best choice for most images.
  • Media File: opens the full-size image. Useful for detailed diagrams and maps.
  • Custom URL: links the image to another page. The alt text must then describe where the link goes.
  • Avoid Attachment Page.

Add a caption to an image

Type in the Caption box before you insert the image. The caption appears under the image. Use a caption for a photo credit or to name the people shown. A caption does not replace alt text.

Change or remove an image already in your content

  1. Select the image in the editor. A small toolbar appears over it.
  2. Use the alignment buttons, or select the pencil button, Edit, to change the alt text, caption, size or link.
  3. Select Update.

To remove the image from your content, select it and then select the cross button, Remove. The image stays in the Media Library.

To swap an image for a newer version everywhere it is used, replace the file in the Media Library. See Replace an existing document, which works for images too.

Add several images as a gallery

Select Add Media, then Create gallery, choose the images and select Insert gallery. Govintra shows a gallery as a grid of images that open in a full-screen viewer. The gallery’s Link To setting is ignored, because gallery images always open in the viewer.

Fix common image problems

  • The image looks blurry. A small size was inserted and then stretched. Select the image, select the pencil button and choose Large.
  • The image is huge or the page is slow. Full Size was inserted. Change the size to Large, or resize the original and upload it again.
  • The upload fails. The file is bigger than the maximum upload file size, or is a type that is not allowed.
  • The image appears sideways. Open the image on your computer, rotate it, save it and upload it again.
  • An animated GIF does not move. See Embed video, audio and animated GIFs.