Image optimizations
toggle
default:"on"
Pro. Converts the images pages actually use into WebP and swaps them in place, leaving your markup untouched.It covers more than
img tags: video posters, picture sources, image preloads, and CSS background images are all handled.Conversion happens progressively as pages are rendered rather than in one pass over your media library, so a large site does not stall. Tune the rate with lightify_webp_images_per_page and the output quality with lightify_webp_quality, which defaults to 82.toggle
default:"on"
Defers loading images until they are near the viewport. On by default.The first couple of images are excluded automatically, because lazy-loading your hero image delays the exact thing LCP measures. Adjust that count with
lightify_lazy_load_above_fold_count.toggle
default:"on"
Makes images load at correct dimensions so the browser reserves the right space and content does not jump as they arrive. Directly improves CLS.
toggle
default:"on"
Pro. Finds the largest above-the-fold image, which is almost always the LCP element, and tells the browser to fetch it immediately instead of waiting to discover it.LCP is 25% of the performance score, so this is one of the highest-value settings in the plugin.Detection scans the first several images and ignores anything too small to be a hero. Both are filterable:
lightify_lcp_scan_images and lightify_lcp_min_image_area.Video and iframe optimizations
toggle
default:"on"
Defers below-the-fold videos. On by default.
toggle
default:"on"
Defers below-the-fold iframes. On by default, and worth keeping, because embedded content often loads an entire third-party page.
toggle
default:"on"
Pro. Replaces a YouTube embed with its thumbnail, and loads the real player only when someone clicks.A YouTube embed costs several hundred kilobytes and multiple third-party connections before anyone presses play. This removes all of it from your initial load. On a page with several embeds it is often the largest single improvement available.
The player appears on click, so the first play takes slightly longer than with a normal embed. On any page where most visitors never press play, that is a good trade.
Getting the most from this tab
Serve images at the size you display them
Serve images at the size you display them
Optimization cannot fix a 3000px image shown in a 600px slot. It will be smaller, but it is still the wrong image. Upload at a sensible size.
Know which element is your LCP
Know which element is your LCP
Open PageSpeed Insights or your browser’s performance panel and find out. Optimizing everything else while the real LCP element is untouched is how people conclude a plugin did nothing.
Purge after converting
Purge after converting
Cached pages built before WebP conversion still reference the originals.
Check WebP is actually being served
Check WebP is actually being served
Open your site, look at the network panel, and confirm the image responses are WebP. A CDN in front of your site can strip or override the swap.
Progressify
Generatify
Lightify
Rankify
Snapshotify