🚀 The Ultimate Image Optimization Plugin for WordPress
⚡ Boost your site’s speed instantly! Optimize images and PDFs with one click, bulk compress to WebP and AVIF, use lazy loading, and resize images.
Increase your website's SEO ranking, number of visitors, and ultimately your sales by optimising any image or PDF document on your website.
The
ShortPixel plugin is a lightweight, user-friendly, install-and-forget solution for image optimization.
It is designed to work with any website type, whether it's a small blog or a large WooCommerce-powered online store with tens of thousands of products.
Additionally, it's an excellent choice for agencies, offering unlimited image optimization credits for a flat monthly fee.
🎬 Ready for a Quick DEMO of our Top Image Optimization Tool?
Test our plugin
here.
Make an instant
image compression test of your site or
compress some images to test our optimization algorithms.
Let's get the ShortPixel plugin running on your WordPress website:
- Sign up using your email at https://shortpixel.com/wp-apikey.
- You will receive your personal API key in a confirmation email, to the address you provided.
- Upload the ShortPixel plugin to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory
- Use your unique API key to activate the ShortPixel plugin in the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
- Uploaded images can be automatically optimized in the Media Library.
- Done!
6.5.2
☁️ The Offload & Backup Reliability Update
Release Date: June 4, 2026
⚡ Performance Improvements
Offload Media + AWS S3: Improved performance by reducing useless remote operations for websites using Offload Media with Amazon S3, resulting in a smoother and more efficient optimization workflow.
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
Optimization Data Migration: Fixed an error that could occur when migrating legacy image optimization data to the new format.
Custom Media Search Stability: Resolved an issue caused by unusual search requests on Custom Media pages.
Smart Backups Filename Conflict: Fixed a rare edge case where multiple files requiring conversion, uploaded with the exact same filename during the same month, could cause issues when Smart Backups were enabled.
Backup System Enhancements: Various reliability improvements and small fixes across the backup system.
Code documentation: Improved the overall code documentation of the plugin.
Update now for a faster, more reliable experience, especially if you’re using AWS S3 and Smart Backups! 🚀☁️
6.5.1
🛠️ The Hotfix Update
Release Date: May 5, 2026
🐛 Fixes
- Settings Page Fix: Resolved an issue affecting the Settings page in certain edge cases.
- Backups System Fix: Fixed an issue related to the new backups system that could appear in specific scenarios.
A small but important update to keep everything running smoothly! 🚀
6.5.0
🧠 The Smart Backups & AI Control Update
Release Date: May 5, 2026
✨ New Features
- Smart Backups: Save disk space by backing up only the main image. When restoring, thumbnails are automatically regenerated based on current settings.
- Automatic Backup Cleanup: Set rules to automatically delete old backups after a chosen period.
- Consistent prefix/suffix for AI SEO Data: You can now add fixed text before/after AI-generated image SEO data for full consistency across your site.
- Custom Media Re-Optimization: Re-optimize images directly from Custom Media bulk actions.
- Custom Media Pagination: Navigate large media sets more easily with new pagination controls.
⚙️ Improvements
- Smarter Title Replacement: Image titles are only replaced with AI-generated ones if they haven’t been manually edited (when overwrite protection is enabled).
- Better Error Messaging: Improved the “401 Unauthorized” message in the AI SEO Preview for clearer feedback.
- PNG Handling Improved: Improved the PNG to JPG conversion to better handle alpha channels.
- AI Context Limits: Added proper limits to AI context fields to prevent truncation issues.
- Bulk Stability: Introduced slight delays in Media Library bulk actions to avoid server overload.
- Paused Processing Logic: Restoring an item now cancels any paused processing to avoid unnecessary actions.
- UI Enhancements: Improved text clarity and layout across settings, bulk processing, and the ShortPixel panel in wp-admin.
🔄 Compatibility Updates
- NextGen Gallery (Imagely): Integration restored using updated hooks and filters.
- AI with EXIF Restrictions: AI generation now works even if EXIF blocks training (alternative data retrieval is used).
- Offload Media Support: Improved compatibility with offloading plugins, including full support for the new Smart Backups.
- Enable Media Replace: Image SEO data is now cleared when an image is replaced.
- WPML Support: Manually generate AI SEO data in different languages for multilingual sites.
🛠️ Fixes
- Backup System Refactor: Fixed multiple edge cases and improved reliability across all backup scenarios.
- Long Processing Safeguards: Added checks for images that take too long to process or become unavailable.
- Alias API Key Handling: Prevent unnecessary re-queuing for domains not allowed by Alias API keys.
- AI Disabled Message Cleanup: Removed misleading “AI Generation Disabled” responses to avoid conflicts with editors/builders.
- Database Optimization: Added indexes for the aipostmeta table for better performance.
- Queue Stability: Ensure blocked items are released properly on shutdown to avoid stuck processes.
- JS & jQuery Fixes: Resolved deprecation warnings and improved frontend stability.
- Filesize Exclusion Fix: Fixed a JavaScript issue that prevented filesize-based exclusions from working correctly.
Update now to unlock smarter backups, better AI control, and improved compatibility across your entire workflow! 🚀
6.4.4
🌿 The Spring Update
Release Date: March 24, 2026
✨ New Feature
- Exclusions by Filesize: You can now exclude images from optimization based on their file size, giving you even more precise control over what gets processed.
🛠️ Fixes
- Bulk Operation Messaging: When running bulk actions other than optimization, the correct descriptive text is now displayed.
- PICTURE Tag Fixes:
- Fixed issues with certain background images not being handled correctly.
- Multiple improvements to ensure correct paths and compatibility with Bedrock setups.
- Long Domain Handling: Fixed cases where very long domains caused CDN URL replacement to fail.
- Invalid API Key Feedback: A proper message is now shown in the AI settings preview when an invalid API key is used.
- AI Disabled Notice Scope: "AI generation disabled" message now appears only in the settings preview to avoid conflicts (especially with the Classic Editor).
- Async Chatbot Loading: The chatbot now loads asynchronously in settings to prevent slowdowns when CDN responses are delayed.
- JS Worker Stability: The JavaScript worker no longer stops if invalid JSON is received from the backend.
- LS Cache Compatibility: Fixed incompatibilities with LiteSpeed Cache and certain custom media folder setups.
- Custom Media Errors: Resolved errors occurring during optimization of specific custom media folders.
- open_basedir Improvements: Additional safeguards to prevent warnings with strict open_basedir configurations.
- PHP 8.4 Deprecation Fix: Fixed a rare deprecation warning on PHP 8.4.
🛡️ Security Fixes
- PHP Object Injection: Patched a potential vulnerability related to AI-generated SEO data (reported by PatchStack).
- Stored XSS (Author+): Fixed an authenticated stored XSS vulnerability when using AI features (reported by WordFence).
✨ Tweaks & Improvements
- Wording & Layout Updates: Small improvements to texts and settings layout for a cleaner and clearer experience.
Update now for stronger security, improved compatibility, and smarter control over your optimization workflows! 🚀
6.4.3
❄️ The Snowy Update
Release Date: January 29, 2026
🛡️ Security Fix
- Editor-Level Access Patch: Fixed a potential vulnerability (responsibly reported by the WordFence team) where an authenticated Editor user could access arbitrary files.
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Bulk Restore Display Fix: Resolved an issue where the final step of the bulk restore process wasn't being shown.
- Bulk Labels Added: Each bulk action (restore, legacy migration, etc.) now shows a clear label for better tracking and transparency.
- Custom Media Queue Info: Added more detailed status info for Custom Media items in the queue, now similar to what's shown in the Media Library.
- Respect Image Title Overrides: The AI will no longer overwrite image titles if the "Preserve existing data" option is enabled.
- No Period on AI Titles: Removed the automatic period added at the end of AI-generated image titles.
- New Picture Tag Filter: Developers can now hook into a new filter for customizing how next-gen images are delivered via the tag.
- Improved CDN Detection: Enhanced logic to detect images declared across multiple lines when replacing with CDN links.
- Disabled AI Fields Visibility: AI fields that are disabled in settings are now clearly marked in both the Settings preview and the Bulk Processing preview.
- Bulk Logs Preserved: Logs from bulk processing are now retained even when backups are cleared via the Tools menu.
- Multisite Settings Hidden: Temporarily hid the multisite settings menu due to related errors - it will return in a future release.
- Correct Parent Page Context: Ensured that the parent post/page context of an image is properly sent to the AI API for better SEO relevance.
Update now for a more secure, transparent, and intelligent optimization experience! 🚀
6.4.2
📊 The Optimization Update
Release Date: January 15, 2026
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Media Library Optimization Display: Fixed an issue where optimized images were always shown as "bonus optimization" — the stats now reflect actual results.
- Bulk UI Improvements: Cleaned up the layout of the bulk processing screen when only a few options are selected, for a more focused experience.
- Percentage Hidden for Non-Optimization Actions: Removed the optimization percentage display when running bulk operations like restore or data migration (that don't involve actual image optimization).
- AVIF via .htaccess for WebPs: Added support for AVIF delivery using the .htaccess method for images added directly in the WebP format.
- AI SEO Preview Fix: Prevented display of incorrect data in the AI SEO Preview section within plugin settings.
- SmartCrop Percentage Display: Fixed the issue where SmartCrop could show a negative improvement percentage if the cropped image ended up larger in size.
- JPG to PNG Conversion Fix: Resolved a rare error when JPG files saved as PNG conflicted with the PNG-to-JPG conversion setting.
- PHP 8.5 Deprecation Fix: Fixed a deprecation warning added in PHP 8.5, thanks to @mondalaci.
- Text & Typo Corrections: Polished various texts and corrected typos on the Bulk and Settings pages.
Update now for clearer stats, smarter previews, and a smoother optimization experience across the board! 🚀
6.4.1
🎄 The Christmas Update
Release Date: December 18, 2025
🎁 Fixes & Improvements
- Temporary File Cleanup: Introduced a mechanism to automatically clean up temporary files after optimization, keeping your server tidy.
- Zero-Byte File Protection: Prevents copying of 0-byte files from the /tmp/ folder in cases of permission errors or low tmp disk space.
- IIS Compatibility Fix: Resolved a timestamp-related warning on IIS servers using 32-bit PHP environments.
- Download Timeout Limit: Added a 25-second cap on item downloads to prevent conflicts with PHP's 30-second timeout.
- Manual Mode Debug Fix: Fixed an issue in the debug menu from the plugin settings when using manual debug mode.
- Custom CDN Field Fix: Corrected a conflict where the custom CDN field was hidden if the "Premium Add-ons for Elementor" plugin was active.
- Wording Improvements: Made several small text updates for better clarity throughout the plugin.
Update now and enjoy a smoother, more festive ShortPixel experience! 🎅🚀
6.4.0
🧠 The Ultimate AI Update
Release Date: November 20, 2025
✨ New Features
- AI Image Upscale (2x, 3x, 4x): Upscale smaller images with high-quality AI upscaling, perfect for retina displays and crisp visuals.
- AI Background Removal: Instantly remove image backgrounds with one click, great for clean product photos or transparent assets.
- AI Image Titles: In addition to ALT text, captions, and descriptions, you can now generate smart image titles using AI for better SEO.
- Date-Based Exclusions: Easily exclude images from processing based on their upload date.
- Bulk Optimization by Date Interval: Run bulk optimization on a selected date range for precise control over what gets optimized and when.
🔄 Compatibility Updates
- Infinite Uploads Integration: ShortPixel now works seamlessly with the Infinite Uploads plugin.
- SliceWP Fix: Fixed an error triggered when the REST API of SliceWP was active.
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Bulk UI Redesign: The bulk processing interface has been reworked for a smoother, more intuitive experience.
- Help Links Fixed: Resolved broken links in help pop-ups throughout the settings.
- SmartCrop Logic Tweaked: Thumbnails cropped with SmartCrop no longer trigger unnecessary size checks.
- Notification Scope Limited: Offer-related notifications now only appear on ShortPixel-specific pages like Settings and Bulk.
- Banner Visibility Control: All banners in the settings can now be hidden using a simple filter, cleaner UI for advanced users.
- File Conversion Stability: Fixed potential infinite conversion loops when uploading HEIC, TIFF, or BMP files.
- WP-CLI AI Data Fix: Added checks to prevent regenerating AI image data via WP-CLI when it already exists, saving time and resources.
Update now to unlock powerful new AI features, refined bulk controls, and a cleaner, smarter interface! 🚀
6.3.5
🔐 The SmartCrop & Security Fix Update
Release Date: October 16, 2025
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- SmartCrop Re-Optimization Fix: The “Re-optimize with/without SmartCrop” feature now correctly follows the selected action instead of always applying the saved setting.
- AI SEO Preview Credit Message: A clear message is now displayed in the AI SEO preview (from Settings) when you’re out of credits.
- French Locale Compatibility: Fixed an issue that prevented plugin deactivation when WordPress was set to French due to a language-related error.
- AI SEO Limits Save Fix: The limits for AI-generated SEO text fields are now properly saved in the settings.
- Bulk Background Mode Stability: Addressed intermittent failures of background processing in specific cron configurations.
- Security Fix – Settings Import/Export: Patched a vulnerability that could allow contributor-level users to import/export plugin settings. Thanks to the WordFence team for the responsible disclosure!
- CDN Link Fix for Inline Backgrounds: Inline background images using single quotes are now correctly replaced with CDN links.
- Nonce Validation Improvement: Added checks for key form fields to prevent "nonce failed" errors when other plugins modify form data.
- Inline Background-Image Fix: Ensured that all inline background-image styles end with a semicolon (;) when using the PICTURE tag to deliver next-generation images.
Update now for stronger security, improved SmartCrop behavior, and a smoother image SEO experience! 🚀
6.3.4
🤖 The Smarter AI Control Update
Release Date: September 18, 2025
✨ New Features & Improvements
- Preserve Existing SEO Data: Added an option to keep your existing ALT, caption, and description fields untouched when using AI-generated image SEO — your manual work is safe!
- Better Block Editor Integration: AI-generated SEO data and image optimization now work flawlessly when uploading images directly from the block editor.
- AI Support Chatbot: Meet our new AI-powered support assistant — here to help you faster, 24/7.
🛠️ Fixes & Behavioral Improvements
- Full AI Deactivation: Disabling AI Image SEO now also disables auto-generation and hides all related options from WP Admin, including the Bulk Processing section.
- EXIF-Based AI Training Block: If AI training is blocked via EXIF data, the plugin now shows a clear message and prevents the image from being sent for processing.
- Re-Optimize Logic Fixed: The "Re-optimize with/without SmartCrop" buttons now respect the selected option instead of always using the saved setting.
- Inline Font Handling: Inline fonts will no longer be replaced with CDN links if the CSS option is disabled.
- AI SEO for Excluded Items: Bulk AI SEO generation now skips excluded items as expected.
Update now for smarter AI behavior, more control over your data, and an improved support experience! 🚀
6.3.3
🧠 The Smarter ALT Tags Update
Release Date: August 21, 2025
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Reliable ALT Tag Replacement: The replacer module now ensures AI-generated ALT tags are updated correctly in all scenarios.
- Cache Purge for Visibility: Automatically clears the cache after ALT tag replacement, ensuring changes show up even when object caching is enabled.
- AI Settings Limits: Added max values for AI context and output fields to prevent excessive input and ensure consistent results.
- UI & Wording Tweaks: Minor text and layout improvements on the settings and bulk processing pages for a cleaner experience.
Update now for smoother AI integration and more accurate image SEO handling! 🚀
6.3.2
🧠 The AI SEO Compatibility Update
Release Date: August 20, 2025
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Yoast SEO + Classic Editor Fix: Resolved a JavaScript error that occurred when using Yoast SEO alongside the Classic Editor.
- Improved AI Data Layout: The display of AI-generated image SEO data in the Media Library has been refined for better clarity and usability.
- Accurate Undo Function: Undoing AI-generated data from the Media Library popup now correctly reverts all related fields.
Update now for a smoother, more reliable SEO and editing experience! 🚀
6.3.1
🔥 The Quick Fix Update
Release Date: August 19, 2025
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Draft Content Preservation: AI Image SEO data generation now respects and preserves content from draft posts.
- Cleaner Media Library Display: ShortPixel info is now shown only in the designated column, so no more unexpected placements.
- Classic Editor Compatibility: Resolved JavaScript errors appearing in the post editor when using the Classic Editor.
A focused hotfix to ensure a smoother experience after the latest major release. Update now! 🚀
6.3.0
✨ The AI Image SEO Update
Release Date: August 18, 2025
🌟 New Features
- Faster AI Model: We've upgraded to a better, faster AI model for generating image SEO data more accurately and efficiently.
- Expanded SEO Tags: In addition to ALT tags, you can now automatically generate image captions and descriptions to enhance SEO and accessibility.
- Auto-Generate on Upload: Image SEO data can now be generated automatically for newly uploaded images.
- Bulk SEO Generation: Easily generate image SEO data in bulk, perfect for optimizing existing media libraries.
- Language Selection: Choose the language used for image SEO generation directly from the plugin settings.
🛠️ Fixes & Improvements
- Cache-Control Headers: WebP and AVIF images now include cache-control headers when delivered via .htaccess, improving cache behavior.
- Thumbnail Handling: If a main image in a special format (like BMP/TIFF) is excluded from optimization, its JPG thumbnails are no longer excluded incorrectly.
- WooCommerce SVG Fix: Fixed an issue where certain SVG icons for payment methods weren’t correctly replaced with CDN links on the WooCommerce cart.
Update now to take full advantage of smarter image SEO with AI and better compatibility across your site! 🚀
6.2.2
🧠 The Smart Media Update
Release Date: July 29, 2025
⚙️ Improvements
- Enhanced REST API Support: Two new parameters added to the WordPress REST API for media items — source_url_webp and source_url_avif — making it easier to access next-gen image formats programmatically.
- Media Library Filter: Introduced a new filter to hide the ShortPixel box from specific areas in the Media Library — perfect for a cleaner UI when needed.
🛠️ Fixes
- 404 Page Styling: Fixed an issue where CSS was broken on 404 pages when CDN delivery was enabled.
- Large PNG Restore Fix: Resolved errors that occurred when restoring backups of large PNGs with scaled versions generated by WordPress.
- Improved CDN Replacement: Images using data-srcset are now correctly replaced with CDN links when delivery is enabled.
- SmartCropping Upload Issue: Fixed a bug where SmartCropping didn’t work correctly when automatic optimization on upload was turned off.
- Queue Stability: Added a safeguard for rare cases involving old items in the processing queue that could trigger errors.
Update now for better REST API support, improved CDN handling, and a smoother media optimization experience! 🚀
6.2.1
🚀 The CDN & AI Control Update
Release Date: May 27, 2025
⚙️ Improvements
- AI Feature Control: Added a filter to easily disable AI-powered features if needed.
CDN Delivery Enhancements:
- Now supports background images inside inline style blocks.
- Delivers inline SVGs through the CDN for consistent asset performance.
- Fallback for Missing WebP/AVIF: If WebP or AVIF images aren't generated locally, they’ll now be created on-the-fly and served directly from the CDN.
- Broken Image Protection: Added checks to ensure the CDN doesn't store or deliver broken images.
- Improved Timestamp Handling: Timestamps are now added whenever images are sent for optimization, helping prevent unwanted caching.
- PNG Conversion via ImageMagick: Added fallback support for PNG conversion using ImageMagick when the GD extension isn’t available.
- Punctuation Tweak for AI Texts: AI-generated alternative texts now end with a trailing dot for readability (can be disabled via filter).
🛠️ Fixes
CDN Delivery:
- Fixed multiple edge cases where image URLs with single/double quotes were not parsed correctly.
- Corrected issues with relative paths not resolving to the proper CDN URL.
- Resolved an issue where CDN links were accidentally duplicated in specific situations.
- Settings Import: Fixed import functionality for older PHP versions.
- WebP/AVIF Count Fix: Image counts in bulk processing now display correctly again.
- S3 Uploads Compatibility: Fixed an error triggered by a missing method when using the S3 Uploads plugin (thanks @matthewgrzegorczyk! 🙌).
- WP-CLI Message Bug: Corrected a misleading WP-CLI message shown when thumbnails were unwritable but main images were optimized.
-
Custom Media Folder Fix: Resolved errors in the folders list when performing specific actions.
🌍 Language Updates
-
Added 2 new strings and updated 2, to enhance global translation support.
Update now to take full advantage of smarter CDN handling, more control over AI features, and improved compatibility across the board! 🚀
6.2.0
🚀 The Power Tools Update
Release Date: May 8, 2025
🌟 New Features
- Smart WebP Compression: ShortPixel now compresses your existing WebP images to save even more space without sacrificing quality.
- AI-Powered Image Captioning (BETA): Automatically generate meaningful “alternative text(ALT)” for your images using our AI model—great for SEO and accessibility!
- Global CDN for CSS & JS: Your CSS, JS, and even background images can now be served via ShortPixel's global CDN for faster page loads.
- CDN Cache Purge Controls: New buttons to purge cached CSS, JS, or the entire CDN cache with one click—right from your dashboard.
- Save & Restore Settings: Export and import all settings effortlessly — ideal for agencies managing multiple sites.
⚙️ Improvements
- Cross-Tab Sync: Optimizations done in multiple browser tabs now stay in sync using browser broadcasting.
- Automatic Association to ShortPixel Account: Your site domain is now automatically associated to your ShortPixel account when enabling CDN delivery.
- CDN Domain Validation: Prevent misconfigurations with smart validation of your CDN domain format.
- Cleaner Admin Bar: The ShortPixel icon is now hidden when restoring items to keep your admin interface tidy.
- CDN Bypass Option: Append
?PageSpeed=off to disable CDN replacement for debugging or testing.
- WebP Limit Handling: Files that exceed WebP conversion limits are now properly managed to avoid errors.
🛠️ Fixes
- Lossless Labeling Bug: Fixed an issue where images were incorrectly marked as "Lossless" if the main image wasn't optimized.
- Sticky Notification: Resolved an issue where the API key notification couldn't be dismissed after saving it from settings.
- Folder Creation Fix: The plugin no longer attempts to create month-based folders—it now leaves that job to WordPress.
- File Format Conversions: Improved support for HEIC, TIFF, and BMP file conversion.
- API Key Onboarding Fix: Pressing Enter now correctly saves your API key during onboarding.
🌍 Language Updates
- Added 87 new strings, updated 2, and deprecated 28 to enhance global translation support.
Update now for faster speeds, smarter automation, and more control than ever! 🚀
EARLIER VERSIONS
- please refer to the changelog.txt file inside the plugin archive.