Description
Most WordPress image optimizers make you create an account, paste an API key, or buy per-image credits. Cleanor Tools doesn’t. It shrinks the images in your Media Library and converts them to modern formats (WebP / AVIF) using the free Cleanor Labs endpoint — no signup, no key, no credits. Lighter images mean faster page loads, higher PageSpeed / Core Web Vitals scores, and less storage used.
Point-and-forget: turn it on and every new upload is optimized automatically, thumbnails included. Already have thousands of images? Run the one-click bulk optimizer.
What makes it different
- No account, no API key, no credits. The default endpoint is free and key-free — you’re optimizing within a minute of activating, with nothing to sign up for.
- AVIF, not just WebP. Convert to AVIF (the smallest mainstream format) as easily as WebP, straight from the Media Library.
- Backed by open data. Our savings figures come from published, reproducible benchmarks (open dataset with a citable DOI), not marketing claims.
- Full-library bulk mode. Optimize every existing image with a progress bar you can leave running.
- Keeps your originals (optional). Store a
.bakof every source file so you can revert. - Transparent. A “Cleanor” column in the Media Library shows exactly how much each image shrank, plus a running total on the settings screen.
- Lightweight. No giant framework, no tracking, no ads in your dashboard.
What it does
- On upload (or on demand), the full-size image and every generated thumbnail are sent to the Cleanor endpoint.
- Each is re-encoded to your chosen format and quality.
- The optimized versions replace the originals in your Media Library, and WordPress serves the smaller files everywhere they are used.
- Images that would not get smaller are left untouched.
Formats
- WebP: best browser support; a safe default for almost every site.
- AVIF: smallest files; supported by all current major browsers.
- Recompress (keep format): re-encode JPEGs smaller without changing the format or URL.
Privacy
Images are transmitted to the optimization endpoint you configure (by default https://mcp.cleanor.app) purely to be re-encoded, and only the optimized bytes are returned. Cleanor does not require an account and does not retain your images. You can point the plugin at your own self-hosted endpoint if you prefer. See our privacy policy at https://cleanor.app/privacy.
This plugin is a service integration: it relies on the external Cleanor API to perform optimization. Nothing else is sent.
Screenshots
Installation
- In your dashboard go to Plugins Add New Upload Plugin, choose
cleanor-tools.zip, and click Install Now. (Or copy thecleanor-toolsfolder intowp-content/plugins/.) - Click Activate.
- Open the new Cleanor menu, go to Settings, click Test connection, pick a compression preset and format, and Save changes.
- New uploads are now optimized automatically. To process your existing library, open Cleanor Bulk Optimize and click Start optimizing.
FAQ
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Do I need an account or API key?
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No. The default endpoint is free and key-free (rate-limited per site). An API-key field is included for future plans and self-hosting.
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Will this break my existing image URLs?
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When converting to WebP/AVIF, the file extension changes and WordPress is updated to serve the new file everywhere it references the attachment. Old direct hot-links to the previous file extension would need updating; content that uses the Media Library normally is handled automatically. Choose “Recompress (keep format)” if you want URLs to stay identical.
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Can I keep my original files?
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Yes. Enable Keep a .bak copy of the original file in settings. Each replaced file is preserved as
filename.ext.bak. -
Does it optimize thumbnails too?
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Yes, when Also convert generated thumbnail sizes is enabled (default on).
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Which image types are supported?
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JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF sources. GIF and SVG are skipped for safety.
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Can I use my own optimization server?
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Yes. Set the API endpoint to any server that implements the Cleanor
/v1/optimizecontract. -
Is it multisite compatible?
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Settings and stats are per-site.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Cleanor Tools” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Cleanor Tools” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
0.3.0
- New branded “Cleanor” admin cabinet with its own top-level menu.
- Dashboard: total saved, average reduction, images optimized, pending and backed-up counts at a glance.
- Compression presets (Balanced, Aggressive, Near-lossless, Custom).
- Restore originals: one-click bulk restore, plus a per-image “Restore original” action (requires the .bak backup option).
- Redesigned, card-based Settings and Bulk Optimize screens.
0.2.0
- Admin scripts are now properly enqueued (wp_enqueue_script / wp_localize_script) instead of inline.
- Removed load_plugin_textdomain() (not needed on WordPress 6.0+).
0.1.0
- Initial release: automatic optimization on upload, bulk optimizer, per-image action, WebP/AVIF/recompress, Media Library savings column, running savings total, optional original backups.