PDEV Image Optimizer was created because I needed a small image optimization\nplugin that simply did its job. I did not need a cloud dashboard, a subscription,\nor a long list of advanced settings. I also did not want basic features to stop\nworking behind a paywall after installing the plugin.<\/p>\n\n
This plugin is completely free and will remain free. There is no PRO version,\nno limited free plan, no account, and no feature unlock hidden in the settings.<\/p>\n\n
PDEV Image Optimizer creates WebP or AVIF copies of images from the WordPress\nMedia Library. It can convert new uploads automatically and process an existing\nlibrary in small batches that can be stopped and continued later.<\/p>\n\n
You only choose:<\/p>\n\n
The plugin also includes thumbnail scanning and regeneration, storage savings\nstatistics, conflict detection, optional Cloudflare support, and a detailed\nsystem report for troubleshooting. The Settings overview explains failed checks\nand links directly to the action needed to resolve each problem.<\/p>\n\n
photo.jpg<\/code> and usually creates thumbnail\nfiles such as photo-768x512.jpg<\/code>.<\/li>\n- PDEV Image Optimizer uses Imagick, or GD as a fallback, to create an optimized file next to\neach source file. The file is named
photo.jpg.webp<\/code>, photo.jpg.avif<\/code>, or for\nexample photo-768x512.jpg.webp<\/code>.<\/li>\n- The original image is not deleted, renamed, or replaced. WordPress content\ncontinues to use the original URL ending in
.jpg<\/code>, .png<\/code>, .gif<\/code>, or .webp<\/code>.<\/li>\n- When a browser requests that original URL, the web server checks the browser's\n Accept header. If the browser supports the selected modern format and the\nsidecar file exists, the server returns the WebP or AVIF file instead.<\/li>\n
- A browser without support receives the untouched original image.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
On Apache and compatible LiteSpeed servers, the plugin adds a clearly marked\n PDEV Image Optimizer block to .htaccess<\/code> inside the uploads directory. If\ntheme image optimization is enabled, it also manages a marked block in the\nactive theme directory. The block uses rewrite rules, sets the correct MIME\ntype, and adds Vary: Accept<\/code> so caches know that one URL can return different\nfile formats.<\/p>\n\nOn Nginx, WordPress cannot safely edit the server configuration. PDEV Image Optimizer therefore\nshows ready-to-copy map<\/code> and location<\/code> blocks in System status<\/strong>. A server\nadministrator must add them to the Nginx configuration and reload Nginx.<\/p>\n\nThe Settings overview includes an optional live delivery test. It creates a\ntemporary one-pixel source and optimized sidecar inside uploads, requests the\nsource URL with the appropriate Accept<\/code> header, verifies the returned HTTP\nstatus and Content-Type<\/code>, and immediately removes both test files. The test runs\nonly when an administrator clicks Test image delivery<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\nConversion and delivery are separate steps. If WebP or AVIF files exist on disk\nbut the server rules are missing or ignored, conversion succeeded but visitors\nwill still receive the original files. Check System status<\/strong> when this happens.<\/p>\n\nMain features<\/h4>\n\n\n- Local WebP and AVIF conversion with Imagick or GD.<\/li>\n
- Automatic conversion of new uploads and WordPress thumbnails.<\/li>\n
- Restartable optimization of the existing Media Library.<\/li>\n
- Optional optimization of supported images from the active theme.<\/li>\n
- Thumbnail scan, missing-thumbnail repair, full regeneration, and obsolete-file cleanup.<\/li>\n
- Per-image safety limits that skip unsafe files without stopping the whole batch.<\/li>\n
- Storage and estimated transfer savings statistics.<\/li>\n
- Apache\/LiteSpeed
.htaccess<\/code> delivery and generated Nginx configuration.<\/li>\n- General image-plugin and rewrite-rule conflict detection.<\/li>\n
- Optional Cloudflare Free-compatible cache integration.<\/li>\n
- Detailed privacy-safe system report with copy and JSON export.<\/li>\n
- Clear Settings overview with tested encoder support, server requirements, delivery status, and conflict checks.<\/li>\n
- Actionable recovery instructions and a live HTTP test for Apache\/LiteSpeed and Nginx delivery.<\/li>\n
- Error history from the last 24 hours, limited to 50 entries.<\/li>\n
- No external conversion service, tracking, subscription, paywall, or PRO version.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Server requirements - read before installing<\/h4>\n\n
The plugin needs both an image conversion library and working web-server rules.\nInstalling and activating the plugin cannot add missing PHP extensions or change\nserver configuration that your hosting provider has disabled.<\/p>\n\n
Required for conversion:<\/p>\n\n
\n- WordPress 6.4 or newer.<\/li>\n
- PHP 8.0 or newer.<\/li>\n
- Imagick or GD installed and enabled in PHP.<\/li>\n
- The selected library must support the selected output format. WebP support does\nnot automatically mean AVIF support.<\/li>\n
- The WordPress uploads directory must be writable by PHP.<\/li>\n
- Enough PHP\/server memory and execution time for the size of your images.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Required for automatic delivery on Apache or LiteSpeed:<\/p>\n\n
\n- Apache-compatible rewrite support (
mod_rewrite<\/code>).<\/li>\n- MIME and header support (
mod_mime<\/code> and mod_headers<\/code>).<\/li>\n.htaccess<\/code> files must be allowed and processed for the uploads directory.\nOn Apache this normally requires an appropriate AllowOverride<\/code> setting.<\/li>\n- The uploads directory or its existing
.htaccess<\/code> file must be writable by PHP\nso the plugin can add its marked rules.<\/li>\n- If theme images are enabled, the active theme directory and its
.htaccess<\/code>\nfile must meet the same requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nRequired for delivery on Nginx:<\/p>\n\n
\n- Access to the Nginx website configuration.<\/li>\n
- Permission to add the generated
map<\/code> block to the http<\/code> context and the\ngenerated location<\/code> block to the correct server<\/code> context.<\/li>\n- Permission to test and reload Nginx after changing its configuration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
If you use managed hosting and do not have access to these settings, ask the\nhosting provider whether Imagick\/GD supports WebP or AVIF and whether the required\nApache modules and .htaccess<\/code> overrides are enabled. PDEV Image Optimizer cannot bypass server\nrestrictions imposed by the hosting provider.<\/p>\n\nHosting resource protection and image limits<\/h4>\n\n
Image conversion can use considerably more memory than the compressed source\nfile suggests. To reduce timeouts, 503 responses, and account resource-limit\nerrors on shared hosting, PDEV Image Optimizer applies conservative limits before and during\nconversion.<\/p>\n\n
Default limits applied to both Imagick and GD:<\/p>\n\n
\n- Maximum source file size: 64 MB<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Maximum width or height: 16,384 pixels<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Maximum total image size: 25 megapixels<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Additional GD protection:<\/p>\n\n
\n- GD conversion uses a conservative 256 MB per-request memory budget<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- The estimate includes decoded image pixels, the source file, current PHP\nmemory usage, and a reserved safety margin.<\/li>\n
- A hosting provider or PHP configuration may impose a lower effective limit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Additional Imagick protection:<\/p>\n\n
\n- Memory limit: 128 MB<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Memory-map limit: 256 MB<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Temporary disk limit: 512 MB<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Processing time limit: 30 seconds<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Thread limit: 1 thread<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
These are safety ceilings, not resource reservations. The server may enforce\nlower limits, and increasing a PHP or plugin limit cannot bypass the hosting\naccount's CPU, RAM, process, or I\/O allowance.<\/p>\n\n
Media Library optimization starts with one attachment per request and may use\ntwo only after several fast batches. Slow or memory-heavy batches automatically\nreturn to one attachment. Short pauses are added between requests, and temporary\nHTTP 409, 429, 502, 503, and 504 responses use an increasing retry delay. Progress\nis saved after every attachment, so a stopped job can be continued without\nstarting the library scan from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n
One WordPress attachment can contain the original image and several thumbnail\nfiles. Processing one attachment can therefore still convert several physical\nfiles. Thumbnail regeneration always handles one attachment per request and\nwaits briefly before requesting the next one. Thumbnail scanning is lighter and\nuses batches of up to five attachments.<\/p>\n\n
An image that exceeds a safety limit is not converted. It is shown as a failed\nitem with the reason in the conversion log and error list, while the optimizer\ncontinues with the next attachment. The original image is never removed or\nmodified. Developers can adjust the safeguards with WordPress filters, but doing\nso should be based on the real limits of the hosting account.<\/p>\n\n
External services<\/h3>\n\n
Cloudflare integration is optional. When configured, PDEV Image Optimizer sends the Zone ID and\nAPI token to Cloudflare to manage its own Cache Rule and purge the selected zone.\nThe compatibility test requests one public Media Library image with different\n Accept headers and stores only technical response information. Images are not\nuploaded to Cloudflare by this plugin.<\/p>\n\n
Cloudflare information: Terms<\/a> and\nPrivacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\nSupport<\/h3>\n\n