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Configuring ShortPixel Image Optimizer for WordPress

ShortPixel is a powerful image optimization plugin that can significantly improve your website's performance by reducing image file sizes without compromising quality. This guide will walk you through installing and configuring ShortPixel with optimal settings for WordPress.

Step 1: Install ShortPixel Image Optimizer​

  1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Go to Plugins → Add New.
  3. Search for "ShortPixel Image Optimizer".
  4. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Install ShortPixel

Step 2: Get a ShortPixel API Key​

  1. After activation, you'll be prompted to enter an API key.
  2. Click on Get API Key to create a free ShortPixel account.
  3. Complete the registration form.
  4. Copy the API key provided.
  5. Return to your WordPress dashboard and paste the key in the ShortPixel settings.

ShortPixel API Key

Step 3: Configure Image Optimization Settings​

Navigate to Settings → ShortPixel and configure the following settings in the Image Optimization tab:

Compression Settings​

  • Compression type: Lossy
    • This provides the best balance between quality and file size reduction
  • Optimize Thumbnails: ON
    • Ensures all image sizes generated by WordPress are optimized
  • Optimize unlisted thumbnails: ON
    • Optimizes custom image sizes created by your theme or plugins
  • Optimize PDFs: ON
    • Reduces the size of PDF files
  • Optimize Retina images: ON
    • Optimizes high-resolution images for Retina displays
  • Convert PNG images to JPEG: OFF
    • Keep PNGs as they are, especially important for images with transparency
  • CMYK to RGB conversion: ON
    • Converts CMYK images to RGB for better web compatibility
  • Remove EXIF: ON
    • Removes metadata from images to further reduce file size
  • Allow or prevent your images from being used for AI/ML training: No AI Training Flag
    • Adds a flag to prevent your images from being used for AI training
  • Enable SmartCrop: ON
    • Intelligently crops images to focus on the important parts

ShortPixel Compression Settings

Step 4: Configure Processing Settings​

In the Processing tab, configure these settings:

  • Optimize media on upload: ON
    • Automatically optimizes images when they are uploaded
  • Background mode: ON
    • Processes images in the background without slowing down your site
  • Backup Originals: ON
    • Creates backups of your original images before optimization
  • Custom Media folders: ON
    • Allows optimization of images in custom folders

ShortPixel Processing Settings

Step 5: Configure Next Generation Images & CDN Settings​

In the Deliver Next Generation Images & CDN tab:

  • Create WebP Images: ON
    • Creates WebP versions of your images for modern browsers
  • Create AVIF Images: ON
    • Creates AVIF versions for even better compression in supported browsers
  • Deliver the next generation images using the ShortPixel CDN: OFF
    • We'll serve images from our own server instead of using ShortPixel's CDN

Delivery Method​

For Serve WebP/AVIF images from locally hosted files, select:

  • Using the <PICTURE> tag syntax → Global
    • This processes the whole output buffer before sending the HTML to the browser

ShortPixel Next-Gen Images Settings

Step 6: Configure Cloudflare Integration​

If you're using Cloudflare (as recommended in our guide), configure the integration in the Integrations tab:

  1. Cloudflare Integration: ON
  2. Zone ID:
    • Enter your Cloudflare Zone ID
    • You can find this in your Cloudflare account in the "Overview" section for your domain
  3. Token:
    • Enter your site token for authentication
    • This token must have Cache Purge permission

ShortPixel Cloudflare Integration

Step 7: Enable Advanced Mode​

In the main ShortPixel settings tab:

  • Advanced Mode: ON
    • Enables advanced features and settings for more control over image optimization

ShortPixel Advanced Mode

Step 8: Bulk Optimize Existing Images​

After configuring all settings:

  1. Go to Media → Bulk ShortPixel.
  2. Click Start Optimizing to process all existing images.
  3. The optimization will run in the background, and you can continue using your site.

ShortPixel Bulk Optimization

Monitoring and Maintenance​

Check Optimization Status​

  • Go to Media Library to see optimization status for individual images.
  • Green indicators show optimized images, while yellow ones are pending.

Monthly Usage​

  • ShortPixel offers 100 free image optimizations per month.
  • For larger sites, consider purchasing additional credits or a monthly plan.
  • Monitor your usage in the ShortPixel dashboard.

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

Images Not Being Optimized​

If images aren't being optimized:

  1. Check your API key is valid in Settings → ShortPixel.
  2. Ensure "Background Processing" is enabled.
  3. Verify server requirements (PHP version, memory limit).

WebP/AVIF Images Not Displaying​

If next-gen images aren't showing:

  1. Check browser compatibility (older browsers don't support WebP/AVIF).
  2. Verify the delivery method is correctly configured.
  3. Clear your browser cache and Cloudflare cache.

Conflicts with Other Plugins​

If you experience conflicts:

  1. Temporarily disable other image optimization plugins.
  2. Check for caching plugin conflicts and purge caches after changing settings.

Conclusion​

With ShortPixel properly configured, your WordPress site will load faster and provide a better user experience. The optimized images will also help improve your Core Web Vitals scores, particularly Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which is crucial for SEO.

Remember to periodically check your ShortPixel dashboard to monitor usage and ensure all images are being optimized correctly.