Nothing kills a beautiful website faster than broken images staring back at your visitors. You know the ones: that sad little broken picture icon that screams “something went wrong here.” If your WordPress site is plagued with these broken image problems, don’t panic. This guide will show you exactly how to fix them in minutes, not hours.
Why Do Images Break in WordPress?
Before we jump into fixes, let’s understand why images break. When images don’t display properly, there are usually a few common culprits:
- The image file was deleted from your media library, but the post still references it
- You moved your WordPress site to a new domain and the image URLs didn’t update
- The image filename was manually changed without updating the post
- An incorrect file path is pointing to the wrong location
- The image file got corrupted during upload
Understanding the root cause helps you fix it faster and prevent it from happening again.
Method 1: Quick Fix Through the Post Editor
This is the fastest method if you can access your WordPress admin panel.
Step 1: Log into your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the post or page with the broken image.
Step 2: Click “Edit” to open the post editor.
Step 3: Find the broken image in your content. You’ll see a broken image icon where the picture should be.
Step 4: Click on the broken image to select it.
Step 5: A menu will appear. Click “Replace” or the “Replace image” button.
Step 6: Choose a new image from your media library or upload a fresh copy of the original image.
Step 7: Click “Update” to save your post.
Boom. One broken image down. This method works best when you have the correct image file ready to go.
Method 2: Fix the Image URL Directly
Sometimes the image file is actually fine, but the URL pointing to it is wrong. This usually happens after domain migrations or accidental filename changes.
Step 1: In your post editor (text mode), look for the image code. It will look like this:
<img src="https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/image-name.jpg" alt="description" />
Step 2: Check that the URL path is correct. Does it point to your current domain? Is the filename spelled correctly?
Step 3: Go to your Media Library (Media > Library in WordPress) and find the correct image file.
Step 4: Copy the URL from the media library and replace the broken URL in your post.
Step 5: Update your post and check if the image displays correctly now.
This method is especially useful if your site domain changed or someone manually renamed files in your uploads folder.
Method 3: Check the Media Library
Sometimes the problem is simpler than you think. The image might still be there, but the post is pointing to the wrong location.
Step 1: Go to Media > Library in your WordPress admin.
Step 2: Search for the image by name or browse your uploads to find it.
Step 3: If the image exists, click it to see its details.
Step 4: Copy the full image URL from the media details.
Step 5: Go back to your post, edit the broken image code, and paste the correct URL.
If the image doesn’t exist in your media library at all, you’ll need to either re-upload it or replace it with a different image.
Method 4: Regenerate Missing Thumbnails
Sometimes the full image is fine, but thumbnail versions are broken. This is common after updates or plugin conflicts.
Step 1: Install the “Regenerate Thumbnails” plugin from the WordPress plugin directory.
Step 2: Activate the plugin.
Step 3: Go to Tools > Regenerate Thumbnails.
Step 4: Click “Regenerate All Thumbnails.” This will rebuild all thumbnail versions of all images in your media library.
Step 5: Check your posts to see if the images now display correctly.
This method is great for sites that were recently upgraded or had server/plugin issues.
Prevention: Never Worry About Broken Images Again
Once you’ve fixed your broken images, follow these tips to prevent future problems:
Always use the Media Library: Don’t delete images directly from your server. Use the WordPress Media Library to manage all images. This keeps the database in sync with your files.
Never manually rename files: Always rename images through the Media Library, not by FTP or file manager.
Test after domain migration: If you move your site to a new domain, do a quick image check on your most important posts. Many site migration plugins handle this automatically, but it’s worth verifying.
Keep a backup: Regular backups protect you from accidental image loss. If something goes wrong, you can restore your media library quickly.
Check broken images periodically: Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker to automatically scan for broken images and links on your site. It will alert you if new broken images appear.
When to Get Help
Most broken image problems are fixable in minutes with one of the methods above. But if you’ve tried everything and images still won’t display, you might have:
- File permission issues on your server
- Missing uploaded files that can’t be recovered
- A server configuration problem preventing image serving
In these cases, reach out to your hosting provider or a WordPress developer for assistance.
Wrapping Up
Broken images are frustrating, but they’re usually fixable in minutes. Start with Method 1 if you can edit posts. If that doesn’t work, try Method 2 to manually correct the image URL. Most of the time, one of these approaches will get your images displaying again and your site looking professional.
Keep those image files safe, use the Media Library properly, and you’ll rarely face this problem again.