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Set External URLs as Featured Images in WordPress
Assign featured images from any external source, without uploading to your media library. Save server space, speed up performance, and simplify content management.
This quick video shows how to set external image URLs as WordPress featured images for posts, pages, custom post types, and WooCommerce products. Easily assign remote images via JSON, XML, or direct input—no uploads required. Boost performance with lazy loading and avoid storage bloat.
We use what we build. Every featured image you see on this site is powered by our plugin. Instead of uploading images to the WordPress media library, we set them via external URLs. That means faster sites, leaner hosting, and fewer headaches.
Here’s how the External Featured Image URL plugin is helping site owners, developers, and ecommerce stores run faster, leaner WordPress installs.
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Graig H
Awesome team
Founders don’t usually deal directly with clients, but Josh is different. He’s been super hands-on, giving our team personal attention and support. He hooked us up with a custom plan tailored just for our needs. We work on tons of WordPress projects. Thanks to him, we’re building fast, accessible, and SEO-friendly sites without breaking a sweat.
Date of experience: June 24, 2025
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Jason F
Great support, great plugin…
I had some questions about the plugin and immediately the team jumped on a ZOOM call for a demo. The plugin does exactly as we need – it brings in images off of our media platform and displays them in WordPress Media from an external endpoint. Perfect… Thanks team!
Date of experience: June 23, 2025
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Chiel M
Works as expected
The team emailed us while we were busy on a client project. They’d worked with a company here in the Netherlands we know. We plugged their plugin into our project, and it was super smooth! Now we use it for all our projects cause it keeps images looking great without slowing stuff down.
Date of experience: June 21, 2025
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Laura
Love it!!!
As a Next.js developer new to WordPress, I used it for a client project to make admin tasks easier. WordPress didn’t allow externally hosted images. This plugin was the perfect fix, letting me link CDN images directly in WordPress, just like in my Next.js projects, without uploading to the media library.
Date of experience: June 10, 2025
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Chloe
Better than manually uploading images
I run a content-heavy site and needed a way to use external images without slowing things down. This does the job well. My only feedback is that I’d like more customization options, but it’s a solid start.
Date of experience: May 14, 2025
LI
Liam
Good plugin
It’s letting me link images without eating up server space. No issues so far, just wondering what other features will be added over time.
Date of experience: May 16, 2025
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Olivia
Happy with it so far
I installed this after hearing about it, and honestly, it’s a nice addition to my site. The setup was straightforward, and I like that I don’t have to worry about uploading tons of images anymore.
Date of experience: May 17, 2025
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Lucas
Amazing
I’ve only used this for a few weeks, but it seems to work well. I run a news site, so I need a solution like this to link images from other sources without extra storage costs.
Date of experience: May 20, 2025
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Emily
Good so far!
I just started using this plugin, and it’s been pretty smooth. I had a small issue setting it up, but the support team was quick to help.
Date of experience: May 5, 2025
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Trinity
Helpful for WooCommerce
I installed this to see if it would work for my online store, and it’s been great so far. I can link product images from my supplier without downloading them all, which is a big plus. Hoping future updates add even more features!
Date of experience: May 7, 2025
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Sophia
Easy to set up
I don’t have much technical experience, but I managed to get this plugin working without any trouble. My blog loads faster now that I’m using external images. If you’re looking for a simple solution, this is a good option.
Date of experience: May 9, 2025
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Antoine
Works as expected
I tested this plugin on a few sites, and so far, everything is running smoothly. Being able to use one license across multiple installations (depending on the plan) was the main reason I gave it a shot.
Date of experience: May 9, 2025
Whether you’re managing a single blog or dozens of client sites, our pricing is built to scale with your needs. Every plan includes full access to the External Images Plugin, along with updates and support. No hidden fees. No bloated bundles. Just straightforward value for developers, freelancers, and businesses who care about performance.
$4.99/Mo
Billed annually. You pay $60 today
Features:
$12.50/Mo
Billed annually. You pay $150 today
Features:
$100
One-Time Payment
Features:
Whether you’re trying to speed up your site, cut down on media clutter, or automate product images, we’ve got you covered. These FAQs cover the most common questions from real users—because we’re not just the developers, we’re users too. In fact, almost every image on this site is powered by the External Images WordPress Plugin.
Because uploading images clutters your media library and slows your site. External URLs keep things lightweight and optimized.
Yes. Fully compatible with popular WordPress themes, page builders, and WooCommerce.
If the external link is broken or deleted, the image won’t load. We recommend using reliable sources or CDNs.
Absolutely. Import links from JSON, XML, or direct URL feeds. Great for syncing image-heavy content or products.
Yes, with our Professional plan or higher, you can activate the plugin across multiple sites.
Yes. If your image source is stable, you never need to upload again.
Definitely. Use them in blog posts, product listings, and any featured image slot.
Yes. Our plugin works with WordPress native galleries and most third-party plugins.
No. In fact, it improves speed. Images are lazy-loaded from external sources, reducing page weight and speeding up delivery.
Yes. Nearly all images you see here are hosted externally. We built this plugin to power our own performance, and now you can too.
Using WordPress Featured Image External URL plugins like ours improves site speed, reduces hosting costs, and helps you rank better by optimizing your media management. With features like alt text, responsive image sizes, and lazy loading, your posts stay SEO-friendly.
External Images WordPress Plugin lets you use images from other websites without having to upload them to your WordPress media library. It's a simple way to save space, speed up your site, and make things easier, whether you're running a blog, online store, or any kind of website. You can use external images for posts, products, galleries, and more, with helpful features like bulk imports and lazy loading built in.
