WordPress ships with a WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) editor that makes authoring posts and pages relatively simple. Nevertheless, the WordPress editor can be a little confusing for first time users, so this will be the first in a series of posts to help first time WordPress authors quickly learn the basics.
This post covers the basics of inserting images into a post. I’ve noticed two image-related things that people seem to miss when beginning with WordPress:
- You need to insert your cursor at the beginning of the paragraph where you want the image to appear before uploading an image
- To adjust the image after insertion, click on the image to reveal an icon with a mountain on it; click this icon to edit the image’s appearance.
This is easier explained in a short video:
Screencast: WordPress Images Basics
(if the screencast is too small to read, feel free to click the little square icon at the bottom right of the video once the screencast starts playing to view it in full screen mode)
In summary, to insert images into a WordPress post or page:
- Before inserting an image, put your cursor at the beginning of the paragraph where you want the image to appear. Even if you want the image to be aligned on the right side of the paragraph, place the cursor at the beginning of the paragraph.
- Select the insert image icon. This is the first icon to the right of the “Upload/Insert” text on the top of the WordPress editor.
- A dialog box will appear, hit “Select File” to upload a file from your computer.
- Adjust the title, alignment, and size of the image and the select “Insert into Post”
- Now the image will appear in the editor approximately how it will look in your post. If you want to make adjustments to the image, click the image. Two icons will appear at the upper left of the image. Select the leftmost icon that has a picture of a mountain on it. A dialog box will appear where you can adjust the size, alignment and other properties of the image. Select “Update” when you’re happy with your changes.
- Use the “Preview” button in the WordPress editor to see how your post will really look on your site before publishing your post.
- Don’t forget to “Save Draft” or “Publish” your post.
Hope this helps! Stay tuned for more WordPress tips!
View the screencast at screencast.com: WordPress Help: A Beginner’s Guide to Inserting Images into Posts


Andy Sernovitz
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:21 am
Hello,
Your post is useful. Great, thanks.
However, I tried puttig two images besides (in an horizontal way, one on the left and the other one on the right).
As a result, the following text display in the middle of the 2 images.
I tried putting the 2 images inside html tags but it doesn’t work.
I finally decided to put the 2 images : one on the botton and the other on the top. It quite not satisfaying and it’s frustating.
Let’s have a look (at the middle of this post : http://www.accent-circonflexe.net/contenu-editorial/la-reputation-des-mots
Anyway, it doesn’ matter really but I hope one day you will write an article on this topic.
July 6th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
This was a nice demo – I have just moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress. Do you know if a demo about which plugin to use to put an image into the sidebar? I’ve managed to do virtually everything else (stats etc) but all the plugins for images seem to be really difficult – plus they do not make it clear how to get things in the sidebar.
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks, Neil
October 7th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I tried uploading images and I am new at wordpress, however instead of an image showing in my blog I have a box with an x. Viewers have to click the image to go elsewher and view it. Any sugestions on how to correct this?
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