CLS · high impact

Images are causing layout shifts

Images are loading without explicit width and height attributes. When they finally load, they push other content out of the way.

Why it matters

This is the #1 cause of Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).

How to fix it in WordPress

  1. Ensure you add images through the standard WordPress editor, which adds width/height attributes automatically.
  2. If an image is in custom HTML or a slider, manually add width="100" height="100" (using the real aspect ratio).
  3. Use a performance plugin to 'Add Missing Image Dimensions'.

Plugin-specific steps

Already using one of these plugins? Follow the exact steps for your setup.

Perfmatters

  1. 1Go to Settings → Perfmatters → Lazy Load.
  2. 2Enable 'Add Missing Image Dimensions'.
  3. 3Save changes.

WP Rocket

  1. 1Go to Settings → WP Rocket → Media.
  2. 2Enable 'Add missing image dimensions'.
  3. 3Save changes.

How to verify the fix

  • Check PageSpeed Insights CLS score.
  • Verify the specific image no longer shifts the layout as it loads.

Find out which of these your site has.

Free scan with real Google data. Exact fixes for your plugins.