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WHY LICENCE

What a licence unlocks.

PixEncoder works immediately without a licence. A licence unlocks automation, AVIF support and advanced workflow features. Expand any feature below to see exactly what it does and how it works.

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Optimising

PixEncoder creates a WebP copy of any image in your Media Library, with no limits on how many images you can convert.

What the feature does

  • Converts to WebP

    It makes a .WebP copy of a JPEG, PNG or GIF and saves it beside the original (logo.png gets logo.webp). The smaller sizes WordPress made of that image (thumbnails and so on) are converted too.

  • One at a time

    Each image on the Images screen has its own Optimise button.

  • Many together

    Tick any number of images and press "Optimise selected". A progress window shows each one, with Stop and "Work in the background" buttons.

  • Serves the WebP copy

    Visitors whose browser supports WebP receive the .webp copy in place of the original, at the same address, so no page needs editing.

  • Keeps the original image

    The original file is not altered, and "Restore selected to original" removes the converted files.

  • WebP quality settings

    WebP Quality is adjustable (40 to 100, default 80), and a copy that comes out bigger than its original is discarded by default.

What "no limits" covers

  • No cap on the number of images

  • No monthly quotas

  • No credits

  • Conversion runs on your own server

The limits that do exist

  • Only JPEG, PNG and GIF are converted

  • Animated GIFs stay animated

  • Requires GD with WebP support

  • Large images may exceed PHP memory limits

When PixEncoder converts an image, it also converts every smaller copy WordPress made of that image, so the WebP is served wherever the image appears, at whatever size.

What the feature does

  • WordPress makes several sizes of every upload

    A thumbnail, medium, large and others, plus any sizes your theme or plugins add. Pages mostly show these smaller sizes, not the full-size file.

  • PixEncoder converts every size in one go

    The main file and each of its sizes gets its own .WebP copy at the same dimensions. One press of Optimise covers the lot.

  • Why it matters

    If only the full-size file were converted, most visitors would still be sent the JPEG or PNG, because their browser asks for a smaller size.

  • Storage savings include every size

    The figure on the Images screen is the total across the main file and all its sizes.

The limits that do exist

  • A WebP copy that is larger than its original is discarded by default.
    Sizes created after an image was converted (for example by a new theme or regenerated thumbnails) are not converted until the image is optimised again.

With a licence, PixEncoder can also create an AVIF copy of each image alongside the WebP one and serve it to browsers that support AVIF.

What the feature does

  • A newer, smaller format

    AVIF is a newer image format than WebP, and its files are usually smaller again at the same visual quality, often around half the size of the JPEG.

  • Made with the WebP copy

    When you optimise an image, the AVIF copy is made after the WebP one, for the main file and for every thumbnail size.

  • Served to browsers that can show it

    A browser that accepts AVIF gets the AVIF; one that does not gets the WebP; anything older gets the original. The image's address never changes.

  • Only kept when smaller

    An AVIF copy that is no smaller than the WebP of the same file is discarded, so visitors always get the smallest one.

  • Its own quality setting

    AVIF Quality runs from 20 to 100, default 35. AVIF looks good at much lower numbers than JPEG or WebP.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the setting is shown but locked, and only WebP copies are made.

  • Off until you switch it on

    Create AVIF Copies is on the Settings tab and is off by default.

  • Needs server support

    The server's PHP must have GD with AVIF support (PHP 8.1 or later). If it has not, the setting cannot be switched on and only WebP copies are made.

  • Slower to create

    AVIF takes longer to make than WebP, so optimising many images at once takes longer.

  • Images optimised earlier

    An image converted before AVIF was switched on gets its AVIF copy when you optimise it again.

  • Same image types as WebP

    Only JPEG, PNG and GIF, and animated GIFs are left as they are.

With a licence, PixEncoder also makes the original JPEG and PNG files themselves smaller, not only the WebP and AVIF copies made from them.

What the feature does

  • Shrinks the fallback files

    The original is what a browser gets when it cannot show WebP or AVIF, and what anything that fetches the file directly gets. Compressing it makes those smaller too.

  • Covers every size

    The main file and each thumbnail size are compressed when you optimise the image.

  • JPEGs

    Re-saved at the JPEG Quality you choose, from 40 to 100. The default quality, 82, is visually identical to the original for most photos. They are saved as progressive JPEGs, which are smaller and appear sooner as they load.

  • PNGs

    Compressed without any loss, so the picture is identical pixel for pixel.

  • Only when it helps

    A file is replaced only if the compressed version is smaller. Otherwise it is left exactly as it was.

  • A backup first

    Before an original is touched, an untouched copy is saved in uploads/pixencoder-backups. "Restore selected to original" puts any image back exactly as uploaded.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, PixEncoder never alters an original file.

  • Photo metadata is removed

    Camera details and GPS location are stripped from compressed files. The backup still has them.

  • Large PNGs are left alone

    A PNG of more than about two million pixels (roughly 1,400 × 1,400) is not recompressed, because it is slow for little gain. Its WebP copy is still made.

  • GIFs are not compressed

    Only JPEG and PNG originals.

  • Backups use disk space

    Each compressed image keeps a second copy. The backup can be switched off on the Settings tab, but then a compressed image cannot be restored.

  • No backup, no change

    If a backup cannot be saved, the original is left untouched and only WebP and AVIF copies are created.

With a licence, PixEncoder can optimise every new image as it is uploaded, so nothing waits to be ticked on the Images screen.

What the feature does

  • Optimised as soon as it is uploaded

    Each new upload is optimised as soon as WordPress has made its thumbnail sizes, wherever it is uploaded from: the Media Library, an editor or the Images screen.

  • Uses your settings

    The same settings apply as when you optimise by hand: WebP, AVIF if it is switched on, compressing the original, and the backup.

  • Every size at once

    The main file and every thumbnail size are converted in the same step.

  • Nothing else to do

    The image appears on the Images screen already optimised, and visitors get the smaller copy from the first time it is shown.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, images are only optimised when you choose them on the Images screen.

  • Off until you switch it on

    Convert New Uploads Automatically is on the Settings tab and is off by default.

  • Uploads take a little longer

    The converting is done as part of the upload, so each upload takes longer, and longer again with AVIF switched on.

  • New uploads only

    Images already in the Media Library are not touched. Optimise those from the Images screen.

  • Same exclusions as optimising by hand

    Only JPEG, PNG and GIF, and animated GIFs are left as they are.

With a licence, you choose the largest size a new upload may be, and anything bigger is scaled down to it as it arrives.

What the feature does

  • A limit you set

    Maximum Size is on the Settings tab, in pixels on the longest side. It starts at 2,560.

  • Scaled on upload

    A very large upload, a 6,000-pixel phone photo for example, is scaled down to your limit, and the scaled version is the one your pages use.

  • The upload itself is kept

    WordPress keeps the full-size file you uploaded beside the scaled one.

  • No limit if you prefer

    Set it to 0 and nothing is scaled down.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, WordPress's own limit of 2,560 pixels applies and cannot be changed here.

  • New uploads only

    Images already in the Media Library are not resized.

  • WordPress does the scaling

    PixEncoder sets the limit. The scaling is WordPress's own, the same as for any large upload.

  • The kept file uses disk space

    The full-size upload stays on the server beside the scaled version.

Change a quality setting or switch on a format, and any image can be optimised again with the new settings. PixEncoder starts again from the untouched original each time.

What the feature does

  • Re-optimise on every row

    An image that is already converted has a Re-optimise button beside it on the Images screen.

  • Many together

    Tick converted images, with any others, and press "Optimise selected". Each one is done again in the same run.

  • Starts from the original

    The old copies are removed and the original is put back as it was uploaded before the new copies are made, so nothing is lost by converting twice.

  • Skipped images can be tried again

    An image that was skipped shows the reason, and can be optimised again once the cause is put right.

The limits that do exist

  • Not done for you

    Changing a setting does not change images that are already converted. The new setting applies to images optimised from then on.

  • You choose the images

    Images are optimised again one row at a time, or as the ones you tick.

  • Needs the backup

    An original that was compressed with the backup switched off has no untouched copy to go back to, so it starts from the compressed file.

Delivery and safety

PixEncoder sends the WebP copy to visitors without changing a single image address, and checks for itself that it is working.

What the feature does

  • Same address, smaller file

    A browser that accepts WebP asks for photo.jpg and is sent photo.webp. Pages, links and image addresses stay exactly as they are.

  • Covers the whole site

    Because it happens on the server, it also reaches background images set in CSS, Elementor backgrounds included, and it is safe with page caches.

  • Older browsers still work

    A browser that cannot show WebP is sent the original file.

  • A delivery test

    The Dashboard asks the server for one of your optimised images the way a browser would, and reports whether WebP came back. Test Again runs it whenever you like.

  • Another delivery method

    Where the server rules cannot be used, Picture Tags wraps each image on the page in a picture tag that offers the WebP copy.

The limits that do exist

  • Server rules need Apache or LiteSpeed

    The usual delivery writes rules to the .htaccess file in the uploads folder. On Nginx, use Picture Tags.

  • Picture Tags does not reach CSS backgrounds

    It covers the images in the page itself, not background images set in a stylesheet.

  • The uploads folder must be writable

    If the rules cannot be written, Status Messages on the Dashboard says so.

  • A CDN can get in the way

    If the host does not allow the rules, or a CDN is serving its saved copy of the original, the test reports it and suggests Picture Tags.

  • Delivery can be switched off

    With delivery off the copies are still made, but they are not served to visitors.

Your original images are safe. Without a licence they are never altered at all, and with one they are only compressed after an untouched copy has been saved.

What the feature does

  • Without a licence

    PixEncoder only adds WebP copies beside your originals. The originals themselves are not altered.

  • With a licence

    Before an original is compressed, an untouched copy of it is saved in uploads/pixencoder-backups.

  • One-click Restore

    Tick any images and press "Restore selected to original". The converted copies are removed and each original is put back exactly as it was uploaded.

  • One image or many

    Restore works on a single image or on everything you tick, with the same progress window as optimising.

  • Starts from the original each time

    Optimising an image again starts from the untouched original, so no old copies are left behind.

The limits that do exist

  • The backup can be switched off

    With a licence, Keep a Backup Before Compressing Originals can be turned off on the Settings tab. An image compressed while it is off cannot be put back as it was uploaded.

  • Backups use disk space

    Each compressed image keeps a second copy on the server.

  • Deleting an image deletes its backup

    When an original is deleted from the Media Library, its backup goes with it.

When you delete an original image that has been optimised, its WebP copy is not thrown away with it. It stays in your Media Library as an image in its own right.

What the feature does

  • The WebP copy stays

    The copy, with every thumbnail size, stays in the Optimised folder and can be used like any other image.

  • Title and alt text stay

    The copy keeps the title and alt text it shared with the original, and you can go on editing them.

  • You are told first

    The delete window says the WebP copy will stay before you confirm.

  • Deleting the WebP copy

    Deleting the WebP copy from the Media Library keeps the original, and puts it back as it was uploaded.

The limits that do exist

  • The original is gone for good

    Deleting an original cannot be undone, and its backup is removed with it.

  • Pages are not changed without a licence

    Pages that used the original are not moved to the WebP copy. Update them by hand, or use a licence, which moves them for you.

  • Only an optimised image has a copy to keep

    Deleting an image that was never optimised deletes it entirely.

With a licence, deleting an original does not leave gaps on your site. Everything that used it is moved over to its WebP copy first.

What the feature does

  • Finds every use

    Page and post content, Elementor layouts and templates, widgets, and theme and plugin settings are all searched for the image.

  • Moves each one, size for size

    Every use is pointed at the WebP copy of the same size, so a 300 x 200 thumbnail becomes the 300 x 200 WebP.

  • Before the files go

    It is done while the original still exists, so nothing on the site is left pointing at a missing file.

  • Elementor kept in step

    Elementor layouts are moved to the WebP image itself, and Elementor's stylesheets are rebuilt.

  • Page caches emptied

    The common page caches are cleared so visitors get the updated pages: WP Fastest Cache, WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache and LiteSpeed Cache.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the WebP copy is kept, but the places that used the original are updated by hand.

  • Only images with a WebP copy

    An original that was never optimised has no copy to move to.

  • Revisions are left alone

    Old revisions of a page keep the old address.

  • Only what is stored in this site

    An address typed into a theme file, or used by another website, is not changed.

  • Other caches

    A cache that is not in the list above, or a CDN, may need clearing by hand.

With a licence, PixEncoder puts Elementor’s image links right after every save, so an editor left open cannot undo a rename or a delete.

What the feature does

  • The problem it solves

    An Elementor editor that was open while images were renamed or deleted still holds its old copy of the page. Saving it writes the old image links back.

  • Checked after each save

    Straight after Elementor saves a page or template, PixEncoder checks every image in the layout.

  • Pointed at the right file

    An image whose file was renamed is pointed at the new name, and one whose original was deleted is pointed at its WebP copy.

  • Stylesheet rebuilt

    Elementor's stylesheet for the page is rebuilt and the page caches are cleared, so visitors see the repaired page.

  • Nothing to switch on

    It runs by itself. There is no setting.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, a page saved from an old editor window keeps the old image links.

  • Elementor only

    Other page builders are not checked after a save. Their pages are still updated at the moment an image is renamed or deleted.

  • Images in the uploads folder

    Only images from your Media Library are checked, not images linked from elsewhere.

Delete one image or many without leaving the Images screen. Before anything goes, a window says exactly what will be deleted and what will be kept.

What the feature does

  • A delete button on every row

    Click it to delete that image.

  • Delete selected

    Tick several images and delete them together. The button counts how many are ticked.

  • Says what will happen

    The confirmation names the image and what goes with it, and says what happens to its WebP copy or its original.

  • Every size goes with it

    The smaller sizes WordPress made of the image are deleted with it, along with PixEncoder's backup of it.

  • Either list

    Delete originals from Media, or WebP images from Optimised. Deleting a WebP copy keeps its original and puts it back as it was uploaded.

The limits that do exist

  • Deleting is permanent

    The image is removed from the Media Library and the server straight away. It cannot be undone.

  • Pages are not checked without a licence

    A page that used the image will show a missing image. With a licence, pages are moved to the WebP copy first, where there is one.

  • Permission

    Only users who are allowed to delete an image can delete it.

Image Management

Each row on the Images screen sets out one image: what it is, how big it is, and what optimising has saved.

What the feature does

  • The image

    Its thumbnail, file name, file size, dimensions in pixels and the date it was added.

  • The converted copy

    The name of the converted file, its size, and the compression as a percentage.

  • The size as uploaded

    File Size stays the size the image was uploaded at, even after the original has been compressed, so the saving is measured from where you started.

  • WebP and AVIF

    Where an image has both, the row shows the smaller of the two, which is the one a modern browser is sent, and names the other beneath it.

  • Optimised rows step back

    Rows that are already optimised are dimmed, so the ones still to do stand out. Point at a row to see it at full strength.

  • The Optimised list

    The WebP list shows the same the other way round: each WebP image, the original it came from, the original's size and what was saved.

The limits that do exist

  • The full-size file

    The sizes and the compression on a row are those of the main file. The Optimisation column in the WordPress Media Library gives the total across every thumbnail size.

  • Missing files are marked

    An image whose file is no longer on the server is shown as missing, and cannot be ticked.

  • A scaled upload

    Where WordPress scaled a very large upload down, the row shows the scaled file your pages use, and names the file that was uploaded.

Links beside the tabs cut the list down to the images in one state, each with a count.

What the feature does

  • All

    Every image in your Media Library.

  • Not Converted

    The images still to be optimised.

  • Converted

    The images that have been optimised.

  • Skipped

    The images PixEncoder could not convert, each with the reason, such as an animated GIF or a file that is missing.

  • Works with search and sort

    A search or a sort stays within the view you are in.

  • Opened from the Dashboard

    The Unoptimised and Optimised counts on the Dashboard open these views.

The limits that do exist

  • The Media list only

    The views are for your own images. The Optimised list has none, as everything in it is already WebP.

  • 100 images to a page

    A view of more than 100 images runs over several pages.

Every row on the Images screen has a Title box and an Alt Text box, so you can work down the list without opening each image.

What the feature does

  • Edit in place

    Type in the box beside the image. Nothing else opens.

  • Saved as you go

    A box saves as soon as you leave it. There is no Save button to remember.

  • Copied to the WebP copy

    The title and alt text are saved on the image and on its WebP copy together, whichever of the two you edit.

  • Alt text reads as a sentence

    A full stop is added to alt text that does not already end with one.

  • Both lists

    The boxes are in the Media list and the Optimised list, including WebP images whose original has been deleted.

The limits that do exist

  • Title and alt text only

    Captions and descriptions are edited in the Media Library as usual.

  • Plain text

    Formatting and HTML are removed when a box is saved.

  • A licence adds more

    The spell checker, the No Alt Text and Title To Improve filters, and search highlighting all work on these boxes with a licence.

The Images screen finds and orders your images as you type, and lets you set the columns to the widths that suit you.

What the feature does

  • Search as you type

    The list narrows while you type. It looks in file names, titles, alt text and the date added.

  • Sort by a heading

    Click File Name, File Size or Date Added to sort by it, and click again to reverse the order.

  • Newest first to start with

    With no sort chosen, the list is in the order the images were added, newest first.

  • Search and sort together

    Sorting keeps the search you have typed, and stays in the view you are in: All, Not Converted, Converted or Skipped.

  • Adjustable columns

    Drag the edge of a column heading to make it wider or narrower, and double-click it to put it back. The widths are remembered, separately for the Media and Optimised lists.

  • Lock Header

    A setting keeps the logo, tabs, buttons, search box and headings in place, so only the rows scroll.

The limits that do exist

  • Column widths are kept in your browser

    They are remembered on that computer and browser, not for other users or devices.

  • 100 images to a page

    The list shows 100 images at a time.

  • A licence adds more

    Highlighting of the search text, the two filters and the CSV export need a licence.

Click any thumbnail to see the image full size with its details beside it, each one ready to copy.

What the feature does

  • Hover to preview

    Hold the pointer over a thumbnail for a larger preview, without clicking.

  • Click for full size

    The image opens full size with its file name, file size, dimensions, title and alt text.

  • Copy buttons

    The file name, the title and the alt text each have their own Copy button.

  • Copy screenshot

    One press copies a single picture of the image with its details underneath, ready to paste into a document or an AI chat.

  • Always up to date

    The title and alt text shown are the ones in the list at that moment, including an edit you have only just made.

The limits that do exist

  • Copy screenshot needs a secure site

    On a site without https, or in an older browser, the picture is saved as a file instead of being copied.

  • For looking and copying

    The details cannot be edited in this view. Edit the title and alt text in the list.

Drag images from your computer anywhere onto the Images screen and they are uploaded to your Media Library.

What the feature does

  • Drop anywhere

    The whole screen is the drop area. A panel appears as you drag over it.

  • Several at once

    Drop one image or many together. The panel counts through them as they upload.

  • Straight into the Media Library

    Each one is added to the Media Library as any upload is, with its thumbnail sizes, and the list is refreshed.

  • Optimised on arrival, with a licence

    If Convert New Uploads Automatically is on, each image is optimised as it is uploaded.

The limits that do exist

  • Images only

    A file that is not an image this site accepts is refused, and named in the panel.

  • The server's upload limit applies

    A file larger than the server allows is not received.

  • Permission

    Only users who are allowed to upload files can use it.

PixEncoder keeps your own images and their WebP copies apart, so the Media Library is not filled with two of everything.

What the feature does

  • Two folders

    Media lists your own images. Optimised lists the WebP images: the copies PixEncoder has made, and any image uploaded as WebP.

  • A switch on the Images screen

    One switch moves between the two lists, and shows how many images are in each.

  • The same in the Media Library

    WordPress's own Media Library gets the same two folder buttons.

  • And in Insert Media

    The window the editors use to choose an image, in Elementor and the block editor, has an Optimised Library tab, so you can pick a WebP copy directly.

  • Nothing is moved

    The folders are a way of listing. No file moves on the server, so every page keeps working.

The limits that do exist

  • Listing only

    They are not folders on the server. You cannot make folders of your own, or move an image from one to the other.

  • Galleries show what they hold

    A gallery or carousel you are editing shows exactly the images chosen for it, WebP or not.

You do not have to open PixEncoder to optimise an image. WordPress’s own Media Library shows the state of each image, with the buttons beside it.

What the feature does

  • An Optimisation column

    The Media Library's list view gains a column showing whether each image is converted.

  • What was saved

    A converted image shows the percentage saved, its size before and after, the formats made and the number of files converted.

  • Convert

    A button optimises an image that has not been converted.

  • Convert Again and Restore Original

    A converted image can be done again with your current settings, or put back as it was uploaded.

  • In the image's details too

    The same line and buttons appear in the details of a single image.

  • WebP images are labelled

    A WebP copy is marked as the optimised copy of its original.

The limits that do exist

  • One image at a time

    To optimise many together, use the Images screen.

  • Administrators only

    Only administrators can use the buttons.

  • JPEG, PNG and GIF

    Other file types show no buttons.

WordPress’s own media search does not look at alt text. With PixEncoder, the search in the Media Library, and in the window for choosing an image, looks in the alt text, the title and the file name.

What the feature does

  • Three places searched

    Alt text, title and file name.

  • In the Media Library

    The search box in the grid view finds an image by any of the three.

  • When choosing an image

    The same goes for the Insert Media, gallery and Choose Image windows in Elementor and the block editor.

  • Both folders

    It works in the Media Library and in the Optimised Library.

The limits that do exist

  • Grid view and the image windows

    The Media Library's list view keeps WordPress's own search.

  • The text as typed

    It finds the words you type, wherever they appear. It does not allow for misspellings.

Change an image’s file name from the Images screen, without downloading it, renaming it and uploading it again.

What the feature does

  • Rename in the list

    Click the pencil beside a file name and type the new name. It saves when you press Enter or click away.

  • Every size renamed

    The main file and every thumbnail size are renamed together, and the Media Library record is updated.

  • Made safe for the web

    The name is made lower case and spaces become hyphens. The file type stays as it is.

  • All or nothing

    If any one file cannot be renamed, the others are put back and nothing is changed.

  • No clashes

    A name already used in the same folder is refused, and you are asked to choose another.

The limits that do exist

  • Links are not updated without a licence

    Pages that use the image keep the old name until you change them. A licence finds and updates every link.

  • An optimised image is restored first

    An image that has a WebP copy is restored to its original, renamed, then optimised again.

  • A WebP copy is renamed through its original

    Rename the original, and its copy takes the new name when the image is optimised again.

  • The file type cannot change

    A .png stays a .png.

  • Hyphens, or underscores with a licence

    Space Delimiter on the Settings tab chooses which takes the place of spaces. It needs a licence.

A built-in guide shows how to have an AI chat suggest a file name, title and alt text for each image, with the prompt already written for you.

What the feature does

  • Name Your Images With AI

    A tip on the Images screen sets out the steps, for working through a long list.

  • A ready-made prompt

    It asks for an SEO-friendly file name, a short clear title, and alt text in one sentence of under 125 characters, with product names kept exactly as they appear in the image.

  • Copy Prompt

    One button copies the prompt, ready to paste into your AI chat.

  • Copy screenshot

    Open an image full size and press Copy screenshot to give the chat the picture with its details.

  • Then type the answers in

    Rename with the pencil, and type the title and alt text into their boxes. They save as you leave them.

The limits that do exist

  • No AI is built in

    PixEncoder does not contact any AI service. You use an AI chat of your own, and the plugin sends nothing anywhere.

  • One image at a time

    You show the chat each image yourself and bring its suggestions back.

  • Suggestions need checking

    An AI describes what it sees. Read each suggestion before you use it.

With a licence, renaming an image also updates every place on the site that uses it, so nothing is left pointing at the old name.

What the feature does

  • Finds every use

    Page and post content, Elementor layouts and templates, widgets, and theme and plugin settings are all searched for the image.

  • Every size

    Links to the thumbnail sizes are updated as well as links to the main file.

  • Tells you what changed

    After the rename, a list shows each place that was updated, with links to edit and view it.

  • Elementor and caches

    Elementor's stylesheets are rebuilt, and the common page caches are cleared so visitors get the updated pages.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the file is renamed, and you are told that links to the old name were not updated.

  • Revisions are left alone

    Old revisions of a page keep the old name.

  • Only what is stored in this site

    An address typed into a theme file is not changed.

  • Links from other websites

    Another website that links straight to the old address is not something PixEncoder can change.

  • Other caches

    A cache PixEncoder does not know, or a CDN, may need clearing by hand.

With a licence, the rename box shows where an image is used before you change anything.

What the feature does

  • Shown before you rename

    Start a rename and the box lists every place the image is used, or says that it is not used anywhere.

  • Each place named

    The page, post, Elementor template, widget or setting is listed by its title and type, with drafts marked.

  • Links to edit and view

    Each one has a link to edit it, and a published page has a link to view it.

  • The same list afterwards

    After the rename, the list shows the places that were updated.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, the box says that pages using the image will not be updated.

  • Shown in the rename box

    It is part of renaming, not a separate report or a column in the list.

  • Only what is stored in this site

    Revisions are not counted, and neither is an address typed into a theme file.

With a licence, you choose the character that takes the place of spaces when an image is renamed: a hyphen or an underscore.

What the feature does

  • Space Delimiter

    A setting on the Settings tab, with Hyphen and Underscore to choose from and an example of the result.

  • Hyphen

    The usual choice. "reverse logo" becomes reverse-logo.png, and underscores you type become hyphens too.

  • Underscore

    "reverse logo" becomes reverse_logo.png. Hyphens you type are kept as hyphens.

  • Tidied either way

    Whichever you choose, the name is made lower case, with no doubled hyphens or underscores.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the setting is shown but locked, and spaces become hyphens.

  • From then on

    Images that are already named are not changed. The setting applies when you next rename one.

  • Renaming only

    It does not change the names of files as they are uploaded.

With a licence, PixEncoder checks the spelling of your titles and alt text, and lets you put mistakes right where you find them.

What the feature does

  • Checks as you work

    Misspelt words in a Title or Alt Text box are listed under the box.

  • Suggestions

    Click a misspelt word for up to eight suggestions, and choose one to replace it.

  • Add To Dictionary

    A word that is right but not known, a product name for example, can be added to your own dictionary. It is then accepted everywhere on the site.

  • Ignore

    Pass over a word without adding it to the dictionary.

  • Edit your dictionary

    The Settings tab holds the words you have added, to correct one, remove one added by mistake, or add more.

  • Sensible about names

    Numbers, initials such as SEO, and names with a capital inside such as WebP are not flagged.

  • UK or US English

    The dictionary follows the site's language: US English, or UK English for the other English-speaking countries.

  • Done on your own site

    The checking is done in your browser with dictionaries that come with the plugin. Nothing is sent anywhere.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, the Dashboard shows how many misspelt words there are, but not which.

  • English only

    There is no checking on a site in another language.

  • Single words

    A dictionary entry is one word of up to 64 characters, and the dictionary holds up to 2,000 words.

  • Titles and alt text only

    File names are not checked.

With a licence, two tick boxes beside the search box cut the list down to the images that still need attention.

What the feature does

  • No Alt Text

    Shows only the images that have no alt text.

  • Title To Improve

    Shows only the images with no title, or a title that is just the file name as WordPress filled it in.

  • Both together

    Tick both to see the images that need both.

  • A count beside each

    Each box shows how many images it would find.

  • Opened from the Dashboard

    The Missing Alt Text and Title To Improve cards open the same filtered list.

  • Work down the list

    Put an image right and it drops off the list the next time the list loads.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the counts are shown, but the two boxes are locked.

  • One folder at a time

    A filter works on the list you are in, Media or Optimised. A link switches to the other.

  • A written title counts as a title

    A title typed out in words is never flagged, however short it is.

With a licence, what you type in the search box is marked wherever it appears in the list, so you can see at a glance why each row was found.

What the feature does

  • Marked in every row

    The search text is highlighted in file names, dates added, titles and alt text.

  • As you type

    The marks follow the search as the list narrows.

  • Inside the boxes too

    A match is marked inside the Title and Alt Text boxes, and the boxes can still be edited.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    The search itself works without one. Only the highlighting needs a licence.

  • The text as typed

    It marks exactly what you typed, whatever its capitals.

With a licence, Download CSV saves the list of images as a file a spreadsheet can open.

What the feature does

  • The list as it stands

    The export is the list you are looking at: the folder, the search, the filters and the sort order you have chosen.

  • Every page of it

    All the images in the list are exported, not only the 100 on the screen.

  • Ten columns

    File name, file size, image dimensions, date added, converted file name, its file size, compression, status, title and alt text.

  • Ready for a spreadsheet

    Sizes are in KB, and dates are written year first, so a spreadsheet reads them as dates and sorts them.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one the button is shown, but locked.

  • A report, not an import

    Changes made in the spreadsheet cannot be loaded back into the site.

With a licence, drag a thumbnail from the list onto your desktop, or into a folder, to save a copy of that image.

What the feature does

  • Drag to save

    No download window and no right-click. Drag the thumbnail out of the browser and let go.

  • The real file

    The copy is the file exactly as it is on the server, with its own name and type. Fetching an image by its address can return the WebP copy instead.

  • Either list

    Drag an original from Media, or a WebP from Optimised.

The limits that do exist

  • Needs a licence

    Without one, dragging a thumbnail does not save the file.

  • Chrome and Edge

    Other browsers do not support saving a file this way.

  • The full-size file

    The main file is saved, not its thumbnail sizes.

  • One image at a time

    Each drag saves one image.

Dashboard

The Dashboard tab shows the state of your image library at a glance, and tells you if anything needs attention.

What the feature does

  • Storage Used

    The disk space taken by every image, every size WordPress made of it, and the copies PixEncoder has made.

  • Total Images

    The number of images, with a bar showing what percentage has been optimised.

  • Unoptimised and Optimised Images

    Each count opens the list of those images.

  • Status Messages

    One box reports whether delivery is working, with a Test Again link, and warns if the server cannot read or create the image types it needs.

  • Skipped images

    It says how many images were skipped, such as animated GIFs and missing files.

  • Green or amber

    The box is green when everything passes, and amber when anything needs a look.

The limits that do exist

  • Each picture counted once

    A WebP copy and its original are the same picture, and count as one.

  • The delivery test is kept for a day

    The result shown is the last one, up to a day old, until you press Test Again.

  • Images only

    The figures are for images. Other files in the Media Library are not counted.

Three Dashboard cards count the images whose alt text, title or spelling needs work. Without a licence they count. With one, they take you to the images.

What the feature does

  • Missing Alt Text

    The number of images with no alt text, split between Media and Optimised.

  • Title To Improve

    The number with no title, or a title that is just the file name.

  • Spelling

    The number of misspelt words in your titles and alt text, and how many images they are in.

  • With a licence, open the lists

    The Missing Alt Text and Title To Improve cards open the Images screen showing only those images.

  • With a licence, fix the spelling

    The Images screen shows each misspelt word under its box, with suggestions.

The limits that do exist

  • Counts only without a licence

    The cards show the numbers, with a note that a licence lists the images.

  • The Spelling card is a count

    It does not open a list. The misspelt words are shown on the Images screen, in the rows they belong to.

  • Spelling is English only

    The Spelling card is shown on sites in English.

Licence and updates

PixEncoder updates like any other plugin. A new version appears on the Plugins page and installs with one click, with or without a licence.

What the feature does

  • Update Available

    A new version shows on the Plugins page and on the Updates screen, as it does for any plugin.

  • View Details

    The usual window shows what is new in the version.

  • One-click update

    Update Now installs it. There is no file to download and upload.

  • Checked for you

    PixEncoder looks for a new version about twice a day.

  • Check For Updates Now

    A button on the Licence & Updates tab looks straight away.

The limits that do exist

  • Updates come from TechDirect Studio

    They are delivered from techdirectstudio.com, not from the WordPress plugin directory.

  • What each check sends

    The site's domain, the version installed, and the licence key if there is one.

  • The site must be able to reach TechDirect Studio

    A firewall that stops the site making requests of its own also stops the update check.

Any site can switch on every licensed feature for seven days, free, to see what a licence adds before buying one.

What the feature does

  • One button

    Start the trial from the Licence & Updates tab. There is nothing to pay and no details to enter.

  • Everything unlocked

    Every licensed feature works for the seven days, exactly as it does with a licence.

  • Days left shown

    The Licence & Updates tab counts down the days remaining.

  • Keep what you did

    Images optimised, renamed and described during the trial stay as they are when it ends.

  • Add a licence at any time

    Enter a licence key during or after the trial and the licensed features carry on.

The limits that do exist

  • One trial for each site

    A site's domain gets one trial. Reinstalling the plugin does not start another.

  • The site's domain is registered

    Starting the trial sends the site's domain and the plugin's version to techdirectstudio.com, and nothing else. Nothing is sent until you press the button.

  • Needs a connection

    If the site cannot reach techdirectstudio.com, the trial does not start and nothing changes.

When a trial or a licence ends, PixEncoder goes back to its unlicensed features. Nothing is deleted, and your site carries on serving the smaller images.

What the feature does

  • Your images keep working

    Every WebP and AVIF copy already made stays in place and goes on being served to visitors.

  • Your settings are kept

    The licensed settings are switched off, not wiped. They come back as you left them when a licence is added.

  • Your backups stay

    The untouched originals stay in uploads/pixencoder-backups, and Restore still works.

  • Your dictionary is kept

    The words you added to the spell checker are still there when a licence returns.

  • The expiry date is shown

    The Licence & Updates tab shows when a licence expires and the days left, and marks the last 14 days.

  • Moving a site

    A licence is for one domain. If the site's domain changes, when moving from staging to live for example, the licence keeps working for 7 days while it is put right.

The limits that do exist

  • Licensed features stop

    AVIF copies, compressing originals, automatic optimising and the other licensed features are locked again until a licence is added.

  • Originals stay compressed

    Originals that were compressed while licensed stay as they are, unless you restore them.

  • Removing the plugin

    Uninstalling PixEncoder leaves your images, their copies and the backups on the server.

Privacy and help

PixEncoder converts and compresses your images on your own web server. No image is uploaded to anyone, and there is no outside service to pay for or wait on.

What the feature does

  • No outside service

    The work is done with the image tools built into PHP on your server. There is no API, no account and no credits.

  • Your images stay put

    Images, their WebP and AVIF copies and the backups of your originals are all kept in your own uploads folder.

  • Your words stay put

    Titles, alt text, your dictionary and your settings are stored in your own WordPress database.

  • Spelling checked in your browser

    The spell checker uses dictionaries that come with the plugin. Your text is not sent anywhere to be checked.

  • Nothing about your visitors

    PixEncoder collects nothing about your visitors or your content.

The limits that do exist

  • Two things are sent to TechDirect Studio

    The update check sends the site's domain, the plugin's version and the licence key if there is one. Starting the trial sends the domain and the version.

  • Licences are checked on your site

    A licence key is verified on your own server. Whether a key has been withdrawn is learnt from the update check.

  • Uses your server's resources

    Because the work is done on your server, a very large image needs enough PHP memory, and optimising many images takes time.

  • The AI naming guide

    It gives you a prompt to paste into an AI chat of your own. PixEncoder itself contacts no AI service.

Help is on hand on every PixEncoder screen, from a hint beside each setting to the full documentation.

What the feature does

  • Documentation and Video Walkthrough

    Two buttons at the top of every PixEncoder screen open the documentation and the video on this website, in a new tab.

  • Help on the Images screen

    A Help button opens a short list of how the screen works.

  • A hint beside every setting

    Each setting on the Settings tab has an explanation that appears when you point at it.

  • Name Your Images With AI

    The naming guide sits on the Images screen, with its prompt ready to copy.

  • Plain reasons

    When an image is skipped, or something needs attention, the reason is given in plain words.

The limits that do exist

  • The documentation is online

    The documentation and the video are on this website, so they need an internet connection.

  • In English

    PixEncoder's screens and its help are in English.

PixEncoder’s own wording can be in UK or US English: Optimise or Optimize, Licence or License.

What the feature does

  • Follows your site

    It starts out matching the site's language: US spelling for English (United States), UK spelling for the other English-speaking countries.

  • A switch to change it

    US Spelling on the Settings tab changes it whenever you like.

  • Every screen

    The Dashboard, the Images screen, Settings and the buttons all use the spelling you choose.

The limits that do exist

  • PixEncoder's words only

    It never changes your file names, titles or alt text.

  • Separate from the spell checker

    The dictionary used to check your titles and alt text follows the site's language, not this switch.

  • A site in another language

    It starts with US spelling until you change it.

One download, with or without a licence.

Install PixEncoder Pro and use it immediately. Activate a trial or licence key to unlock additional features. When a trial or licence ends, PixEncoder continues to work and returns to its unlicensed state.

Every site can try licensed features free for 7 days. Start a trial from PixEncoder → Licence & Updates. No payment details are required, and your images and settings remain unchanged when the trial ends.

Start free. Add Pro when you want it.

Get PixEncoder and start making your images lighter.

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