Use this guide to troubleshoot image loading issues when using Pressidium EDGE.

Image issues can be caused by incorrect image URLs, missing files, cache behavior, CDN delivery, browser cache, mixed content, WordPress plugin or theme conflicts, or image optimization settings in the Pressidium Performance Plugin.

When to use

Use this guide when:

  • Images do not appear on one or more pages
  • Broken image icons appear in the browser
  • Images load slowly
  • Some images load while others do not
  • Images work at the origin but not through EDGE
  • Optimized images, WebP, or AVIF versions do not load correctly
  • Images appear stale after being replaced
  • Image URLs return 403, 404, redirect, or 5xx responses
  • Images fail only in specific browsers, regions, or devices

Symptoms

Common signs of image loading issues include:

  • Images not displaying: Images do not appear on the page.
  • Broken image icons: The browser shows broken image placeholders.
  • Slow image loading: Images eventually load, but take too long.
  • Partial image loading: Some images load correctly while others fail.
  • Stale images: Old images continue to appear after replacement.
  • Format-specific issues: Original images load, but WebP or AVIF versions fail.
  • CDN delivery issues: Images do not appear to be served correctly through EDGE.
  • Browser-specific issues: Images work in one browser but fail in another.

Common causes

Incorrect image URLs or paths

Issue: The image URL points to the wrong domain, path, file name, or location.

What to check:

  • The image src URL in the page markup
  • Whether the file exists at that URL
  • Whether the URL uses the expected domain
  • Whether the URL uses https://
  • Whether the path contains typos or old upload paths
  • Whether the root domain and www version behave differently
  • Whether redirects change the image URL unexpectedly

Open the image URL directly in the browser. If the image does not load directly, the problem is likely with the image URL, file location, permissions, origin response, or routing.

Missing or unavailable image files

Issue: The image file does not exist, was deleted, was moved, or is not accessible from the origin.

What to check:

  • The image exists in the WordPress Media Library
  • The file exists in the expected uploads path
  • The image URL has the correct file name and extension
  • The image was not deleted or replaced during migration
  • The image is not blocked by file permissions or server rules
  • The image does not return 404 when opened directly

If the image is missing from WordPress or the filesystem, re-upload it or restore it from backup.

EDGE or CDN delivery issues

Issue: The image exists, but the request does not behave correctly through EDGE.

What to check:

  • The site is routed through Pressidium EDGE
  • The image request uses the expected domain
  • The image request returns a successful HTTP status, such as 200
  • The image is not returning 403, 404, redirect, or 5xx
  • The response headers look correct
  • The image is not being served from stale cache
  • The same image behaves differently when tested from another network or region

If an old or broken response is cached, purge the affected image URL or relevant cache and test again.

Cache issues

Issue: The browser, WordPress, plugin cache, origin cache, or EDGE cache is serving an old or broken image response.

What to check:

  • Browser cache
  • WordPress cache plugin output
  • EDGE cache
  • Static asset cache
  • Origin cache
  • Image optimization cache
  • Query strings or cache-busting parameters

If one user sees the issue but others do not, browser cache may be involved. If all users see the issue, check EDGE cache, WordPress cache, and origin response.

Image optimization issues

Issue: Image optimization, compression, resizing, WebP conversion, AVIF conversion, or optimized image delivery is affecting the image.

The Pressidium Performance Plugin can optimize Media Library images, convert images to WebP or AVIF, optimize on upload, bulk-optimize existing images, and exclude specific images from optimization.

What to check:

  • Whether image optimization is enabled
  • Whether WebP or AVIF delivery is enabled
  • Whether the issue affects original images, optimized images, WebP, AVIF, or all versions
  • Whether the original image loads correctly
  • Whether the issue started after changing image optimization settings
  • Whether the image was excluded from optimization
  • Whether recently uploaded images behave differently from older images
  • Whether original files were kept before optimization

Change one image optimization setting at a time and retest the affected image.

WordPress plugin or theme conflicts

Issue: A plugin, theme, builder, lazy-loading feature, CDN plugin, security plugin, optimization plugin, or image plugin changes how images are loaded.

What to check:

  • Lazy loading settings
  • Image optimization plugins
  • CDN or media offload plugins
  • Security plugins blocking image requests
  • Page builder image modules
  • Theme image sizes or responsive image handling
  • Plugins that rewrite image URLs
  • Plugins that generate WebP, AVIF, or responsive image variants
  • Plugins that modify srcset or sizes

If the issue started after a plugin or theme update, test that change first.

Mixed content

Issue: The page loads over HTTPS but some images are loaded over HTTP.

What to check:

  • Browser console mixed content warnings
  • Image URLs starting with http://
  • WordPress Address and Site Address
  • Hardcoded HTTP image URLs in content, theme files, custom fields, or widgets
  • Old URLs stored in page builder content
  • Cached pages containing old HTTP URLs

Mixed content can cause browsers to block images or show the page as not fully secure.

Browser or device-specific issues

Issue: Images fail only in a specific browser, device, or network.

What to check:

  • Browser cache
  • Browser extensions
  • Private or incognito mode
  • Another browser
  • Another device
  • Another network
  • Browser console errors
  • Whether the browser supports the delivered image format

If WebP or AVIF delivery is involved, compare behavior across browsers and test the original image URL.

Diagnostic steps

Step 1: Inspect the image request

Open the affected page in a browser and inspect the image request.

  1. Open browser Developer Tools.
  2. Go to the Network tab.
  3. Reload the page.
  4. Filter by Img or search for the image file name.
  5. Select the failed image request.

Check:

  • Request URL
  • HTTP status code
  • Response headers
  • Response size
  • Response time
  • Redirects
  • Request domain
  • Whether the request was blocked
  • Whether the request loaded from browser cache
  • Browser console errors

Step 2: Open the image directly

Copy the affected image URL and open it directly in the browser.

If the image loads directly but not on the page, check:

  • Page markup
  • Lazy loading
  • JavaScript errors
  • CSS hiding the image
  • Mixed content
  • Browser console errors
  • Plugin or theme conflicts

If the image does not load directly, check:

  • Image path
  • File existence
  • HTTP status code
  • Permissions
  • Origin response
  • EDGE routing
  • Cache behavior

Step 3: Check the HTTP status code

Common image response codes include:

  • 200: The image loaded successfully.
  • 301 or 302: The image URL redirects.
  • 403: Access is forbidden or blocked.
  • 404: The image file was not found.
  • 415: The image format or media type may not be supported.
  • 429: The request may be rate-limited.
  • 5xx: The origin, EDGE, or upstream service returned an error.

Use the status code to decide what to check next.

Step 4: Check image URLs and domain configuration

Confirm that the image URL uses the expected domain and path.

Check:

  • The image URL uses the correct domain
  • The image URL uses https://
  • The path points to the expected WordPress uploads location
  • The file extension matches the actual file
  • The URL does not point to the previous host
  • The URL does not point to an old CDN or media domain
  • The root domain and www version are configured correctly
  • DNS and SSL are correct for the image domain

If images use a separate media domain or subdomain, confirm that domain is configured correctly too.

Step 5: Verify EDGE delivery

Test the affected image through the live domain.

Run:

curl -I https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/image.jpg

Check:

  • HTTP status code
  • Redirects
  • Response headers
  • Cache behavior
  • Content type
  • Whether the image is served successfully
  • Whether repeated requests behave differently

If the image works at the origin but fails through EDGE, collect the direct image URL, response headers, and exact error before contacting Support.

Step 6: Check image optimization settings

If optimized images, WebP, or AVIF versions are affected, review the Pressidium Performance Plugin.

In WordPress admin:

  1. Open the Pressidium Performance Plugin settings.
  2. Go to the image optimization area.
  3. Check whether image optimization is enabled.
  4. Check whether WebP or AVIF conversion is enabled.
  5. Check whether automatic optimization on upload is enabled.
  6. Check whether the affected image is excluded.
  7. Check whether the original files were kept.
  8. Review any visible optimization status, queue, or error information.
  9. Change one setting at a time and retest.

Depending on the plugin version, the settings may appear under Performance or Settings -> Performance.

Step 7: Test original and optimized versions

If WebP or AVIF is involved, compare the original and optimized versions.

Check:

  • Original JPEG or PNG URL
  • WebP version
  • AVIF version
  • Browser support
  • Response headers
  • Content type
  • Whether the issue affects all browsers or only some
  • Whether the optimized file exists
  • Whether the original file still exists

If only optimized versions fail, review image optimization settings and plugin conflicts.

Step 8: Review WordPress and plugin behavior

Check WordPress-side causes.

Review:

  • Media Library entry
  • File attachment URL
  • Regenerated thumbnails
  • Lazy loading
  • Theme image templates
  • Page builder image modules
  • CDN plugins
  • Image optimization plugins
  • Security plugins
  • Hotlink protection
  • Media offload plugins
  • Custom rewrite rules
  • Recent plugin or theme updates

Temporarily disable only suspected conflicting features and test again. Do not disable production-critical plugins without a rollback plan.

Solutions

Fix incorrect image URLs

  1. Open the affected page and inspect the image URL.
  2. Confirm the file exists at the expected location.
  3. Update incorrect URLs in WordPress content, theme files, page builder content, custom fields, or widgets.
  4. Replace old hostnames or old CDN domains with the correct domain.
  5. Confirm WordPress Address and Site Address are correct.
  6. Clear relevant caches.
  7. Retest the page.

Fix missing image files

  1. Check whether the image exists in the WordPress Media Library.
  2. Open the file URL directly.
  3. Re-upload the image if it is missing.
  4. Regenerate thumbnails if WordPress image sizes are missing.
  5. Restore missing files from backup if needed.
  6. Clear cache and retest.

To regenerate thumbnails, use a trusted thumbnail regeneration tool or your existing media workflow. This is useful when the original image exists but generated sizes are missing.

Fix EDGE or CDN image issues

  1. Confirm the site is routed through Pressidium EDGE.
  2. Open the affected image URL directly.
  3. Inspect the image request in browser Developer Tools.
  4. Check whether the request returns 200, 403, 404, redirect, or 5xx.
  5. Purge the affected image URL if a stale or broken response is cached.
  6. Test from another browser, device, or network.
  7. Collect response headers if the issue persists.

Fix image optimization issues

  1. Open the Pressidium Performance Plugin settings.
  2. Review image optimization settings.
  3. Check whether the issue affects original images, WebP, AVIF, or all versions.
  4. Temporarily disable the suspected optimization option only if needed for testing.
  5. Purge relevant cache.
  6. Retest the affected image.
  7. Re-enable settings one at a time after testing.

If optimized images are broken but originals work, check whether the image can be regenerated or re-optimized.

If original files were kept, you can use the plugin’s restore or revert option to restore optimized images back to the originals.

Fix WebP or AVIF issues

  1. Check whether the browser supports the delivered format.
  2. Confirm the original image loads correctly.
  3. Confirm the WebP or AVIF version exists and returns a valid response.
  4. Check the response Content-Type.
  5. Review the Performance Plugin image optimization settings.
  6. Test with WebP or AVIF delivery adjusted.
  7. Clear browser and EDGE cache.
  8. Retest in multiple browsers.

If only one modern format fails, keep the original format available and adjust the optimization settings.

Fix WordPress plugin or theme conflicts

  1. Review recently changed plugins or themes.
  2. Check for duplicate image optimization plugins.
  3. Check for CDN or media offload plugins rewriting image URLs.
  4. Check lazy loading settings.
  5. Check security plugins or hotlink protection.
  6. Disable only the suspected conflicting feature.
  7. Clear cache.
  8. Retest the image.
  9. Restore the setting if it is not related.

Avoid running multiple image optimization or CDN rewrite systems unless they are intentionally configured to work together.

Fix mixed content image issues

  1. Open browser Developer Tools.
  2. Check the Console tab for mixed content warnings.
  3. Identify image URLs loaded over http://.
  4. Update those URLs to https://.
  5. Check WordPress Address and Site Address.
  6. Search page builder content, custom fields, widgets, and theme settings for old HTTP URLs.
  7. Clear cache.
  8. Retest the page over HTTPS.

Fix stale image cache

  1. Confirm the image was updated at the origin or in WordPress.
  2. Purge the affected image URL from EDGE cache.
  3. Clear any WordPress cache plugin cache.
  4. Clear browser cache or test in a private window.
  5. Check whether the image URL uses a versioned file name or query string.
  6. Retest the image URL directly.

For frequently replaced assets, consider using versioned file names so browsers and caches can distinguish old and new files.

Image format issues

WebP images not loading

Issue: WebP images are generated or requested but do not load correctly.

What to check:

  • Browser support
  • WebP file existence
  • Response status code
  • Response Content-Type
  • Performance Plugin WebP settings
  • Image optimization errors
  • Cache behavior
  • Plugin or theme code that rewrites image URLs

What to do:

  • Test the original image URL.
  • Test the WebP URL directly.
  • Check browser Developer Tools.
  • Adjust WebP delivery settings if needed.
  • Purge cache and retest.

AVIF images not loading

Issue: AVIF images are generated or requested but do not load correctly.

What to check:

  • Browser support
  • AVIF file existence
  • Response status code
  • Response Content-Type
  • Performance Plugin AVIF settings
  • Image optimization errors
  • Plugin or theme compatibility

What to do:

  • Test the original image URL.
  • Test the AVIF URL directly.
  • Compare behavior in multiple browsers.
  • Adjust AVIF delivery settings if needed.
  • Keep original or WebP fallback available.

Specific image formats not loading

Issue: Only one format, such as SVG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, PNG, or JPEG, is affected.

What to check:

  • Whether the format is supported by WordPress and the browser
  • Whether the server sends the correct content type
  • Whether a security plugin blocks the file type
  • Whether the file was uploaded correctly
  • Whether the file is corrupted
  • Whether the file extension matches the actual image format

Browser-specific issues

Images fail in one browser only

Issue: The image works in some browsers but fails in one browser.

What to check:

  • Browser cache
  • Browser extensions
  • Private or incognito mode
  • Format support
  • Console errors
  • Mixed content blocking
  • Tracking or privacy settings

Test the same URL in another browser and from a private window.

Images fail on mobile only

Issue: Images load on desktop but not on mobile, or the reverse.

What to check:

  • Responsive image markup
  • srcset and sizes
  • Lazy loading
  • CSS breakpoints
  • Mobile-specific plugin behavior
  • Image optimization settings
  • Device-specific cache

Inspect the request on the affected device if possible.

Browser cache shows old or broken images

Issue: The image has been fixed, but one browser still shows the old or broken version.

What to do:

  • Hard refresh the page.
  • Clear browser cache.
  • Test in a private window.
  • Open the image directly with a cache-busting query string for testing.
  • Purge EDGE cache if all users see the old image.

Best practices

Image management

  • Use correct image paths and stable URLs.
  • Avoid hardcoded old hostnames.
  • Use HTTPS image URLs on HTTPS pages.
  • Keep image file names clear and consistent.
  • Re-upload missing files instead of relying on broken references.
  • Regenerate thumbnails after migrations or image-size changes if needed.
  • Test important pages after changing image, CDN, plugin, theme, or optimization settings.

Image optimization

  • Use the Pressidium Performance Plugin for image optimization where appropriate.
  • Enable WebP or AVIF only after testing important pages.
  • Keep original files if you want the option to revert optimized images.
  • Exclude images that should not be optimized.
  • Avoid running multiple image optimization plugins at the same time unless required.
  • Monitor optimization results after enabling compression, resizing, WebP, or AVIF.
  • Test in multiple browsers when changing modern image format delivery.

Cache and delivery

  • Purge only affected image URLs when possible.
  • Use versioned file names for frequently replaced static assets.
  • Test image requests as a logged-out visitor.
  • Check browser Developer Tools before changing settings.
  • Keep CDN, cache, and image optimization changes documented.

Troubleshooting checklist

  • Checked the affected image URL
  • Opened the image directly in the browser
  • Checked the image request in browser Developer Tools
  • Checked the HTTP status code
  • Confirmed the image file exists
  • Confirmed the image URL uses the expected domain
  • Confirmed the image URL uses HTTPS
  • Checked whether the issue affects all images or only specific images
  • Checked whether the issue affects original, WebP, AVIF, or optimized images
  • Reviewed Pressidium Performance Plugin image optimization settings
  • Checked whether the affected image is excluded from optimization
  • Checked for WordPress plugin or theme conflicts
  • Checked for mixed content warnings
  • Cleared browser cache or tested in a private window
  • Purged affected EDGE cache if needed
  • Tested from another browser, device, or network
  • Collected response headers if the issue persists

When to contact Support

Contact Pressidium Support when:

  • Image issues persist after troubleshooting
  • You cannot identify the cause
  • Images load at the origin but fail through EDGE
  • Image optimization appears to affect image delivery
  • WebP or AVIF delivery fails after checking settings
  • The same image works in one browser or region but fails in another
  • You see repeated 403, 404, redirect, or 5xx responses for image requests
  • Affected image URLs return inconsistent results

When contacting Support, include:

  • Affected page URL
  • Affected image URLs
  • Screenshot of the broken image or browser error
  • Browser console errors
  • Network panel details, including status code and response headers
  • Whether the image loads when opened directly
  • Whether the issue affects all images or only specific images
  • Whether the issue affects original images, optimized images, WebP, or AVIF
  • Pressidium Performance Plugin image optimization settings, if relevant
  • Whether original files were kept before optimization, if relevant
  • Browser and device tested
  • Whether the issue is constant or intermittent
  • Steps already taken

Where to go next