WordPress Image Zoom: 3 Easy Click-to-Enlarge Methods

Have you ever experienced the frustration of clicking an image expecting zoom, only to find it static? This small detail can impact user experience on your site.

Enabling click-to-enlarge functionality enhances engagement. Whether for product photos or blog images, zoomable images encourage longer site visits.

I’ve implemented this feature across numerous WordPress platforms, consistently observing its effectiveness as a quick enhancement.

This tutorial presents three straightforward techniques for enabling image zoom on your WordPress site. No coding knowledge is required, and each method takes minimal setup time.

Why Implement Click-to-Enlarge Functionality in WordPress?

Enabling users to enlarge images on your WordPress site allows them to view crucial details with enhanced clarity.

This enhancement provides a refined, professional aesthetic, particularly beneficial for portfolios, real estate listings, and photography showcases.

Furthermore, it benefits e-commerce platforms where customers need to examine products in detail before making a purchase.

WordPress offers a basic click-to-enlarge feature as a default option. It presents the enlarged image on the current page, lacking background dimming or specialized visual effects.

This native function is sufficient for basic blogs; however, its simplicity may lack the visual appeal and control desired for more complex sites.

For a more contemporary and refined appearance, an image lightbox plugin is recommended.

Rather than a standard image expansion, a lightbox presents the image in a stylish overlay, dimming the background to maintain focus. This solution provides greater control over image presentation and functionality.

Before presenting the methods, remember image quality. When users enlarge an image, they anticipate a sharp, high-resolution display, but large image files can reduce site speed.

Image optimization addresses this. Compressing images without noticeable quality loss allows you to maintain small file sizes and a fast site.

This allows the use of larger dimension images (e.g., 1500px width) that appear excellent when enlarged, without negatively impacting performance.

Refer to our guide on optimizing images for the web for further assistance.

I’ll demonstrate 3 methods for enlarging WordPress images on click, including lightbox options, in this guide.

Use the links provided below to navigate directly to your preferred method:

Method 1: Using the Default WordPress Feature (Simple)

Based on my tests of different image enlargement techniques, WordPress’s built-in function is ideal for basic requirements.

I have employed this approach when developing documentation or creating technical content. It proves particularly beneficial when you need readers to observe minute details in screenshots or analyze specific portions of an image in greater detail.

A significant limitation is the absence of a true lightbox feature; the image just gets bigger, lacking customization options or special effects.

Step 1: Add Your Image in the WordPress Editor

Begin by either creating a new post or opening an existing one where you intend to include the clickable image.

In the block editor, select the plus sign (+) to insert a new block; from the provided choices, pick ‘Image.’ This will present you with three methods for adding an image: Upload, Media Library, or Insert from URL.

At CanadaCreate, we always use the ‘Media Library’ option. This makes sure that the title and alt text we add to the image are available if we reuse it in other articles.

I advise against using ‘Insert from URL’ because it directly links to an image on another website. If the original image is removed, it may lead to a broken image on your site.

Step 2: Set Up the ‘Enlarge on Click’ Option

After adding your image to the post or page, you can click on it to reveal the image settings.

With the image selected, click the ‘Insert link’ icon in the block toolbar. In the settings that appear, simply toggle on the option labeled ‘Enlarge on click’.

Step 3: Adjust Image Configuration

With the click-to-enlarge feature active, you might want to fine-tune the initial image settings to optimize its display within your post or page.

Select your image and then check the block settings panel on the right side of your screen.

You have control over the visual appearance of the image on the page by modifying its dimensions. However, bear in mind that this only affects the display size.

The visitor will be shown the original, high-resolution image from your Media Library when they click the image. It is important to upload a high-quality image, at least 1500 pixels in width.

Step 4: Preview Your Imageand Publish Your Content

Prior to publishing your post or page with the click-to-enlarge image setting enabled, preview to ensure proper function.

To do this, click on the View button in the upper right-hand corner of your editor and select ‘Preview in new tab.’

Testing in each view option, notably ‘Mobile’, is advised, as many users now browse on smartphones.

When the ‘enlarge on click’ image effect is active, the image should expand on the current page, as shown below. The degree of expansion is determined by the size of the original uploaded image.

To revert the image to its original size, simply click on it.

Once you are satisfied with the appearance, you can publish or update your content.

Method 2: Using a Lightbox Plugin (More Customization)

A lightbox plugin offers a more polished experience compared to the standard WordPress feature. When clicked, images appear in an elegant overlay that dims the background, emphasizing the image.

I suggest the Simple Lightbox plugin because it provides fluid animations, adaptable themes, and slideshow capabilities that enhance your images. Once activated, it functions automatically and is lightweight.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Simple Lightbox Plugin

To get started, you need to install and activate the Simple Lightbox plugin.

If you need guidance, refer to our tutorial on WordPress plugin installation.

Step 2: Configure Simple Lightbox Settings

After plugin activation, navigate to Appearance » Lightbox and check the settings to confirm they align with your preferences.

Within Lightbox settings, you can select where to activate the lightbox feature, such as the homepage, individual posts, pages, etc.

I typically use the default settings, as they generally suffice for most sites.

Then, go to the ‘UI’ settings, which govern the lightbox’s appearance.

The plugin defaults to a light theme; optionally, you can switch to dark mode. You can also modify ‘Overlay Opacity,’ controlling the background dimming level when an image is displayed, and enable animations for image opening transitions.

Experiment with these settings as desired, and remember to ‘Save Changes’ afterward.

Step 3: Inserting Your Image and Activating Lightbox

Now, let’s test out the lightbox feature. Simply create or open a post and add an image.

Once your image is in the editor, you need to add a caption. The Simple Lightbox plugin will show this text in the lightbox view.

Simply click the image and make sure the ‘Add Caption’ icon is activated in the toolbar. This allows you to type in the ‘Add caption’ text field below your image.

If a caption is absent, the plugin defaults to the image title from the Media Library. However, using the caption field offers more specific control.

Next, with the image still selected, you need to click the ‘Link’ icon in the toolbar and select the ‘Link to Image File’ option. This is a key step that allows the Simple Lightbox plugin to work.

Once completed, the plugin recognizes the link and automatically applies the lightbox effect when a visitor clicks the image.

Step 4: Test Your Lightbox

Now, let’s test the lightbox feature by previewing the post. Just click the View option in the upper right-hand corner and then select ‘Preview in new tab’.

After the new tab loads, click the image. It should open seamlessly in a lightbox overlay, accompanied by a darkened background.

The lightbox appearance, either light or dark, will depend on your design settings. Here’s an example of the light theme.

The light theme surrounds the photo with a white frame, which creates a good contrast with the darkened background.

Now here’s what the dark theme looks like.

You should also see your image caption in the bottom left corner of the lightbox.

Preview the lightbox on various screen sizes to ensure its appearance is consistent and visually appealing across all devices.

Return to the View option and select ‘Desktop’, ‘Tablet’, or ‘Mobile’ followed by ‘Preview in new tab.’ to perform this check.

Method 3: Using a Gallery Plugin (Best for Multiple Images)

For those needing to highlight several images, gallery plugins represent the optimal choice. They provide organization and presentation of image collections, complete with image enlargement features, without negatively impacting your site’s speed.

These plugins enhance user engagement by rendering content more appealing and visually interesting, facilitating smooth image navigation for site visitors.

I suggest Envira Gallery due to its capacity for creating attractive, adaptable galleries that maintain a polished appearance across various devices. It’s also quite user-friendly, even for beginners.

Additionally, it incorporates performance optimizations such as lazy loading, ensuring your galleries don’t impede your website’s loading speed. Its integrated AI tool also lets you generate custom images from within WordPress.

Crucially, the plugin features a lightbox setting that includes a wide array of customization settings. This enables you to leverage the advantages of the click-to-enlarge image function, together with options for layouts, gallery transitions, and much more.

Interested in discovering more about the plugin’s capabilities? We have thoroughly evaluated it previously; consult our comprehensive Envira Gallery review for further insights.

Let’s proceed with the instructions for employing Envira Gallery to implement a lightbox feature.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Envira Gallery Plugin

Begin by installing the plugin on your WordPress website. For this guide, I’ll be using the free edition, though you have the option to acquire a Pro license from the Envira Gallery site.

Next, install and activate it by following our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin. Once you’ve activated the plugin, Envira’s setup wizard should instantly launch.

From here, click the ‘Get Started’ button to begin the process.

There are 5 steps in this wizard.

During setup, you can choose the category that describes your business or website (like photographer or business owner) and select the gallery features you wish to add.

I recommend continuing with the suggested default settings because they usually offer everything you need. However, if you have a Pro plan, you’ll be able to activate more advanced features.

Keep in mind that the ‘Lightboxes’ option should already be checked, so this feature will automatically be enabled.

Once you’ve finished the setup wizard, you’ll still need to activate your pro license if you purchased one. To do this, go to Envira Gallery » Settings and paste your license key in the field. Then, hit ‘Verify Key.’

Step 2: Create a New Gallery

To create your first gallery, go to Envira Gallery » Add New in your dashboard.

First, add a title at the top of the page. I recommend giving it a clear and descriptive name so that it’s easier to keep track of later.

Next, you’ll notice 3 options for adding images: Native Envira Gallery, Galleries from Other Sources, and Create with Envira AI.

I recommend starting with Native Envira Gallery. It’s the most straightforward way to upload your own images directly.

Proceed to choose the desired images for inclusion, bearing in mind the 256 MB upload limit.

Step 3: Configure Gallery and Lightbox Options

Within the gallery interface, you’ll see Envira’s settings menu on the left side.

Here, you’ll find tabs covering general settings, lightbox functionalities, mobile configurations, and more. Let’s explore each of these in detail.

At the top of the ‘Configuration’ section, you can specify your gallery layout. While the grid layout is often suitable, feel free to explore alternative arrangements.

Additional gallery setting options are located further down the page.

For example, you can enable lazy loading, set an automatic layout, and add a gallery description.

To illustrate, automated layouts can be set to maintain a clean and structured gallery presentation without requiring manual adjustments.

Now, go to the ‘Lightbox’ tab. Confirm that this feature is enabled; if not, select the ‘Enable Lightbox?’ checkbox.

Next, choose a ‘Gallery Lightbox Theme’ to dictate the overall aesthetic of your lightbox.

Your options will depend on your Envira plan and whether you have the Gallery Themes addon. But you should be able to select from a dark, light, or legacy theme.

In the ‘Lightbox’ tab, you can customize the appearance of enlarged images, select transition effects, and toggle the display of image titles.

Additional lightbox settings are available in the lower portion of the page.

You can enable navigation arrows, infinite looping, or supersize mode. Interesting effects can also be added for gallery openings, closings, and image transitions.

For example, the ‘Lightbox Transition Effect’ offers options such as Fade, Slide, Circular, Tube, and Rotate.

Next, visit the ‘Mobile’ tab to adjust both the general and lightbox settings for mobile users.

Since many users will likely view your gallery on mobile devices, optimizing the mobile experience is key.

You can enable the lightbox for mobile devices and tailor settings like lightbox dimensions, row heights, and the visibility of titles or captions.

Further down, you’ll find additional options such as swipe-to-close functionality, navigation arrows, and thumbnails.

Lastly, the ‘Standalone’ and ‘Misc’ tabs provide a few additional settings that might be helpful.

The ‘Standalone’ tab lets you create a unique URL for your gallery, which is useful for sharing a direct link to a portfolio or album.

The ‘Misc’ tab provides gallery import/export tools, but these are probably not needed at this time.

For a deeper dive into all these settings, you can check out our detailed guide on how to create an image gallery.

Step 4: Preview and Publish Your Gallery

To preview the gallery, click the ‘Preview’ button on the right side of your gallery settings page.

Once you’re on the preview page, click through different images to test the lightbox effect.

Here, you can see the image’s name and the rest of the gallery.

When you test the gallery, the images should open smoothly. If you chose a transition effect, it should be visible here.

For example, I set the Slide transition effect, and here’s how it looks.

To navigate between images, click on the navigation arrows on either side of the screen or use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

At this point, you may want to make sure the navigation arrows work and that your image titles appear correctly if you enabled them.

Once you’re happy with how everything works, you can publish the gallery by clicking the ‘Publish’ button on the right side of your gallery settings.

After publishing the gallery, you can move on to adding it to your website.

Step 5: Add the Gallery to Your Website

Now that your gallery is working perfectly, let’s add it to a post.

Once you are in the WordPress editor, click the (+) icon to add a new block and search for ‘Envira Gallery.’ Then drag the block onto your post.

Next, when you click the ‘Search for a gallery’ drop-down, select the gallery you just created. It will be automatically inserted into the post with all the settings you just configured.

Alternatively, you can add your gallery to pages, widgets, or custom post types by using a shortcode.

You can find this shortcode on the right sidebar of the gallery settings, just under the ‘Publish’ button.

For more information, see our guide on how to add a shortcode in WordPress.

Before clicking the ‘Publish’ button, make sure you preview your post one final time to make sure the gallery appears exactly as you want it.

Your images should now be displayed in a professional grid layout with a smooth lightbox effect when clicked.

FAQs About Enlarging Images in WordPress

Here are some frequently asked questions about enlarging images in WordPress.

How do I enlarge images in WordPress?

You can use the default ‘Enlarge on click’ feature in WordPress for basic functionality. For more control, you can use plugins like Simple Lightbox or Envira Gallery.

How do I automatically resize images in WordPress? 

WordPress automatically creates several smaller versions of your images when you upload them. To have more control over image dimensions or to optimize them for speed, I recommend using an image optimization plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer.

Plugins like Envira Gallery also give you precise control over the display dimensions of images within your galleries.

How do I force image size in WordPress?

You can set custom image dimensions within your theme. For a detailed guide, check out our tutorial on how to create additional image sizes in WordPress. This is a great way to ensure a consistent layout across your galleries and site.

If you’d rather use a plugin, Envira Gallery is a good choice. It gives you precise control over image dimensions, letting you fine-tune the appearance of your galleries for a consistently professional look.

Bonus Resources: Manage & Improve Your WordPress Images

I hope this article helped you add the ‘enlarge images upon click’ feature in WordPress. Here are some bonus guides if you’re interested in managing and improving your WordPress images:

• How to Optimize Images for Web Performance Without Losing Quality
• How to Add Multiple Galleries in WordPress Posts and Pages
• A comparison of the best WordPress image compression plugins.
• How to Add a Hero Image in WordPress (Works for All Themes)
• Discover the process for creating additional image sizes within WordPress.
• How to Fix Common Image Issues in WordPress (Ultimate Guide)

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