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The simplest way to add a visible image credit in WordPress is to select the image, enter the attribution in its Caption field, and preview the published page to confirm that the caption appears beside the correct image. The exact wording must follow that image’s license; alt text is for describing the image, not for displaying credit.
What counts as an image credit?
An image credit is visible text that identifies the creator, source, license, or other attribution information required for reuse. Put it in the image caption or another visible location on the page. WordPress treats captions and alt text as separate image details: the Image block documentation describes captions as displayed text, while alt text describes the image for people using assistive technology.
Do not replace useful alt text with a copyright notice. For example, alt text such as “Red bicycle leaning against a brick wall” helps someone who cannot see the image; “Photo by Alex Smith, CC BY 4.0” does not perform that function.
Add a credit in the WordPress block editor
- Open the post or page. In the WordPress editor, place the cursor where the image belongs and add an Image block from the inserter, or type
/imageand select the Image block. - Choose the image. Upload a file, select one from the Media Library, or choose Insert from URL. Use a URL only when you have permission to use that image. Uploading a permitted copy to your Media Library avoids depending on another site continuing to serve the file. WordPress warns that a URL-inserted image may stop displaying if the original is moved, deleted, or no longer shared (WordPress Image block documentation).
- Select the image and enter the credit. Click the image, then type the attribution in the Caption field directly beneath it. Follow the asset’s license rather than using a generic phrase such as “Image via Google.”
- Check caption visibility. The Image block toolbar can show or hide the caption. Leave it visible if the credit is your required public attribution.
- Preview and publish. Preview the page at the relevant screen sizes, then publish or update it. Confirm that the caption is visible next to the intended image and that any links in the credit work.
- Write separate alt text. In the block’s settings, use the Alt text field to describe the image’s meaningful content. Keep the license and creator information in the caption or other visible page text.
A practical CC BY 4.0 caption
For material under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), the deed calls for appropriate credit, a link to the material, a link to the license, and other applicable notices. A caption can be formatted like this:
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“Red bicycle” by Alex Smith, licensed under CC BY 4.0; original image. Cropped from the original.
Use the actual creator name, source URL, license URL, copyright or disclaimer notice when supplied, and a modification note when you changed the work. The Creative Commons deed specifically lists the creator and attribution parties, copyright notice, license notice, disclaimer notice, and link to the material as possible attribution information; check the deed and the individual asset’s terms for the exact case.
Add a credit in the Classic Editor
- Place the cursor where the image should appear and click Add Media.
- Upload an image or select one from the Media Library.
- In Attachment Details, enter the attribution in the Caption field. Include the elements required by the image’s license.
- Click Insert into post, then preview the page and verify that the caption is visible and attached to the right image.
WordPress documents the Caption field in the Classic Editor’s image attachment details (Classic Editor image documentation). Themes and editor presentation can vary, so trust the rendered page rather than the editor alone.
Do you need to credit every image?
No. First establish that the specific image permits your intended use, then check whether attribution is required and what it must contain. A platform name is not a license.
| Image situation | What to verify | What to display |
|---|---|---|
| CC BY 4.0 | Use is permitted under the license, subject to its conditions. | Appropriate creator credit, link to the material, link to the license, applicable notices, and a modification note if relevant. |
| WordPress Photo Directory image identified as CC0 | Confirm that the individual work is actually marked CC0. | Attribution is not required, although an optional courtesy credit may still be added. |
| Openverse result | Check the license shown for that individual work. The cited Learn WordPress lesson describes an inserter integration covering CC0 works; it does not establish that every Openverse image or integration version is CC0. | Whatever the individual image’s license requires. |
| Image supplied by a client, employer, photographer, or stock service | Read the permission or purchase terms, including limits on territory, duration, commercial use, and editing. | The specified credit or notice, if required. |
| Image found through a search engine or copied from another site | Do not assume reuse is allowed. Locate the original source and permission or license. | Do not publish until the permitted use and attribution requirements are established. |
The WordPress Photo Directory FAQ describes its photographs as CC0 and says attribution, permission, and payment are not required, while advising users to verify CC0 status when in doubt.
How WordPress stores captions and why edits can be confusing
The Media Library stores metadata such as title, caption, alt text, and description. Those values can provide defaults when an image is inserted, according to WordPress’s Edit Media documentation.
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After an image is inserted individually, however, it is disconnected from later Media Library metadata changes. If you correct a credit in Media > Library > Edit, open the post or page as well and update the image’s own Image Details or Caption field. Then preview the final page to make sure the visible attribution is current. This matters especially when the same file appears in several posts: each insertion may have its own caption.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to put a credit when a caption is not suitable
A caption is usually the clearest location because it stays visually associated with the image. If the design hides captions, or if one credit covers a gallery or a group of images, use visible text immediately below the relevant content or a clearly labeled credits section on the same page. Make the relationship unambiguous—for example, “Header image: …” or “Images 1–4: …”—and link to the source and license where required.
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Do not put required attribution only in an image filename, Media Library description, HTML comment, metadata field, or hover tooltip. Those locations may not be visible to ordinary readers and may not satisfy the license.
Common problems and fixes
The caption was entered but is not visible
- Select the Image block and check whether the toolbar’s caption control is hiding it.
- Preview the published page. A theme may style captions differently from the editor or suppress them in a custom template.
- If the theme cannot display captions, move the credit to visible text adjacent to the image.
The old credit still appears after changing Media Library details
Edit the image in the post or page itself. Individual insertions can retain their own caption after Media Library metadata changes; save or update the page and verify the rendered output.
The image disappeared
If you inserted it from a URL, the source may have moved, been deleted, or stopped sharing it. Replace the image with a permitted copy uploaded to your Media Library, then restore the correct caption and alt text. WordPress documents this external-URL risk in the Image block guide.
The credit link is broken or points to the wrong work
Open the original source link from the published page and compare it with the exact asset used. Update the caption if the source moved, and keep a record of the creator, license, source URL, and any modification note in your editorial records.
Quick Recap
A pre-publish credit checklist
- Permission or a suitable license covers this exact image and your intended use.
- The creator and source are identified as the license requires.
- The license link and material link are included when required.
- Any copyright, disclaimer, or modification notice is present.
- The credit is visible in a caption or nearby page text.
- Alt text describes the image separately from the attribution.
- The image is uploaded to your Media Library unless an external URL is intentional and dependable.
- The published or previewed page shows the correct credit beside the correct image.
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