AI Featured Image Generator with Output Control vs Smart Auto Featured Image – WordPress Plugin

AI Featured Image Generator lets you create AI-powered featured images right from the WordPress editor. Hit “Generate Featured Image” on any post, and the plugin uses your chosen AI provider (OpenAI, Stability AI, or Grok/xAI, all free, or Google Gemini on Pro) to generate a unique image based on your post title, chosen style, and an optional custom prompt. You can also choose whether to allow text on the generated image or keep it text-free. Every generated image automatically gets alt text set in the WordPress media library, improving SEO and accessibility without any extra work. You can configure the alt text source (post title, prompt, or a custom template with placeholders like {title}, {style}, and {site_name}), or turn it off entirely from the General settings tab. Free users get a Bulk Generate tab to create featured images for up to 5 posts per batch (50 images lifetime), plus the AI Image Generator block for adding inline images directly inside the Gutenberg editor. Pro users unlock unlimited bulk generation, advanced filters, Gemini support, image upscaling, and background removal. Everything is managed from one settings hub. Video Walkthrough Free Features 4 AI Providers: Choose from OpenAI, Stability AI, and Grok/xAI, all available on the free plan. Google Gemini is Pro only OpenAI Integration: Generate images using OpenAI’s image generation API Multiple AI Models (OpenAI): Choose from GPT Image 2 (newest, default), ChatGPT Image Latest (auto-updated), GPT Image 1.5, GPT Image 1 (Standard), and GPT Image 1 Mini (budget-friendly). GPT Image 2 excels at text rendering, visual reasoning, and complex multi-object scenes Stability AI Integration: Generate images using Stability AI’s Stable Image Core model, great for photorealistic and artistic images 16 Stability Style Presets: Native API-level style presets including Photographic, Cinematic, Anime, Digital Art, Comic Book, Fantasy Art, 3D Model, Analog Film, Enhance, Isometric, Line Art, Low Poly, Neon Punk, Origami, Pixel Art, and Tile Texture Grok / xAI Integration: Generate images using Grok Imagine Image, the fastest and most affordable option at just $0.02 per image Custom Prompts: Fine-tune results with your own prompt input Generate Prompt from Content: One click generates an AI-optimized image prompt from your post title and body, with no manual writing needed. Works with OpenAI and Grok (free) and Google Gemini (Pro). The generated prompt is saved to the post and pre-filled in the Custom Prompt field so you can review or edit it before generating the image 13 Style Presets: Common (None, Realistic, Artistic, Cartoon, Minimalist) and Creative (Sketch, Watercolor, 3D Render, Pixel Art, Cyberpunk, Fantasy, Anime, Technicolor) 7 Image Sizes (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Square 1024×1024, Portrait 1024×1536, Landscape 1536×1024, Widescreen 1792×1024 (16:9), Vertical 1024×1792 (9:16), Ultra-wide 1920×640 (3:1), and Tall Banner 640×1920 (1:3). Older OpenAI models support the first three sizes. 3 Aspect Ratios (Stability AI, free): 1:1, 16:9, and 9:16 3 Aspect Ratios (Grok, free): 1:1, 16:9, and 9:16 Output Formats (OpenAI): WebP (default), PNG, or JPEG Output Format (Stability AI): PNG (default) Output Format (Grok): JPEG (default); WebP available on Pro Output Compression (OpenAI): File-size slider from 1 to 100 for WebP/JPEG output (PNG is lossless) Generation Quality (OpenAI): Low, Medium, or High to trade speed/cost against output detail Transparent Backgrounds (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Generate PNGs with no background for logos, product shots, and compositing Moderation Control (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Choose between auto (standard filtering) and low (for approved accounts that need relaxed moderation) Text Rendering (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Generates clear, correctly spelled text inside images across multiple languages, ideal for banners, quotes, and labelled diagrams Visual Reasoning (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Processes prompts logically before generating, improving accuracy for complex or multi-step scene descriptions Multi-object Scenes (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Handles detailed environments with multiple subjects without objects overlapping or merging incorrectly High Resolution (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): Supports up to 4K output and 7 flexible aspect ratios including widescreen (16:9), vertical (9:16), ultra-wide (3:1), and tall banner (1:3) Mask-based Editing (OpenAI, GPT Image 2): GPT Image 2 supports precise, mask-based image editing for targeted changes, enabling you to modify specific areas while leaving the rest intact Text Control: Allow or disallow text, captions, or words in generated images Auto Alt Text: Automatically sets alt text on all AI-generated images for better SEO and accessibility. Choose from post title, generation prompt, or a custom template with {title}, {prompt}, {style}, and {site_name} placeholders. Option to preserve manually edited alt text when regenerating images SEO-Friendly Filenames: Images use your post title for better organization and SEO Bulk Generate (Limited): Up to 5 posts per batch, 50 images lifetime, filtered by post status. Includes option to auto-generate a prompt from each post’s content before image creation Generate from Post List: A new “AI Featured Image” column on the Posts/Pages admin list shows the current featured-image thumbnail and a one-click Generate Image / Regenerate Image link. Create or replace featured images for any post without opening it in the editor. The prompt is auto-built from the post title and content, and all your global provider, style, size, and format settings are respected. Does not count against the free bulk-generation limit. Inline Images (Gutenberg Block): Add AI-generated images anywhere in your content using the AI Image Generator block, right inside the editor. Supports the same providers, styles, and aspect ratios as featured images Inline Image Settings: Dedicated tab for configuring inline image defaults per provider Multisite Support: Fully compatible with WordPress multisite Pro Features 🚀 Google Gemini Support: Access Google’s AI image generation with multiple models: Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash), Nano Banana 2 Preview (Gemini 3.1 Flash, higher resolutions), and Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro, premium quality) Image Upscaling (Stability AI): Upscale your existing featured image using Stability AI with three modes: Conservative (faithful 4x upscale), Creative (AI-enhanced 4K), and Fast (quick 4x). Accessible directly from the post editor Background Removal (Stability AI): One-click background removal on your existing featured image, powered by Stability AI. Saves the result as a new PNG attachment and sets it as the featured image Stability AI Advanced Models: Stable Image Ultra (best quality), SD 3.5 Large, SD 3.5 Large Turbo (fast), SD 3.5 Medium, SD 3.5 Flash, SD 3 Large, SD 3 Large Turbo, SD 3 Medium, and SDXL 1.0 (legacy) Negative Prompts (Stability AI): Describe elements to exclude from generated images, e.g. “blurry, watermark, text, low quality” Stability AI Output Format (Pro): Choose PNG, JPEG, or WebP for Stability AI generated images WebP for Gemini & Grok (Pro): Automatically convert Google Gemini and Grok/xAI images to lightweight, SEO-friendly WebP after generation. WebP is the recommended default for Pro; if a server can’t encode WebP, the image is saved in its original format and you’re notified with the reason 9 Aspect Ratios (Stability AI): 1:1, 16:9, 21:9, 2:3, 3:2, 4:5, 5:4, 9:16, and 9:21 Grok Imagine Image Pro: Higher quality Grok model at $0.07 per image 9 Aspect Ratios (Grok): 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 2:1, and 1:2 Grok 2K Resolution: Generate higher resolution images with Grok for sharper results Bulk Generate (Unlimited): Generate for hundreds of posts at once with filters for post type, status, date range, and thumbnail status. Select individual posts or all, with real-time progress tracking. Option to auto-generate a content-based prompt for each post before image creation, with prompts saved to each post for review Custom Post Types: Enable image generation for any custom post type, not just posts and pages 10 Aspect Ratios (Gemini): 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 3:4, 4:3, 4:5, 5:4, 9:16, 16:9, 21:9 Higher Resolutions (Gemini): Up to 4K with supported Gemini models Custom Styles: Create named styles with custom prompt descriptions that appear in all style dropdowns Want to unlock Google Gemini AI, image upscaling, background removal, unlimited bulk generation and more? Upgrade to Pro here. Requirements WordPress 5.8 or higher PHP 7.4 or higher At least one AI provider API key: OpenAI API key (free plan) Stability AI API key (free plan), get one at platform.stability.ai Grok/xAI API key (free plan), get one at console.x.ai Google Gemini API key (Pro plan only) External Services This plugin connects to external AI services to generate AI-powered images for your WordPress posts and pages. Free users can choose between OpenAI, Stability AI, and Grok/xAI to generate both featured images and inline images (via the Gutenberg block). Pro users can also use Google Gemini. Stability AI is additionally used by Pro users for image upscaling and background removal. OpenAI Service (Free & Pro) When using OpenAI as your provider: – Your post title and content are sent to OpenAI’s API when you generate a featured image – When generating inline images, your custom prompt is sent to the API – Any custom prompt you provide is sent to the API – Your OpenAI API key is used for authentication with each request – Image generation requests are sent to OpenAI’s servers when you click the “Generate Featured Image” button or generate inline images using the Gutenberg block – When using “Generate Prompt from Content”, your post title and body are sent to OpenAI’s chat API (gpt-4o-mini) to generate an image prompt Service Provider: OpenAI – Terms of Service – Privacy Policy – API Documentation Google Gemini Service (Pro only) When using Google Gemini as your provider: – Your post title and content are sent to Google’s Gemini API when you generate a featured image – When generating inline images, your custom prompt is sent to the API – Any custom prompt you provide is sent to the API – Your Google Gemini API key is used for authentication with each request – Image generation requests are sent to Google’s servers when you click the “Generate Featured Image” button or generate inline images using the Gutenberg block – When using “Generate Prompt from Content” (Pro), your post title and body are sent to Google’s Gemini API (Gemini 2.5 Flash) to generate an image prompt Service Provider: Google AI (Gemini) – Terms of Service – Privacy Policy – API Documentation Stability AI Service (Free & Pro) When using Stability AI as your provider: – Your post title and content are sent to Stability AI’s API when you generate a featured image – When generating inline images, your custom prompt is sent to the API – Any custom prompt or negative prompt you provide is sent to the API – Your Stability AI API key is used for authentication with each request – Image generation, upscaling, and background removal requests are sent to Stability AI’s servers Pro users can also use Stability AI’s upscale and background removal tools. These send your existing featured image file to Stability AI’s servers for processing. Service Provider: Stability AI – Terms of Service – Privacy Policy – API Documentation Grok / xAI Service (Free & Pro) When using Grok as your provider: – Your post title and content are sent to xAI’s API when you generate a featured image – When generating inline images, your custom prompt is sent to the API – Any custom prompt you provide is sent to the API – Your xAI API key is used for authentication with each request – Image generation requests are sent to xAI’s servers when you click the “Generate Featured Image” button or generate inline images using the Gutenberg block – When using “Generate Prompt from Content”, your post title and body are sent to xAI’s chat API (grok-3-mini) to generate an image prompt Service Provider: xAI (Grok) – Terms of Service – Privacy Policy – API Documentation Data Usage: – Your post content and prompts are processed by the selected AI provider’s models to generate images – Generated images are stored in your WordPress media library – No personal data is stored by the providers beyond what’s necessary for API processing – You are responsible for ensuring your content complies with the selected provider’s usage policies

Smart Auto Featured Image is the most advanced Featured Image generator for WordPress. Create custom templates with the built-in editor and use them directly in your posts. Add dynamic fields such as the post title to automate the image generation process. Get rid of third party image tools, and simplify your workflow. Featured Images are saved directly to the post being edited ! 🚀 BUILT-IN TEMPLATE EDITOR Create beautiful templates in a similar fashion as you would create an image with Adobe Photoshop. Build your image using multiple layers. Move, resize, rearrange layers anywhere you like within the canvas. Use the grid and keyboard keys to make editing a breeze ! * Hold Ctrl: snap to grid * Hold Alt: resize from center * Hold Shift: preserve aspect ratio / create at 1:1 ratio All keys can be used in combination. Ex: Alt + Shift: Resize from center while preserving layer aspect ratio 📐 AUTOMATE WITH DYNAMIC ELEMENTS If you wish to have the post title in your image, you can use a Text layer set as {{title}} 🖼️ UNSPLASH IMAGES BROWSER Browse from 3M+ HD images and integrate them directly in your designs for free, without attribution required. No API key required. Source: WordPress [PRO] 🖼️⚡️ DYNAMIC IMAGES Use dynamic images in your templates to automate even further your featured image generation. Supported dynamic images : First image from the post content Author image Site logo YouTube thumbnail from embed ACF image [PRO] 🖼️ HD IMAGE RENDERING High Definition Featured Images contain 4x more pixels to ensure crisp images on high-DPI displays. [PRO] 📁 FONT AWESOME 6 FREE ICONS Use thousands of free icons in your templates to enhance your designs. [PRO] 💬 GOOGLE FONTS SUPPORT Create visually attractive texts in your design thanks to the Google fonts collection. [PRO] 🔺 SVG SUPPORT Integrate vector graphics easily from either SVG files, or with a simple copy/paste of any SVG code. [PRO] .WEBP IMAGE FORMAT SUPPORT In addition to .JPG & .PNG formats, you can use the modern .WEBP image format which will keep your website fast by minimizing the image file size ! Select image quality between 1-100. [PRO] ❔ CONDITIONAL RENDERING Create conditional layers in one template that will render differently depending on the actual post content. For example, if you write articles about pets, you could show a cat icon for the posts of category “cats”, and a dog icon for the posts of category “dogs”, and a paw icon for any other category. 👨‍💻 Developer friendly Smart Auto Featured Image leverages the power of WordPress Hooks. It provides a wide variety of Actions and Filters that you can hook onto. 💪 Get Smart Auto Featured Image Pro Want to create stunning Featured Images effortlessly ? Go Pro now and start creating professional grade Featured Images ! Dozens of Pro templates included Unlimited layers per template All design tools available Conditional layers HD/HQ Unsplash images Google fonts available Rounded corners + Borders Rotate layers HD image generation Select Image quality from 1-100 WEBP image format available ACF integration Yoast SEO / RankMath focus keyword integration Get Smart Auto Featured Image Pro now CHECK OUR OTHER PLUGINS Joli Table of Contents Joli FAQ SEO Joli CLEAR Lightbox 3rd party services This plugin relies on 3rd party services to enable provided features. driver.js is javascript library, licensed under the MIT license, used for the built-in tutorials of the editor (driverjs.com). wp-color-picker-alpha is a javascript module that enables transparency setting in the wp-color-picker, it is licensed under the GPLv2 license (github.com/kallookoo/wp-color-picker-alpha) The freemius sdk is used for license management and for letting users upgrade to pro (freemius.com | terms: freemius.com/terms | privacy policy: freemius.com/privacy). html2canvas is a javascript library, licensed under the MIT license, used to save template thumbnails and generate images (html2canvas.hertzen.com).