How to Add an Image Caption in WordPress

How to Add an Image Caption in WordPress

Do you want to learn how to add an image caption in WordPress? This post is for you. Captions are just brief text descriptions that you add to an image to offer additional details about it. WordPress offers a built-in function that helps you add a caption as well as other metadata such as title and alternative text for an image.

Adding a caption to an image
The first thing you should do is to upload the image you wish to add a caption to. To upload an image using Gutenberg (the new WordPress block editor), you need to open the post edit screen and click on the ‘Add Block’ icon then select the ‘image’ block. This will add an image block to your post. Click on the ‘Upload’ button to select the image on your computer to upload. You can also use a previously uploaded image by clicking on ‘Media Library’ button. The uploaded image will appear in the editor with the text box labeled ‘Write caption..’ below it. This is where you add an image caption in WordPress. Don’t forget to save once you are done adding the caption.

Adding caption to gallery images
you will find the Gallery block with the new WordPress editor. This block allows you to upload several images and display them in grid layout with columns and rows. To create your gallery, you go to the page or post edit screen, click on ‘Add Block’ icon then choose the ‘Gallery’ block inside the Common Blocks tab.

The gallery block will be added to the page/post area. You now need to upload the images one by one from your computer or by selecting pre-uploaded images from the media library. When uploading individual images, you can add a caption after uploading each image. After an image has been uploaded, you just click on it and write your caption in the ‘Write Caption…’ area.

To add a caption from pre-added images from your media library, you do so from the image metadata section located on the right. If there is already a caption, you don’t need to add another one.

Adding caption using the old classic editor
If you haven’t updated to WordPress 5.0, then you are still using the old Classic Editor. To add a caption with this, you still need first to upload the image. Click on the ‘Add Media’ button located above your post editor and then upload an image or choose one from your media library. Once the image is uploaded, you will be able to add the metadata such as alt text, title and caption. You need to click on ‘insert into post’ button once you are done editing.

Add an Image Caption in WordPress