AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild
by junkcoder · Performance
Rebuild your media library one image at a time, without script timeouts - and optimise, replace, or write WebP and AVIF copies of your images.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 91/100
no flags
Active installs
30K+
≈35K estimated
Momentum
-54%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “image”, “optimize” and “regenerate” for “ajax”, “queue” and “write”. “image” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ajax” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “optimize” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “queue” sits at #21 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “regenerate” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #12. “write” sits at #21 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
91 health vs 69 average across 1,806 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.3%
of downloads still active
At least 30K of 910.2K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,105 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 4 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 51 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.8★ over 90 reviews, smoothed to 4.55★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
26
Momentum
Losing ground
-1.9
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
7%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-2.0
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| rebuild your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| thumbnail your tag | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| optimise | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| page thumbnail | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| ajax | #6 | #6 | down 2 |
| regenerate your tag | #12 | #8 | down 3 |
| thumbnail regenerate | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| post thumbnail | #8 | #6 | down 1 |
| write | #21 | #15 | up 2 |
| thumbnails | #15 | #14 | down 5 |
| wordpress ajax | #9 | #11 | down 5 |
| the post thumbnail | #9 | #9 | 0 |
| ajax post | #9 | #9 | 0 |
| action scheduler | #15 | #9 | down 3 |
| regenerate thumbnails | #16 | #14 | down 6 |
| post ajax | #10 | #10 | 0 |
| queue | #21 | #16 | down 5 |
| image your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| optimize your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
111 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 17 listed. 94 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “image”, “optimize” and “regenerate” for “ajax”, “queue” and “write”. “image” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ajax” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “optimize” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “queue” sits at #21 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “regenerate” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #12. “write” sits at #21 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “regenerate”. #12 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,490 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 39.5K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
4
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v2.2.1 · 12 Sep 2026
21
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “30K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 16 months ago; the previous band took 13 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 10 Dec 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ cr8n12mo ago
With over 4K images on my site, it’s impossible to get “Regenerate Thumbnails” in Woocommerce to complete. This takes care of it in a couple hours without taking a break. Thank you! Running WordPress 6.8.3 & PHP 8.4
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mmk1752.5y ago
No replies to support queries for over a year so it seems like a dead plugin. hopefully you backup your site before trying this.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jasper2.7y ago
This is a great plugin, easy to use and it should be in Core in some way or form. It’s ridiculous that Woo does automatic thumbnail regeneration, but WP Core doesn’t. Thanks for this.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Fred4.5y ago
It did what Regenerate Thumbnails can’t.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ 802jan5.0y ago
Wordfence is giving ‘abandoned’ warnings since there have been no updates in three years. Excellent plugin though.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Wabbitt835.6y ago
Nice plugin, very useful, efficiency top. Make it automatic for every new photo or drawing in medias, it will be giant !!! 😉 This topic was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Wabbitt83.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ digitalrenewal7.2y ago
My site has 7600 images, no other regeneration plugin would come close to finishing the process. This did the trick! Even though it hasn’t been tested with the latest three updates of WordPress, it ran perfectly fine. I hope the developer keeps this one alive. It saved me! No other plugin would work in this situation. Word of caution as stated in the description. Do not close the window, or allow your computer to hibernate. If you have a lot of images, leave the window open, turn off sleep mode in your control panel settings and play movies so images dont burn into your screen. Thank you so much! I can’t stand bloat on my server. This really did its job. and it was a big job.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ esmodev7.6y ago
This plugin works great, big thanks to the developer.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.14 Fix security issues (props @patchstack) Fix Github link (props @Julix91 @garretthyder) Fix crop-settings for additional sizes (props @karlkowald) 1.14
- — Version 1.2.2 Compatibility with PHP 7.2 (props @thomas-gordon) Implemented throttling and retries for image regeneration (props @da2x) 1.2.2
- — Version 1.2.1 NEW: Allow custom crop areas, read more 1.2.1
- — Version 1.2 Compatibility with PHP7 1.2
- — Version 1.12 FIX: An issue where rebuilding thumbnails in the media gallery would not work 1.12
- — Version 1.11 FIX: An issue where the plugin would sometimes break the media gallery. 1.11
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (2.2.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 17 languages, 0 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
6 of 8 pass · checked 2 Nov 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Rebuild your media library one image at a time, without script timeouts - and optimise, replace, or write W..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 11 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 11 of 11 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 2 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,925 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "Optimize", "regenerate" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-07-13 40K+ → 30K+ down after 392 days in tier
- 2024-06-16 50K+ → 40K+ down after 435 days in tier
- 2023-04-08 60K+ → 50K+ down after 321 days in tier
- 2022-05-22 70K+ → 60K+ down after 627 days in tier
- 2020-09-02 80K+ → 70K+ down after 433 days in tier
- 2019-06-27 90K+ → 80K+ down after 511 days in tier
- 2018-02-01 100K+ → 90K+ down
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
ImageMagick Engine 60K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages 30K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
PNG to JPG 10K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Kama Thumbnail 8K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags A -
Get the Image 7K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D -
OTF Regenerate Thumbnails 4K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/ajax-thumbnail-rebuild" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild: 30K+ active installs, 4.8★ (90 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/ajax-thumbnail-rebuild
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