Automatic Featured Images from Videos
by webdevstudios · Media
Also makes 11 other plugins · 1M+ installs across the portfolio →
If a YouTube or Vimeo video embed exists near the start of a post, we'll automatically set the post's featured image to a thumbnail of the video.
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 88/100
no flags
Active installs
6K+
≈6.8K estimated
Momentum
+5%
low volume, under 1,000 downloads a month
Biggest opportunity: Swap “video”, “vimeo” and “youtube” for “automatic”, “near” and “videos”. “video” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “automatic” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vimeo” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “near” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “youtube” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “videos” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 62 average across 3,299 Media plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.1%
of downloads still active
At least 6K of 146.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Media plugin keeps 0.8%, across 2,324 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Media 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.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 112 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8; the current branch is 7.1
4.6★ over 36 reviews, weighted for review count to 4.3★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
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.
38
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.5
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
22%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.6
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| automatic featured image your tag | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| automatic | #4 | #8 | up 1 |
| featured images your tag | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| automatic images | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| featured image from video | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| videos | #7 | #12 | down 2 |
| near | #6 | #6 | 0 |
| featured | #8 | #8 | 0 |
| image from video | #4 | #7 | 0 |
| featured image | #11 | #12 | up 1 |
| exists | #11 | #15 | down 1 |
| featured image from title | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| automatic youtube | #6 | #11 | — |
| multiple featured images | #6 | #8 | down 1 |
| post featured video | #7 | #12 | 0 |
| missing featured image | #7 | #6 | — |
| set featured image automatically | #7 | #9 | 0 |
| multiple featured image | #8 | #9 | 0 |
| featured video content | #9 | #13 | 0 |
| product featured video | #10 | #13 | down 2 |
| video your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| vimeo your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| youtube your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
66 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 32 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “video”, “vimeo” and “youtube” for “automatic”, “near” and “videos”. “video” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “automatic” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “vimeo” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “near” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “youtube” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “videos” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,491 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 6.6K · 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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
4mo ago
latest release · v1.2.9 · 14 Jul 2026
16
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 95% run the current release. 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 “6K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 7K.
Install history since 21 Jul 2017
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ bigcheesez2.3y ago
you just don’t know how much you helped me! i pray that you are blessed with reward!!!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ weetameal2.4y ago
Supprisingly it works with Gravity Form Addon Post Creation plugin too! Automatically set feature image from any link found in the post. Thank you dear developer!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ braxtonhouse2.8y ago
Good idea, but doesn’t support Rumble
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Fredbnm3.2y ago
it was exactly what I needed
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Popcorn Jedi3.3y ago
The plugin I’ve been looking for, works great. Please update.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wrey754.7y ago
An essential part of our WordPress website. Saved hours of work. Thanks very much.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ladyfirst20105.1y ago
Thank a ton to author. This will save a lot of time to add a featured image. FYI : Im using WordPress 5.8.1 running EnjoyVideo theme.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ metaglyphics5.2y ago
This plugin saved me a ton of coding. And the author responds to support inquiries remarkably quickly. Which is always a huge bonus, and above and beyond what one can reasonably expect from a free plugin. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.2.9 Updated: confirmed compatibility with WP 7.0 1.2.9
- — Version 1.2.8 Fixed: reported security vulnerability around bulk processing. 1.2.8
- — Version 1.2.7 Fixed: more edits around checking for 2 or more items vs 1 item to process Fixed: Fatal error on Comment screen with add_meta_boxes callback. 1.2.7
- — Version 1.2.6 Fixed: bulk processing if only 0ne post was found needing processing. Originally needed 2 or more Fixed: missed textdomain Bumped required PHP to 7.4 Confirmed compatibility with WordPress 6.9 1.2.6
- — Version 1.2.5 Updated: added nonce verification to bulk processing cron scheduling request. 1.2.5
- — Version 1.2.4 Fixed: Better file naming of incoming images, based on youtube/video title value. Confirmed compatibility with WordPress 6.6.x 1.2.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (1.2.9). 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 2 languages, 1 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.
This plugin’s searches fall outside the topics measured so far. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "If a YouTube or Vimeo video embed exists near the start of a post, we'll automatically set the post's featu..."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions YouTube, Vimeo.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 722 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "automatic-featured-image", "featured images" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-11-01 7K+ → 6K+ down after 252 days in tier
- 2026-02-22 8K+ → 7K+ down after 415 days in tier
- 2025-01-03 9K+ → 8K+ down after 601 days in tier
- 2023-05-13 10K+ → 9K+ down after 55 days in tier
- 2023-03-19 9K+ → 10K+ up after 171 days in tier
- 2022-09-29 8K+ → 9K+ up after 245 days in tier
- 2022-01-27 7K+ → 8K+ up after 583 days in tier
- 2020-06-23 9K+ → 7K+ down after 356 days in tier
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).
-
Presto Player 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 3 shared tags A -
WPC Product Videos for WooCommerce 3K+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags B - V Video Thumbnails Reloaded 2K+ installs · 4.1★ · 3 shared tags D
-
FluentPlayer – Video Player With Forms & Lead Capture 2K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A -
Meks Video Importer 1K+ installs · 4.4★ · 3 shared tags C -
Featured Video for WordPress – VideographyWP 1K+ installs · 4.4★ · 3 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Automatic Featured Images from Videos into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/automatic-featured-images-from-videos" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Automatic Featured Images from Videos — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Automatic Featured Images from Videos: 6K+ active installs, 4.6★ (36 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-03. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/automatic-featured-images-from-videos
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