Smart Image Loading
What it does
Smart Image Loading replaces the older Defer Images feature. It controls how Divi images and section backgrounds load so below-the-fold media does not block the first paint — while protecting important LCP (largest contentful paint) images.
Watch the walkthrough
Starts at 9:19 in the Divi Nitro 5.0 walkthrough.
Where to find it
Divi Engine → Nitro Settings (Smart Image Loading)
Modes
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Smart lazy (recommended) | Lazy-loads images with LCP protection so the main hero image stays eager |
| Classic onload defer | Legacy-style defer similar to older Defer Images |
| Off | No Nitro image defer/lazy behavior |
Per-module controls
On Image, Fullwidth Image, Gallery, and Blurb modules you can set:
- Load immediately
- Lazy load
Use these when a specific module must always load (or always lazy-load) regardless of the global mode.
Section background images
Section backgrounds load as they near the viewport (early-load distance). The first (LCP) background stays visible. You do not need the old “defer all section images” approach for typical setups.
Older docs and Help Scout articles called this Defer Images. The URL /Features/defer-images redirects here conceptually — use Smart Image Loading in Nitro 5.
Tips
- Do not also enable aggressive lazy-load in LiteSpeed / WP Rocket while Nitro Smart Image Loading is on.
- If gallery or blog images fail to appear, switch to Off or Load immediately on the affected modules — see Nitro broke my site.