Background Images
What it does
Background Images holds section, row, and column background images until they are near the viewport so the first screen loads faster. The first background stays visible for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).
This is separate from Smart Image Loading (content images) and Lazy Rendering (whole sections).
Where to find it
Divi Engine → Nitro Settings → Background Images
Settings
| Setting | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazy Section Backgrounds | Toggle | Off | Backgrounds below the fold load just before they enter the screen. The first background loads immediately |
| Early load distance | Number (px) | 1000 | How far ahead to start loading. Higher values reduce white flash while scrolling. Recommended: 300–500 if you see flashes |
Balanced and Aggressive presets
Balanced and Aggressive turn Lazy Section Backgrounds on. Safe leaves it off.
Legacy: manual row / module backgrounds
Older setups assigned a custom ID and URL to up to ten background slots. Prefer Lazy Section Backgrounds for new sites. Existing slots keep working.
| Setting | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background image timeout | Number (ms) | 1000 | Delay before these manually configured backgrounds load |
| ID (slots One–Ten) | Text | empty | Custom CSS ID on the section, row, or module |
| URL | Text | empty | Background image URL for that slot |
| Enable Parallax | Toggle | Off | Match a parallax background in the Divi Builder |
| CSS or True Parallax | Toggle | Off (CSS) | On = true parallax, Off = CSS parallax |
Legacy Help Scout URL
Older docs called this Defer Background Images. That article now points here.