Getting started
From install to your first image in under five minutes.
All Sources Images is free and quick to set up. Some stock sources work right away through the optional developer proxy — no API key needed. This guide takes you from install to first image, and covers the optional steps to enable automation.
Step 1 — Install and activate.
Search in WordPress
Go to Plugins > Add New, search for All Sources Images, click Install and then Activate.
Or download directly
Download the ZIP from WordPress.org and upload it via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
You’re in
After activation, All Sources Images appears in your wp-admin menu. Click it to open the image browser immediately.
Step 2 — Search your first image.
No setup needed to test. The plugin includes an optional developer proxy that covers some stock sources — Pixabay works out of the box for many searches.
Open the browser
Click All Sources Images in wp-admin. The image browser opens directly — this is your main search screen.
Type a search term
Enter any keyword and pick a source from the list. Results appear as a browsable grid right inside WordPress.
Download an image
Click any result to download it into your Media Library. From there it works like any local asset — assign it, insert it, reuse it.
Step 3 — Add more sources when you’re ready.
If you want more results, better image quality, or AI generation, just add your own API credentials for the providers you want. Go to All Sources Images > Settings > Source and enter the credentials for each provider.
Best first choices for stock
- Pixabay — works with the proxy, or add your own key for direct access.
- Unsplash — great editorial photography, requires a free Unsplash API key.
- Pexels — wide variety, free API key from pexels.com.
Best first choices for AI
- Gemini 2.5 Flash Image — recommended default, great balance of quality and cost. Needs a Google AI key.
- OpenAI DALL-E — familiar and reliable, needs your OpenAI API key.
- Stability AI — more controls over style and output format.
Optional — Set up automatic featured images.
If you want every new post to automatically get a featured image when published, turn on Auto Image. Takes about 30 seconds to configure.
Go to Auto Image
Open All Sources Images > Settings, click the Auto Image tab.
Enable and filter
Switch it on. Optionally narrow it to specific post types, taxonomies, or exclude individual post IDs you want to control manually.
Done — publish a post
Publish your next post as normal. The plugin automatically searches and assigns a featured image based on your configured source.
Optional — Fill in your archive with Bulk Generation.
Got existing posts with no featured image? Bulk Generation handles that without any manual work per post.
1. Configure Bulk Settings
Go to All Sources Images > Bulk Settings. Choose whether images go as featured thumbnails or inline, and set your primary and fallback sources.
2. Create a job
Go to Bulk Generation > Create New Job. Pick your content type (posts, pages, products) and select the mode — typically Without featured image.
3. Run and track
Launch the job. Watch progress in the Jobs List. The plugin works through your selection and fills in the missing images one by one.
Common first questions
I searched but got no results — why?
Check that you have a source selected and credentials saved (for providers that need them). Enable logging under Settings > Others to see exactly what’s happening.
Will Auto Image overwrite images I already set?
By default it only runs on posts that don’t have a featured image yet. Add post ID exclusions to keep specific posts untouched regardless.
Does it work with WooCommerce products?
Yes. Bulk Generation and Auto Image both let you target custom post types, including WooCommerce products and any other CPT your site uses.
Where do I get help?
The WordPress.org support forum is the right place for questions and bug reports. All code is on GitHub if you want to review it or open an issue.
Ready? It takes less time than reading this guide.
Install All Sources Images for free from WordPress.org. The first image search is three clicks away after activation.