Clickable Featured Image

Clickable Featured Image fixes a common WordPress problem: featured images often look clickable, but nothing happens when visitors click them.

Activate the plugin and featured images become useful links:

• On single posts and pages, featured images link to the full-size image file by default, which works well with common lightbox plugins.
• If the image already displays the full-size file, the plugin leaves it unlinked instead of opening the same image again.
• In Query Loop blocks, featured images link to the post by default.
• In classic theme archive loops, the plugin leaves thumbnail markup to the theme when the theme may add its own post link.
• If a theme or block already links the featured image, the plugin leaves it alone to avoid duplicate links.

The default setup is still zero configuration, but version 1.1.0 adds a small Settings screen for sites that need more control.

Features

• Make post featured images clickable
• Link single-post featured images to the full-size image file
• Skip pointless same-image links when the displayed single featured image is already the full-size image
• Link Query Loop featured images to the post permalink
• Avoid duplicate or nested archive image links when the theme owns the post thumbnail link
• Optional attachment-page or no-link behavior on single posts
• Optional no-link behavior on archives
• Enable only the post types you want
• Works with the core Featured Image block and Query Loop block
• Tested with GeneratePress, Twenty Twenty-Four, and common lightbox workflows
• Lightweight: no front-end JavaScript unless Meow/Lightbox compatibility is needed

When to use it

Use this plugin when:

• Your Query Loop thumbnails should link to posts.
• Your single-post featured image should open in a lightbox.
• Your theme displays featured images but does not make them clickable.
• You want a small plugin instead of a full gallery or lightbox suite.

Settings

Go to Settings > Clickable Featured Image.

Available settings:

• Single posts and pages: full-size image file, attachment page, or do not link.
• Archives and query loops: post permalink or do not link.
• Post types: choose which public post types with featured image support should be affected.

Defaults match the original plugin behavior for single posts and Query Loop blocks. Classic theme archives are handled conservatively so themes can keep their own thumbnail permalink markup without duplicate links.