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Fixing broken image links in WordPress

Broken image links in WordPress occur when uploaded images don’t display correctly in posts or pages. Instead of the image, you may see a placeholder or a missing file icon. On ruachost.com, this issue is usually caused by incorrect file permissions or misconfigured paths.

Common Causes

Section titled “Common Causes”
  • Incorrect file permissions on the wp-content/uploads directory.
  • Images uploaded to the wrong directory.
  • Migration errors (site moved without updating paths).
  • Corrupted database entries pointing to missing files.

Step‑by‑Step Resolution

Section titled “Step‑by‑Step Resolution”

1. Check File Permissions

Section titled “1. Check File Permissions”

  1. Log in to cPanel.

  2. Open File Manager.

  3. Navigate to:

    /home/username/public_html/wp-content/uploads

    (Replace username with your hosting account username.)

  4. Ensure:

    • Directories are set to 755.
    • Files are set to 644.

  5. Update permissions if necessary.

2. Verify Upload Path

Section titled “2. Verify Upload Path”

  • In WordPress, go to Settings → Media.

  • Confirm that the upload path is set to:

    wp-content/uploads

  • Correct the path if it points elsewhere.

3. Clear Cache

Section titled “3. Clear Cache”
  • If you use caching plugins (e.g., LiteSpeed Cache, WP Rocket), clear the cache.
  • Also clear CDN cache if using Cloudflare or another provider.

4. Re‑Upload Missing Images

Section titled “4. Re‑Upload Missing Images”
  • If files are missing, re‑upload them via the WordPress Media Library.
  • Update posts/pages to point to the correct image URLs.

5. Database Check (Advanced)

Section titled “5. Database Check (Advanced)”
  • Log in to phpMyAdmin.
  • Open your WordPress database.
  • Check the wp_posts table for entries with post_type = attachment.
  • Verify that the guid field points to the correct image URL.
  • Update incorrect entries if needed.