Adding featured images

Market the blog posts, events, or products included on your site with a compelling image.

Last updated March 20, 2024

Squarespace uses featured images to represent individual collection items — like blog posts, events, and products — in different areas of your site. For example, you can use a summary block to display posts from your blog page that include the featured image from each post. 

If your site is on version 7.0, you can also add page featured images to appear on index pages and create per-page banner images in some templates.

We recommend always adding featured images when the option is available to create a great visual experience on your site. For help formatting images before uploading, visit Formatting your images for display on the web.

Tip

When you share a link from your site on social media, your social sharing image may display instead of the item or page featured image. To learn more about what displays, visit How content displays in social posts.

Collection item featured image represent individual blog posts, events, and products across your site. They may also display when the items are shared on social media.

On version 7.0, some templates use collection item featured images to create a banner image.

How you add a collection item featured image depends on which version of Squarespace your site is on.

To add a blog post, event, or portfolio sub-page featured image:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. In the Pages panel, click a blog, events, or portfolio page. If you haven't added featured images to a post, event, or sub-page, an image icon appears instead.
  3. Hover over the item (for example, a blog post) and click ..., then click Settings
  4. In the Content or General tab, drag your image into the image uploader, or click the image uploader and choose a file from your computer. If the item already has an image, click Remove Image, then add a new image.
  5. To reuse an image or use a stock image, click Search For Images (blog posts and events only).
  6. Click Save.

By default, the first image that displays in the product editor becomes the featured image. To change your product's featured image:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. In the Pages panel, click a store page.
  3. Double-click a product.
  4. In the product editor, scroll down to the Images section and click Featured Image.
  5. Upload an image or select an existing one from your image library.
  6. If the product already has a featured image, click the three dots to the right of the image, then click Delete. Then, upload a new image.
  7. Click Save.

To add a custom featured image to an uploaded video on a videos page:

  1. Open the Pages panel and click a videos page.
  2. In the side panel, click All.
  3. Hover over the video you want to add a custom featured image to and click , then click Edit video.
  4. In the video editor, switch the Custom featured image toggle on. Keep in mind, this option is only available for videos uploaded directly to Squarespace. It's not possible to add custom featured image to embedded videos.
  5. Click Add an image, then upload an image or select an image from your image library. If the item already has an image, click Replace, then add a new image.
  6. Click Save.

To add a blog post or event featured image:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. In the Pages panel, click a Blog or events page. 
  3. Open the item's settings and click Options.
  4. Drag your image into the image uploader, or click the image uploader and choose a file from your computer. If the item already has an image, click Remove Image or the trash can icon, then add a new image.
  5. To reuse an image or use a stock image, click Search For Image.
  6. Click Save.

By default, the first image that displays in the product editor becomes the featured image. To change your product's featured image:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. In the Pages panel, click a store page.
  3. Double-click a product.
  4. In the product editor, scroll down to the Images section and click Featured Image.
  5. Upload an image or select an existing one from your image library.
  6. If the product already has a featured image, click the three dots to the right of the image, then click Delete. Then, upload a new image.
  7. Click Save.

Tip

Use the image editor to style or crop the featured image after uploading. You can also use focal points to center the image within its height dimensions.

Accessing this feature

The Squarespace app only supports adding collection item featured images to blog posts. To add event or product featured images, use a computer.

To add a collection item featured image on a version 7.1 site:

  1. Tap More, tap Pages, tap the blog, then tap Blog Content.
  2. Tap ... next to the post, tap Settings, then tap Content.
  3. If the item already has an image, click Remove Image, then tap Add Image
  4. Choose an image:
    • Take a new photo - Tap Take Photo or Camera.
    • Choose an image from your device - Tap Photo Library or Files.
    • Choose an image from iCloud - Tap Insert from....
  5. Tap Back, then tap Save.

To add a collection item featured image on a version 7.0 site:

  1. Tap More, then tap Pages
  2. Tap the blog, then tap the blog post. 
  3. Tap …, then tap Page Settings.
  4. In the post settings, tap Add image, then choose an image:
    • Take a new photo - Tap Take Photo or Camera.
    • Choose an image from your device - Tap Photo Library or Files.
    • Choose an image from iCloud - Tap Insert from....
  5. Tap Save

Accessing this feature

Version 7.1 doesn't use page featured images. To create a banner image, add a section background image to a page section instead. To represent the page on social media, add an Alternate Social Sharing Image.

Page featured images appear on index pages and create per-page banner images in some templates. Some templates also support adding videos.

To add a page featured image:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. Hover over the page in the left panel and click to open page settings.
  3. In page settings, click the Media tab.
  4. Drag an image into the Featured Image box or click Add Image. If the item already has an image, click Remove Image or the trash can icon, then add a new image. You can also click Search For Images to reuse an image or add a stock image.
  5. Click Save.

Tip

Use the image editor to style or crop the featured image after uploading. You can also use focal points to center the image within its height dimensions.

To add a page featured image:

  1. Tap More, then tap Pages.
  2. Tap ... or at the top of the screen, then tap Page Settings.
  3. Under Options, tap Media.
  4. Tap Add image under Featured Image. If the item already has an image, click Replace, then add a new image.
  5. Choose an image:
    • Take a new photo - Tap Take photo or Camera.
    • Choose an image from your device - Tap Photo library or Files.
    • Choose an image from iCloud - Tap Insert from....
  6. Tap Page Settings, then tap Save.

In most templates, if the gallery page doesn't have a featured image, it automatically creates one from the first image in the gallery. Use the steps above to replace this with a different image, or delete it altogether.

In some templates, if you delete the page featured image, the gallery's first image automatically becomes the featured image when you make any change to the gallery. This is most noticeable in templates where the featured image creates a page banner.

In these instances, you can delete the new featured image from page settings to remove it after each change. Note that if you manually add a featured image in page settings, the featured image won't automatically update when you make changes to the gallery. To mimic the look of no banner, upload a featured image of a solid color that matches your background.

Featured images display differently depending on your site's version and where the featured image appears. 

Use this table to learn more about how featured images display on different areas of your site. 

Site area

Featured image display

Blog, events, store, and videos pages

Item featured images display on the main collection page to represent each item. For example, events pages display the featured image for each upcoming event.

Product blocks

Featured images display when Show Image is checked.

Summary blocks

Featured images display for collection items featured in the block. Choose between several different layouts.

Use this table to learn more about how featured images display on different areas of your site.  

Site area

Featured image display

Banners

Featured images display as page and collection item banners in some templates.

Index pages

Featured images display as a grid, stacked, or full-screen, depending on your site's template.

Blog, Events, and advanced store pages

Collection item featured images display on the main collection page to represent each item. For example, events pages display the featured image for each upcoming event.

Product blocks

Featured images display when Show Image is checked.

Summary blocks

Featured images display for collection items featured in the block. Choose between several different layouts.

Content Link Blocks

Featured images display for the pages or items you're linking to.

Footer Image
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