How to Add Thumbnails to Previous and Next Post Links in WordPress

After all that work on a WordPress blog post, watching readers leave after one page is frustrating.

One big reason? The plain text navigation links at the bottom of your posts barely get noticed.

Adding thumbnail images to these navigation links can help you grab attention. Readers can instantly see what’s coming next, which makes them much more likely to stick around and explore your content.

We’ve tested many methods and found that WPCode is the best tool for the job. It lets you add custom code snippets safely without touching your theme files.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to add thumbnails to your previous and next post links in WordPress. It’s easier than you think! 💡

Why Display Thumbnails With the Previous and Next Post Links?

In short, thumbnails instantly make your navigation links more eye-catching and clickable. They can encourage readers to keep exploring your site.

Your WordPress blog offers some helpful features to help visitors find new content and navigate your site. These features include:

• navigation menus
• a search bar, and
• a post archives widget.

Another helpful navigation feature is found at the bottom of each blog post. There, you will find links to your site’s previous and next posts.

These links build user engagement because when visitors finish reading one blog post, they might look for something else to read. However, if you add thumbnails, the links will look more interactive.

It’s also a great way to bring attention to your best-performing or popular blog posts.

For example, you may have pillar content that is already driving a ton of traffic and converting those readers into email subscribers. Adding thumbnails with post links would only help you build your email list and grow your small business.

With that in mind, we’ll show you how to add thumbnails to the previous and next post links in WordPress. Here are all the topics we’ll cover in this article:

• Using Thumbnails with Previous and Next Post Links in WordPress
• Alternative: Displaying Popular Posts with Thumbnails
• Frequently Asked Questions About Post Navigation Thumbnails
• Bonus Links: Using Images and Other Media Files in WordPress

Let’s get started!

Using Thumbnails with Previous and Next Post Links in WordPress

To add thumbnails to your previous and next post links, you’ll have to add code to your WordPress theme’s files. If you haven’t done this before, then see our guide on how to copy and paste code in WordPress.

Adding Code Using WPCode

The first step is to add the following code snippet using WPCode, the best code snippets plugin. It allows you to add code without breaking your site and comes with plenty of ready-made templates, so you don’t have to write code from scratch.

Across our partner brands’ sites, we use WPCode to create and manage custom code snippets. It has worked incredibly well for us, and you can check out our complete WPCode review to explore its features.

To get started, you’ll need to install and activate the WPCode plugin. If you need help, you can check out our article on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, go to the Code Snippets » + Add Snippet page from your WordPress dashboard.

Then, go ahead and click the ‘Add New’ button.

You’ll be redirected to a code snippet library, where you can choose from a wide variety of pre-made templates.

To add thumbnails to the previous and next post links, we’ll upload a string of custom code. So, let’s click on ‘Use Snippet’ under ‘Add Your Custom Code (New Snippet).’

On the popup that appears, you’ll select the code type.

Here, you’ll want to choose ‘PHP Snippet.’

The next step is to give the code snippet a name so that you can refer back to it later.

Then, simply copy the following code into the WPCode text editor:

function wpb_posts_nav(){
    $next_post = get_next_post();
    $prev_post = get_previous_post();
    
    if ( $next_post || $prev_post ) : ?>
    
        <div class="wpb-posts-nav">
            <div>
                <?php if ( ! empty( $prev_post ) ) : ?>
                    <a href="<?php echo get_permalink( $prev_post ); ?>">
                        <div>
                            <div class="wpb-posts-nav__thumbnail wpb-posts-nav__prev">
                                <?php echo get_the_post_thumbnail( $prev_post, [ 100, 100 ] ); ?>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <div>
                            <strong>
                                <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" height="24"><path d="M13.775,18.707,8.482,13.414a2,2,0,0,1,0-2.828l5.293-5.293,1.414,1.414L9.9,12l5.293,5.293Z"/></svg>
                                <?php _e( 'Previous article', 'textdomain' ) ?>
                            </strong>
                            <h4><?php echo get_the_title( $prev_post ); ?></h4>
                        </div>
                    </a>
                <?php endif; ?>
            </div>
            <div>
                <?php if ( ! empty( $next_post ) ) : ?>
                    <a href="<?php echo get_permalink( $next_post ); ?>">
                        <div>
                            <strong>
                                <?php _e( 'Next article', 'textdomain' ) ?>
                                <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" height="24"><path d="M10.811,18.707,9.4,17.293,14.689,12,9.4,6.707l1.415-1.414L16.1,10.586a2,2,0,0,1,0,2.828Z"/></svg>
                            </strong>
                            <h4><?php echo get_the_title( $next_post ); ?></h4>
                        </div>
                        <div>
                            <div class="wpb-posts-nav__thumbnail wpb-posts-nav__next">
                                <?php echo get_the_post_thumbnail( $next_post, [ 100, 100 ] ); ?>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                    </a>
                <?php endif; ?>
            </div>
        </div> <!-- .wpb-posts-nav -->
    
    <?php endif;
}

Once you’ve entered the snippet, you can toggle the button from ‘Inactive’ to ‘Active.’

It should look like this.

This will enable the code to work.

Then, you can simply click the ‘Update’ button.

Now, we’ll need to go back to Code Snippets » + Add Snippet page.

Again, under the ‘Add Your Custom Code (New Snippet)’ option, you’ll select ‘Use Snippet.’

Make sure to select ‘PHP Snippet’ in the popup that appears.

After that, you can give it a descriptive name so you can easily refer back to it later.

Now, you can copy the following code and paste it into the WPCode text editor.

wpb_posts_nav();

This code tells WordPress where to show the navigation with the featured image.

With that done, you’ll want to scroll down to the ‘Insertion’ section and click on the dropdown next to ‘Location.’

From here, go to ‘Page-Specific’ and choose ‘Insert After Post.’ That way, the thumbnails will appear properly next to the links.

Finally, you can toggle on the ‘Active’ and click ‘Update.’

After saving your changes, you can use this function in the template where you want to show previous and next post links with thumbnails.

And that’s it – you’ve added and configured your previous and next post thumbnails!

Now, when you view a post on your website, you will see that the previous and next links at the bottom of the post now have thumbnails.

Alternative: Displaying Popular Posts with Thumbnails

Another way to engage your readers after they read a post is to display a list of popular posts after each article. This will allow your readers to see your best content rather than just the previous and next published articles.

Your popular posts contain your most successful content. Displaying them to your visitors will build trust, improve social proof, and ensure that your visitors stay on your website longer.

When you check the first method in our guide on how to display posts by views in WordPress, you’ll learn how easy it is to add popular posts using the MonsterInsights plugin.

At WPBeginner, we use MonsterInsights to keep a close eye on our website’s performance. You can see our full MonsterInsights review and see why it’s our go-to tool for making data-driven decisions!

MonsterInsights’ Popular Posts Widget offers a wide range of attractive themes and a lot of customization options.

Or you can see our guide on how to add custom after-post widgets in WordPress, where you can learn how to add various types of content to the end of each blog post.

Frequently Asked Questions About Post Navigation Thumbnails

Got questions about adding thumbnails to your post navigation? Here are some of the things readers often ask before getting started.

Can I change the size of the thumbnails?

Absolutely! In the first code snippet, look for the lines containing [ 100, 100 ]. These numbers represent the width and height in pixels. Just swap them out for the dimensions that work best with your theme’s design.

Will adding thumbnails with code slow down my website?

Not at all. The code is lightweight and built with performance in mind, so you shouldn’t notice any slowdown. Plus, WPCode makes sure the snippet only loads on single post pages where it’s needed.

What happens if a post doesn’t have a featured image?

No worries. If a linked post doesn’t have a featured image, the code will just show the text link instead. That said, setting a featured image for every post helps keep your site looking polished and consistent.

Is it better to show previous/next links or a popular posts section?

It depends on your goal. Previous and next links are great for guiding readers through related content in order.

But if you want to keep people browsing your top articles, a popular posts section (using a tool like MonsterInsights) can work wonders.

Bonus Links: Using Images and Other Media Files in WordPress

We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to use thumbnails with previous and next post links in WordPress. Next, you may also want to learn:

• How to Crop and Edit WordPress Post Thumbnails
• How to Add a Background Image in WordPress
• How to Add Featured Video Thumbnails in WordPress
• How to Add an Audio Music Player Widget in WordPress
• How to Add PDF Indexing and Searching in WordPress
• Image Alt Text vs Image Title in WordPress
• How to Fix Featured Image Not Showing in WordPress
• How to Optimize Images for Web Performance Without Losing Quality

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