Skip to content
AIPhoto-Generator

Blog featured image generator: Featured images for posts and link previews

Describe the picture for your post, and AIPhoto-Generator makes a new 16:9 image in about 5 seconds: one file for the top of the post, the post list and the link preview when someone shares it.

It makes the picture only, from a text prompt. It doesn't add titles or logos, use templates, write og:image tags, work as a WordPress plugin or make an image from your post's URL.

Open the generatorSee prompt ideas
  • 3 free images
  • No sign-up
  • PNG download

Last updated

A white paper boat floating in a rain puddle on a city sidewalk, with blurred people under umbrellas behind
A rustic sourdough loaf with three slices cut on a wooden board, with a dish of butter and a dusting of flour
Floating island with a hilltop castle and waterfalls spilling into a sea of clouds in warm golden light

Real results from AIPhoto-Generator; images made at 3:2 are cropped to 16:9 here. The main image's prompt: “A small white paper boat floating on a rain puddle on a city sidewalk, reflections of trees in the water, overcast light”

Shapes

Which shape to pick for a featured image

No single shape fits every place a featured image appears. 16:9 is the safest start: wide enough for link previews and Google Discover.

Prompt ideas

Featured image prompts that survive every crop

Each prompt keeps one subject in the middle and quiet edges, so nothing important is lost when a theme or link preview crops it.

  • Tech or SaaS announcement

    A single glowing glass cube on a dark navy surface, soft blue rim light, centered, smooth dark background, no screens, no text or logos

    Style
    Studio
    Ratio
    16:9

    Abstract enough for any product post, with no fake interface to explain.

    Open in generator: Tech or SaaS announcement

  • Recipe post

    A cast-iron skillet of roasted vegetables with rosemary on a rustic wooden table, overhead view, centered, a linen napkin at the edge, soft daylight

    Style
    Photorealistic
    Ratio
    16:9

    Overhead and centered: it survives a square crop in the post list.

    Open in generator: Recipe post

  • Travel guide

    A narrow cobbled street in an old Mediterranean town at golden hour, flower pots on the steps, a centered vanishing point, no people, no signs or text

    Style
    Photorealistic
    Ratio
    16:9

    A centered street leads the eye to the middle of every crop.

    Open in generator: Travel guide

  • Personal finance

    A small green plant growing from a neat stack of plain coins on a white desk, centered, soft daylight, clean pale background

    Style
    Studio
    Ratio
    16:9

    A simple metaphor that reads at thumbnail size.

    Open in generator: Personal finance

  • Wellness

    A yoga mat rolled out on a wooden floor beside a large window with morning light, a small plant, calm and airy, centered, no people

    Style
    Photorealistic
    Ratio
    16:9

    No people, so the image stays believable and easy to reuse.

    Open in generator: Wellness

  • How-to or tutorial

    A neat flat lay of hand tools, a tape measure and wood offcuts on a plywood workbench, overhead view, centered, soft even light, no brand names

    Style
    Photorealistic
    Ratio
    16:9

    “No brand names” keeps logos off the tools.

    Open in generator: How-to or tutorial

  • Opinion or essay

    A single paper boat on a calm dark lake at dusk, centered, soft mist, minimal and quiet

    Style
    Cinematic
    Ratio
    16:9

    A metaphor works when a literal photo doesn't.

    Open in generator: Opinion or essay

  • Seasonal post

    Autumn leaves scattered on a rustic wooden table around a mug of warm cider, overhead view, centered, warm soft light

    Style
    Editorial
    Ratio
    16:9

    Swap the season words for a matching image all year.

    Open in generator: Seasonal post

Examples

Real results for blog posts

Real images from AIPhoto-Generator, each with the exact prompt, style and shape that made it.

  • Rooftops of an old hillside town at blue hour, with lit streets and mist in the valley beyond

    Detail spread across the frame, so any crop keeps the mood.

    Prompt: Terracotta rooftops of an old hillside town at blue hour, warm lights in a few windows, soft mist in the valley beyond

    Real result · Photorealistic · made at 3:2 · about this image: Hillside rooftops at blue hour

  • A rustic sourdough loaf with three slices cut on a wooden board, with a dish of butter and a dusting of flour

    A food image at 3:2: 1264 px wide, still above the 1200 px link previews ask for.

    Prompt: Rustic sourdough loaf with a crackled crust, two slices cut on a wooden board with a dish of butter, light dusting of flour, warm side light

    Real result · Photorealistic · made at 3:2 · about this image: Sourdough loaf

  • Floating island with a hilltop castle and waterfalls spilling into a sea of clouds in warm golden light

    Illustration style for a fiction, gaming or explainer blog.

    Prompt: Concept art of a floating island with waterfalls spilling into a sea of clouds, soft afternoon light

    Real result · Illustration · made at 16:9 · about this image: Floating island concept

  • Backpacker walking a sand dune ridge at sunset, casting a long shadow across the sand

    A wide 16:9 scene with open sky: room for a title if you add one.

    Prompt: Sweeping sand dunes at sunset with long shadows and a lone traveler walking along the ridge

    Real result · Cinematic · made at 16:9 · about this image: Dunes at sunset

  • A white paper boat floating in a rain puddle on a city sidewalk, with blurred people under umbrellas behind

    One small, centered subject that survives a square crop.

    Prompt: A small white paper boat floating on a rain puddle on a city sidewalk, reflections of trees in the water, overcast light

    Real result · Cinematic · made at 16:9 · about this image: Paper boat in a puddle

  • A bowl of ramen with a soft-boiled egg, sliced pork, scallions and nori on a dark wooden table in low light

    A moody 16:9 food image with a dark, quiet background.

    Prompt: A bowl of ramen with a soft-boiled egg, sliced pork and scallions on a dark wooden table, plain dark background, gentle steam rising, moody low light

    Real result · Cinematic · made at 16:9 · about this image: Moody ramen

Where it shows

One featured image, four places

Most blogs use the featured image in more than one place, and each one crops it a little differently.

  • At the top of the post

    Your theme decides the size and shape. In WordPress, the theme sets the featured image size, so check yours.

  • In post lists and archives

    Often a smaller crop, sometimes square. A subject in the middle survives it.

  • As the link preview

    When someone shares the post, Facebook, LinkedIn and others show a wide card from your og:image. SEO plugins often use the featured image when you don't set a separate social image.

  • In Google Discover

    Large Discover images need to be at least 1200 px wide, with the max-image-preview:large setting on your site. Google says to avoid generic images, such as your site logo, and text-heavy images.

Sources: WordPress Developer Resources: featured images · Google Search Central: Discover

Text

Should the featured image include the post title?

It's optional. Link previews already show your page title beside the image, and Google's Discover guidance advises against text-heavy images, so a clean picture often works well. If you want a title on it, add it in a design app: lettering inside AI images is unreliable.

Before you publish: save a JPG copy if the PNG is large (ours are usually 1.1–2.2 MB), upload it as the featured image, set a separate social image in your CMS or SEO plugin if you want a different crop, and check the link in Facebook's Sharing Debugger and LinkedIn's Post Inspector.

Write alt text that describes the picture; the AI stock photo guide has examples, and its licensing notes cover commercial use.

Sources: Google Search Central: Discover · Facebook Sharing Debugger · LinkedIn Post Inspector

How it works

How to make a blog featured image

Your first 3 images are free, and you don't need an account for them.

  1. 01

    Describe one clear subject

    Put it in the middle of the frame and keep the edges quiet.

  2. 02

    Generate at 16:9

    You get 1376 × 768 px, wide enough for link previews and Google Discover.

  3. 03

    Add it to your post

    Upload it as the featured image, write alt text, and check the link preview before you share it.

Tips

Tips for featured images

  • Center the subject

    Link previews trim the top and bottom; square thumbnails trim the sides. The middle survives both.

  • Make it readable small

    Post lists and previews shrink the image. One bold subject reads; a busy scene doesn't.

  • Keep a series consistent

    Reuse the same style and light words, so posts in a category look related.

  • Save a smaller copy

    Our PNGs are usually 1.1–2.2 MB. A JPG copy is smaller and loads faster.

  • Write alt text

    Describe what's in the picture for readers who can't see it.

Good to know

What it doesn't do

  • Titles and logos

    It doesn't add text or logos; add them in a design app.

  • From a URL or title

    It can't read your post. You write the prompt.

  • Tags and plugins

    It doesn't write og:image tags or plug into WordPress; your CMS or SEO plugin does that.

  • Batches

    One image per prompt on the free images; paid plans allow up to 4 per prompt.

  • Resolution

    About 1 megapixel, with no upscaling.

FAQ

Questions about the Blog featured image generator

More answers on the main FAQ and the pricing page.

It depends on your theme: WordPress, for example, lets the theme set the featured image size. For sharing, Facebook asks for at least 1200 × 630 and LinkedIn at least 1200 × 627, both about 1.91:1. A 16:9 image from AIPhoto-Generator is 1376 × 768 px, wider than both.

What size is an Open Graph (og:image) image?

Facebook recommends at least 1200 × 630 at about 1.91:1, up to 8 MB; LinkedIn asks for at least 1200 × 627, up to 5 MB. Crop our 16:9 image to 1376 × 720 for 1.91:1.

Often. SEO plugins commonly use the featured image as the link preview when you don't set a separate social image. Set one if you want a different crop.

It's up to you. Previews already show the page title, and Google advises against text-heavy images for Discover. If you add a title, do it in a design app: lettering inside AI images is unreliable.

Yes. Google asks for large Discover images to be at least 1200 px wide, and ours is 1376 px. Your site also needs the max-image-preview:large setting (or AMP) for large images to show.

Slightly. They use shapes close to 1.91:1 and 2:1, so a thin strip may be trimmed from the top and bottom. Keep the subject centered, or crop it yourself to 1376 × 720 (1.91:1) or 1376 × 688 (2:1).

For square thumbnails, yes. But our square is 1024 × 1024 px, narrower than the 1200 px LinkedIn and Google Discover ask for, so use 16:9 for the main featured image.

Both work for link previews. Downloads from here are PNG, usually 1.1–2.2 MB, under Facebook's 8 MB and LinkedIn's 5 MB limits. A JPG copy is smaller and loads faster on your page.

No. You describe the picture in a prompt; it doesn't read your post.

No to both. Add a logo in a design app if you need one, though Google's Discover guidance says to avoid generic images, such as your site logo, and text-heavy images. Your CMS or SEO plugin sets the og:image tag.

Generated images can be used under our Terms of Service and the AI model provider's terms; read both before commercial use. We don't claim ownership of your images, and copyright protection for AI images varies by country. The AI stock photo guide covers licensing in more detail.

It's free to try: your first 3 images are free, with no account, and they don't reset. At busy times, free capacity for the whole site can run out. After that, generating uses paid images from an image pack or the Pro plan. Paid plans allow up to 4 images per prompt, and each image uses one paid image. See pricing.

The AI stock photo generator guide covers in-article photos and backgrounds, and the aspect ratio guide lists every size. For social posts, use the social media image generator.

More ways to use the generator

Guides for this

Start creating

Your next image is one sentence away.

Describe it, generate it, download it. Your first 3 images are free, no account needed.