I wanted my WordPress site to load faster, so I tried a plugin called CompressX. It said it will make image size smaller, which sounded great. But something went wrong, and I need to share my story so you don’t run into the same trouble.
Table of Contents
The Real Problem: The Resizing Feature
At first, CompressX looked simple and helpful. I turned on the resizing feature, thinking it would just create smaller images for my website visitors.
Here’s what happened:
I set the resizing option to 1280px. I thought this would only make new, smaller copies. But when I used resizing, CompressX changed my original image files. The big images (called -scaled.jpg and usually 2560 pixels wide) were replaced with smaller 1280px versions, and my big images were gone!
If CompressX had only made extra small copies, I wouldn’t have had a problem. But turning on resizing at 1280px actually shrank and overwrote my real, original pictures. There was no way to get them back just using the plugin.
No Easy Way to Undo
Once my original big images were lost, I couldn’t fix it with CompressX. Even other plugins that “regenerate thumbnails” wouldn’t help, because the original large files were already gone. The only way to fix it was to restore my whole site and database from a backup. This was slow and stressful.
Tips So You Don’t Lose Your Images
- Don’t turn on resizing in CompressX if you want to keep your original images safe.
- Always make a backup before using any plugin or feature that might change lots of files.
- Read plugin options closely. Be sure you know exactly what they do.
What I’m Doing Now
Because of what happened with CompressX, I will keep using the Converter for Media plugin for now. This plugin lets me convert images to newer formats like WebP without touching or shrinking my original files. Since the resizing function is limited to Pro version, I am not sure how it works, but at least the free version feels a lot safer, and I won’t risk losing my important pictures again.
Final Thoughts
CompressX’s resizing function doesn’t just make new, small copies. It can overwrite your original big images if you use the resizing option carelessly. If you care about your photos, don’t use this plugin’s resizing feature. Always protect your files, and pick a plugin (like Converter for Media) that keeps your originals safe.