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Nav Menu Images

By Milan DiniÄ

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Nav Menu Images Review - In-Depth Analysis

Display images as menu items in WordPress navigation menus. Customize hover effects and featured images easily.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.77/10

User Rating

4.2/5 (based on 37+ reviews)

Active Installations

6,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin enables you to upload images for navigation menu items on the menu edit screen. By default, those images will be displayed instead of text for respective menu items. Note that after upload, you should set an image as 'featured' to be able to display it.

You can also set images that will be displayed only when you hover over the menu item, or when the menu item is for the currently displayed page. Read detailed instructions about using the plugin.

Developers can use many available filters to customize the way of displaying images, or even create a child class on top of the base one. Although this plugin displays uploaded images out of the box, it is recommended to create custom CSS styles for the affected elements.

Comparing to Alternatives

Nav Menu Images does not have any close direct alternatives in its category, making it a unique choice for adding images to navigation menus.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and straightforward functionality for adding images to menu items.
Good code quality and fast loading as noted by users.
No known security vulnerabilities, ensuring safe use.
Works well in standard WordPress installations.
Free to use without upsells or pro versions.

Weaknesses

Lacks advanced customization options like retaining link text alongside images.
No support for multisite installations as reported by some users.
Can break menu styling in certain themes or setups.
No pro version or additional features available.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a majority of 5-star ratings (73%) and an overall rating of 4.2, users generally appreciate the plugin's functionality, though some issues are noted in lower ratings.

Positive highlights

'Great Plugin. Quality of code is excellent and fast loading!' — rejithkumarsl
'Does what it's supposed to.' — mathiasholmbo
'Works well. No problems so far.' — Chris Dennis
Users appreciate the plugin's simplicity and effectiveness in adding images to menus.

Common complaints

Does not work on multisite installations; image upload option does not appear.
Breaks menu styling in some themes or setups.
Limited functionality; does not retain link text alongside images.

Weaknesses

Limited customization options for images and menu items.
No multisite support as per user reports.
Potential to disrupt menu appearance depending on theme.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a simple, lightweight plugin to add images to navigation menus in single-site WordPress installations without needing advanced customization.

Not ideal for

Users running multisite WordPress setups or those needing advanced menu image customization and styling options.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version allows users to add images to navigation menu items with basic functionality and no additional costs.

Final Verdict

Nav Menu Images is a straightforward and effective plugin for adding images to WordPress navigation menus, praised for its code quality and ease of use. It stands out due to the lack of direct alternatives but is limited by its lack of multisite support and advanced customization features.

While it suits users seeking simplicity and reliability in single-site environments, those needing more flexibility or multisite compatibility may find it lacking. Its free availability and clean security record make it a safe choice for appropriate use cases.