Codex Digest
Most WordPress beginners assume you need a fancy plugin just to create a simple gallery. You don’t.
In fact, everything you need to build a clean, responsive gallery is already built into WordPress. No need to slow your site down with unnecessary add-ons.
Here’s our step-by-step video tutorial that walks you through the entire process, from logging in to customizing the final layout.
In this written guide, we’ll show you the same steps covered in the video. From adding captions to choosing layouts and tweaking filters, everything is done using the default Gallery block.
Let’s get started.
We begin where most things in WordPress start: the Dashboard. Once logged in, the first step is to create a new page dedicated to your gallery. You can name it anything you’d like. This helps keep things organized, especially if you plan to reuse this page or link to it later.
After creating the page, it’s time to insert the Gallery block. Just hit the plus (+) icon, search for “Gallery,” and there it is. This block is your main workspace.
When you add the Gallery block, WordPress prompts you to choose media files. In the tutorial, we selected images from the Media Library, which are already uploaded to the site. However, if you’re building this from scratch, you can now upload your own images. WordPress lets you drag and drop or manually select files from your computer.
Once the images are in place, don’t stop there.
Take a moment to add captions. You can click directly under each image to type one in or remove them entirely if you want a cleaner, minimalist layout. This tiny detail makes a big difference. Whether you’re displaying product shots, travel photos, or portfolio pieces, captions help guide your viewer and give your images context.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. WordPress gives you more control than most people realize, right from the block toolbar. We explored every element in the tutorial, and each one has its own purpose.
At the top, you’ll see the gallery block selector, which lets you jump between the parent block (the entire gallery) and the individual image blocks inside it. This is helpful when you want to fine-tune things at different levels.
You’ll also notice drag, move left, and move right buttons. These let you reorder your images manually, useful when you want to highlight a specific image first or change the visual flow.
Next to that is the alignment tool, allowing you to align your entire gallery to the left, center, or right within the page. Then there’s the link option, where you can choose whether clicking on an image opens the media file, an attachment page, or nothing at all.
The crop toggle lets you decide whether to crop all images into a uniform size. Enabling this gives your gallery a cleaner grid-like look. Disabling it keeps the original image ratios, great if you want a more dynamic, mixed layout.
You can also add captions directly from the toolbar if you missed any earlier, and there’s a handy duplicate button called “copy,” which lets you clone the entire gallery or individual blocks to reuse elsewhere.
Now let’s talk about the right-hand sidebar, where most of the customization lives.
One of the first options you’ll see is Columns. This controls how many images appear per row. A two-column layout is ideal for larger images. A four- or five-column layout works better for thumbnail-heavy galleries. You can test and preview to see what fits best for your content.
Just below that is a setting called Crop images to fit. When you turn this on, all images are cropped to match in size, which creates a uniform grid. If you’re aiming for balance, this is your friend. But if you want a more natural, flowing look, leave it off.
And then there’s the Masonry layout, our favorite from the tutorial. We opted for this because it gives your gallery that Pinterest-style vibe. It’s clean, modern, and works especially well for vertically shot photos. No two rows look exactly the same, and that’s the charm.
Further down, you’ll find image styling options. WordPress offers two default styles: “Default” and “Rounded.” We chose “Default” in the video to keep it clean, but if you want to give your gallery a softer feel, “Rounded” adds curved corners to your images.
Play around here, as this section is about the feel you want your visitors to get.
While we didn’t go deep into visual effects, it’s worth noting that WordPress now includes options like filters, margins, and borders for each image.
Filters can add slight color changes like sepia or grayscale. Margins control the spacing around your images, and borders let you outline your pictures for added emphasis.
These settings aren’t required, but if you want to match a brand aesthetic or just make your gallery stand out a bit more, they’re there to explore.
After customizing your gallery, make sure to save your draft. WordPress automatically saves as you go, but hitting that “Save Draft” button ensures nothing gets lost.
Once you’re happy with the layout, the spacing, the captions, and the overall look, your gallery is ready.
No plugin. No external builder. Just clean, fast-loading images displayed exactly how you want them.
WordPress gives you just enough power in the built-in Gallery block to create something beautiful without bloating your site.
However, remember that not every photo deserves to be in your gallery. Choose images with a purpose. Highlight your best work. Always compress your files before uploading to ensure your site loads quickly on any device.
We’re creating step-by-step guides to help beginners do more with WordPress without hiring a developer or getting overwhelmed by plugins.
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