Converting images to WebP is one of the easiest ways to improve page speed and Core Web Vitals. But sometimes, after enabling WebP in Imagify, website images stop loading or appear broken.

If that happened to your website, don’t panic. In most cases, the issue is configuration-related and can be fixed quickly.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

• Why Imagify WebP may break images

• How to fix it properly

• Whether ShortPixel is better

• What we recommend at SanganiWeb

Why Imagify WebP Conversion Sometimes Breaks Images

Imagify itself is stable. Image issues usually happen because of conflicts with hosting, CDN, or caching.

Here are the most common reasons:

1. Wrong WebP Delivery Method

Imagify offers different ways to serve WebP images:

• Rewrite rules via .htaccess

• <picture> tag method

• CDN-based delivery

If the wrong method is selected for your server (Apache vs NGINX), images may return 404 errors.

2. CDN Conflicts

If your website uses:

• Cloudflare

• Bunny.net

• Any reverse proxy CDN

Rewrite rules might not execute properly, causing broken images.

3. Caching Plugin Conflict

When combined with aggressive caching or JavaScript delay settings, WebP images may fail to load.

4. Lazy Load + WebP Issues

Sometimes lazy loading modifies the image tag in a way that conflicts with WebP replacement.

How to Fix Imagify WebP Issues Before Switching Plugins

Before changing plugins, try these steps:

Step 1: Change WebP Method

Switch from “Rewrite via .htaccess” to “Use <picture> tag” (or the opposite) and test again.

Step 2: Clear All Caches

• Clear WordPress cache

• Clear hosting cache

• Purge CDN cache

• Regenerate WebP images

Step 3: Disable Lazy Load Temporarily

Turn it off and check if images load correctly.

Step 4: Test Without CDN

Temporarily disable CDN to see if it’s causing the conflict.

In many cases, this resolves the issue.

Is ShortPixel Better Than Imagify?

ShortPixel is another popular optimization plugin and offers:

• Lossy, Glossy, and Lossless compression

• WebP generation

• AVIF support

• Optional CDN delivery

But better depends on your setup.

Key Differences

Imagify

• WebP Support: Yes

• AVIF Support: No

• Built-in CDN: No

• Very simple interface

• MB-based pricing

ShortPixel

• WebP Support: Yes

• AVIF Support: Yes

• Built-in CDN: Yes (Adaptive Images)

• More advanced configuration

• Credit-based pricing

ShortPixel can work better in complex setups (NGINX + CDN + heavy caching). However, switching plugins does not automatically fix server misconfiguration.

When Should You Switch to ShortPixel?

Consider switching if:

• Your server does not support proper rewrite rules

• You need AVIF format

• You want CDN-based image delivery

• Imagify continues breaking images after proper setup

Otherwise, fixing the configuration is usually enough.

What We Do at SanganiWeb

At SanganiWeb, we don’t just install plugins and hope they work.

When WebP breaks images, we test:

• Server environment (Apache vs NGINX)

• CDN behavior

• Cache layering

• Core Web Vitals impact

• Image fallback handling

Then we implement the safest and fastest solution.

Sometimes that’s Imagify.

Sometimes that’s ShortPixel.

Sometimes it’s server-level optimization instead of a plugin.

Final Verdict

Imagify is not bad.

ShortPixel is not automatically better.

The right choice depends on:

• Hosting environment

• CDN setup

• Caching stack

• Traffic volume

If your images stopped loading after enabling WebP, the problem is fixable.

Need Help Fixing Broken WebP Images?

If your website images are broken after enabling WebP, we can:

• Diagnose the root cause

• Restore original images safely

• Reconfigure optimization correctly

• Improve Core Web Vitals without breaking layout

Contact us for a professional website performance fix.