Arefly

<p>Busy with setting every post’s first image to the Featured Image?</p>
<p>Use this plugin instead!</p>
<p>This plugin will auto set the first image of your post (for new posts only) to Featured Image.</p>
<p>If you do not want set the first image, you can still set your own Featured Image.</p>
<h4>How Does It Work?</h4>
<p>You do not need to set anything after you install and no any options.</p>
<p>The plugin will auto set the first image of your new posts to Featured Image.</p>
<h4>How to exclude a specific post?</h4>
<ol>
<li>
<p>Go in to the post/page you do not want to autoset Featured Image.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Find Meta Box name “Custom Field”.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Click “Enter new”.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Enter “no_featured_image” in Name Table and enter anything in Value Table.</p>
</li>
</ol>


Autoset Featured Image

I can see how this would be useful, though, but for my purposes and by the name of it, I was hoping it'd go through old posts and, if they didn't have a featured image, set the first image.



Wish it worked for existing posts...

Auto Set the first image of your post to Featured Image.

pressupinc

davidbhayes

<h4>Simplify Your Editing Life</h4>
<p>Requires your various post types — as specified in a simple options page — to have a featured image set before they can be published. If a lack of featured images causes your layout to break, or just look less-than-optimal, this is the plugin for you.</p>
<p>Rather than forcing you to manually enforce your editorial standards of including a featured image in every post, if your contributors fail to add a featured image to a post before publishing it they’ll simply find it impossible to publish.</p>
<h4>Setting up the Plugin</h4>
<p>By default it works on the “Post” content type only, but you can specify other content types, or turn it off for Posts in the new options page in your left sidebar: Settings > Req Featured Image. Simply check and uncheck the appropriate types, set a minimum image size if you desire, hit save and you’re all set. Happy publishing!</p>
<h4>Anything else?</h4>
<p>Don’t forget to check out <a href="http://pressupinc.com/wordpress-plugins/require-featured-image/" rel="nofollow ugc">the plugins page on our website</a>, and don’t hesitate to <a href="https://github.com/pressupinc/require-featured-image" rel="nofollow ugc">browse and fork on GitHub</a>. Have a unique WordPress project you need help on? <a href="http://pressupinc.com/contact/" rel="nofollow ugc">Get in touch with Press Up</a> to set yourself up for success.</p>


Require Featured Image

Very useful plugin

Works on WP 5.8 with build in Gutenberg editor for CPT = posts

When you remove the image the message re-appears

Does what it needs to do

Requires content you specify to have a featured image set before they can be published.

Autoset Featured Image vs Require Featured Image