Justin Downey

This plugin adds the <code>loading</code> attribute to IMG tags found when filtering <code>the_content()</code> to support native image lazy loading.
For more information about lazy loading images using this new native browser image attribute, check out this article: <a href="https://addyosmani.com/blog/lazy-loading/" rel="nofollow ugc">https://addyosmani.com/blog/lazy-loading/</a> and for a little more depth into what we’re doing here, check out our <a href="https://jdmdig.it/30nXp7h" rel="nofollow ugc">explainer post</a>.
Historically, to limit the impact offscreen images have on page load times, developers have needed to use a JavaScript library (like <a href="https://github.com/aFarkas/lazysizes" rel="nofollow ugc">LazySizes</a> or <a href="https://www.andreaverlicchi.eu/lazyload/" rel="nofollow ugc">Vanilla-LazyLoad</a>) in order to defer fetching these images until a user scrolls near them. What if the browser could avoid loading these offscreen images for you?
The <code>loading</code> attribute instructs a browser to defer loading offscreen images until users scroll near them. It comes in three flavors: eager, auto, and lazy. Install this plugin and you can set the first image’s loading attribute and the loading attribute for all the subsequent images sent through <code>the_content()</code> in the plugin’s settings page.
Simple is Beautiful
There is no JavaScript or CSS included in the plugin. It just works in browsers that support the new <code>loading</code> image attribute.
For browsers that don’t support this new image loading attribute, that’s ok. You can still use whatever JavaScript-based image lazy loader you want as a fallback until browser support becomes a little more mainstream.

Native Image Lazy Loading

Automatically add the new loading attribute to images within your content to support native image lazy loading.

Felix Arntz

Google

Lazy-loads media using the native browser feature. <a href="https://web.dev/native-lazy-loading" rel="nofollow ugc">Learn more about the new <code>loading</code> attribute</a> or <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44427" rel="nofollow ugc">view the WordPress core ticket</a> where inclusion of a similar implementation in WordPress core itself is being discussed.
If the <code>loading</code> attribute is not supported by the browser, the plugin falls back to a JavaScript solution based on <code>IntersectionObserver</code>. For the case that JavaScript is disabled, but the <code>loading</code> attribute is supported by the browser, a <code>noscript</code> variant of the respective element will be added that also includes the <code>loading</code> attribute without any further changes.
<h4>“Native” means “Fast”</h4>
If you have found your way over here, you are probably aware of how crucial performance is for a website’s user experience and success. You might also know that lazy-loading is a key feature to improve said performance. However, the solutions for lazy-loading so far still added a bit of overhead themselves, since they relied on loading, parsing and running custom JavaScript logic, that may be more or less heavy on performance.
This plugin largely does away with this pattern. It relies on the new <a href="https://github.com/whatwg/html/pull/3752" rel="nofollow ugc"><code>loading</code></a> attribute, which makes lazy-loading a native browser functionality. The attribute is already supported by Chrome, and will be rolled out to other browsers over time. The solution being “native” means that it does not rely on custom JavaScript logic, and thus is more lightweight. And “more lightweight” means “faster”.
Last but not least, a neat thing to keep in mind is that this plugin will essentially improve itself over time, as more browsers roll out support for the <code>loading</code> attribute.
<h4>Usage</h4>
Just activate the plugin, and all your images and iframes in post content will be loaded lazily.
<h3>Credit</h3>
This plugin is partly based on logic from <a href="https://github.com/wprig/wprig/blob/v2.0/inc/Lazyload/Component.php" rel="nofollow ugc">WP Rig</a> as well as recommendations from <a href="https://web.dev/native-lazy-loading" rel="nofollow ugc">web.dev</a> and <a href="https://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/performance/lazy-loading-guidance/images-and-video/" rel="nofollow ugc">developers.google.com</a>.

Native Lazyload

Was using regular lazy load plugins, but this thing takes it up a notch. Not just because of the native lazy load, which in itself is absolutely brilliant an an idea whose time had come, but I just like it that it doens't clutter the backend with unnecessary pages. Does what it says. Activate and forget.

Didn't even know I needed this till I found it

Im really happy that Google is creating plugins for our projects BUT keep them up-to-date please... you're the God of the internet, a trillion dollar company.


Google update your products PLEASE

Lazy-loads media using the native browser feature.

Native Image Lazy Loading vs Native Lazyload