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Troubleshooting: Why Your Featured Images in the Latest Posts Block Don't Link

11 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Gutenberg

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If you're using the Latest Posts block and have discovered that your featured images don't link to their associated posts, you're not alone. This is a common point of confusion that stems from a difference between the WordPress.com platform and the self-hosted WordPress core software. This guide will explain why this happens and what you can do about it.

Why This Happens

The discrepancy occurs because the documentation you often find first is for WordPress.com, which can have features that are not yet available in the core WordPress software or the Gutenberg plugin. The 'Link to post' toggle for the Latest Posts block's featured image is one such feature that, based on community reports, appears to be available on WordPress.com but is not present in the standard block editor for self-hosted sites.

Common Solutions and Workarounds

1. Check for the Latest Updates

First, ensure your WordPress installation and the Gutenberg plugin (if you use it) are updated to their latest versions. Features are continuously added from the plugin into core WordPress releases. Navigate to Dashboard > Updates to check.

2. Manual Custom CSS Solution

If the setting is not available in your version, a common workaround is to use custom CSS to make the entire featured image area clickable. This requires adding a small code snippet to your site.

  1. Navigate to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS.
  2. Paste the following CSS code into the provided box: 
    .wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image a {
    display: block;
}
  3. Click Publish to save your changes.

This code ensures the link within the featured image element expands to fill the entire image, making the whole image clickable.

3. Consider a Alternative Block or Plugin

If the core Latest Posts block doesn't meet your needs, many third-party block plugins offer post listing blocks with more customization options, including robust control over linking featured images. Searching your plugin directory for 'post grid' or 'latest posts' can reveal alternatives.

Conclusion

The missing 'Link to post' option is typically a result of a version or platform difference, not a bug on your site. While waiting for this feature to potentially arrive in a future core release, using custom CSS is an effective way to achieve the desired functionality. As always, it is recommended to test any code changes on a staging site before applying them to your live site.

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