---
title: What is Magic Post Thumbnail ?
description: "Version 7 overview: Bing default, GPT Image, Source fallback chain, Dashboard health, six ways to generate, Photos / AI / Local."
url: "https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/what-is-magic-post-thumbnail/"
updated: "2026-08-16"
category: Getting Started
---

# What is Magic Post Thumbnail ?

Magic Post Thumbnail generates **featured images** and **in-content images** for WordPress posts, pages and custom post types. You build a **fallback chain** of image sources on [**Source**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/settings-source/). If the first bank fails, the next one is tried.

Version 7 defaults to [**Bing Images**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/bing-images/) (no API key). [**GPT Image**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/gpt-image/) replaces DALL·E. Envato and Google HTML scraping were removed. Pro adds dedicated AI banks: [**Ideogram**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/ideogram/), [**Flux 2**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/flux-2/), [**Gemini (Nano Banana)**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/gemini-nano-banana/), [**Grok**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/grok/) and [**Replicate**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/replicate/). You can also use local banks: [**First image in content**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/first-image-in-content/) and [**Default image**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/default-image/).

## Image families

Banks on **Source** are tagged **Photos**, **AI** or **Local**.

**Photos** — search existing photos:

- **Bing Images** (default, no API key)
- **Google Image (API)**
- **Openverse**, **Flickr**, **Pixabay**
- Pro: **Youtube**, **Unsplash**, **Pexels**

**AI** — generate a new image (provider credits, typically 10–90 seconds):

- **GPT Image** (replaces DALL·E)
- Pro: **Stable Diffusion**, **Replicate**, **Ideogram**, **Flux 2**, **Gemini (Nano Banana)**, **Grok**

**Local** — no remote search:

- **First image in content**
- **Default image**

![Magic Post Thumbnail Source page — Automatic generation chain with Bing Images first](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/source-layout-bing.png)

## What changed in version 7

These updates are part of this article — there is no separate “What’s new” page.

- **Bing Images** is the default free photo source. Google HTML scraping is gone (existing settings are migrated). Envato is gone.
- **GPT Image** replaces DALL·E. Existing OpenAI keys are migrated.
- New Pro AI banks: **Ideogram**, **Flux 2**, **Gemini (Nano Banana)**, **Grok**, plus **Replicate**.
- New local banks: **First image in content** and **Default image**.
- The [**Dashboard**](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/dashboard/) shows **Your configuration** (**Ready to generate** / **Needs attention**) and **Generate a test image**.
- Posts list: an **MPT** column with **Generate** or **Regenerate**.
- **Gutenberg** / the **MPT Images** block is **photo search only**. AI banks are not searched from the block.
- **Source** is the fallback chain for automatic generation (editor button, bulk, cron, imports).
- **Style** (and **No text on the image**) apply to **AI banks only**. Photo banks ignore them.
- **Brand overlay** is **Disabled** by default.

 

## Six ways to generate

1. **Dashboard** — **Generate a test image** (creates a draft so live posts stay untouched). See [Dashboard](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/dashboard/).
2. **Post editor** — click **Generate Automatically** next to the featured image (Gutenberg or Classic). Optionally click **Generate Manually** to open photo search.
3. **Posts list** — **MPT** column: **Generate** if there is no featured image, **Regenerate** if there is one (a different result).
4. **Bulk** — select posts, Bulk actions → **Generate Images (MPT)**.
5. **MPT Images** block — search photo banks and insert or set a featured image.
6. **Pro** — [Cron](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/cron/) and [imports / compatibility](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/compatibility/) (WP All Import, WPeMatico, FeedWordPress, REST, and others).

Taxonomies also have a **Generate featured images** row action.

![Generate Automatically and Generate Manually](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/gutenberg-featured.png)

![posts list MPT](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/post-list.png)

## Three things that are easy to mix up

- **Source** → **Automatic generation chain** — fallback order for auto / bulk / cron / imports. Drag to set priority.
- **Style** (Automatic) — AI banks only. Photo banks (Bing, Pexels…) ignore this.
- **Gutenberg Block** / **MPT Images** — photo search only. Choose those banks on the Gutenberg Block page, not on Source.

Next: [Requirements](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/requirements/) and [How to use Magic Post Thumbnail](https://magic-post-thumbnail.com/docs/how-to-use-magic-post-thumbnail/).