How to Show Recent Posts With Thumbnails in the WordPress Sidebar

Visitors from Google usually land on a single post and never see your homepage. A recent posts list with thumbnails in your sidebar shows them more of your content, keeps them reading longer, and makes your blog look active. Here are the easiest ways to add one in 2026.

Method 1: The Built-In Latest Posts Block (No Plugin)

WordPress’s Latest Posts block can show thumbnails without any plugin:

1. Go to Appearance > Widgets (classic themes) or Appearance > Editor and open your sidebar or post template (block themes).
2. Click + and add the Latest Posts block.
3. In the block settings, turn on Display featured image, choose the image size and alignment (left-aligned small thumbnails work well in sidebars).
4. Set the number of posts (5 is a good default), and optionally show the date or an excerpt, or filter by category.
5. Save or update.

For block themes, you can also use the Query Loop block for full control over the layout.

Method 2: Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails (Plugin)

If you want more styling options in a classic sidebar, Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails (100,000+ installs) is lightweight and flexible: set thumbnail sizes, use a default image when a post has none, exclude current posts, filter by category, and show dates or excerpts.

Method 3: Ultimate Blocks Post Grid

Our free Ultimate Blocks plugin includes a Post Grid block that displays recent posts with images in list or grid layouts, which works well in sidebars and inside posts.

Tips

• Set a featured image for every post so thumbnails do not appear blank.
• Use small thumbnail sizes in the sidebar so pages load fast.
• Hide the widget on your homepage, which already lists recent posts; see how to show or hide widgets on certain pages.
• Consider a “Popular Posts” list too, and make your key widget sticky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are thumbnails not showing in my recent posts?

The posts probably have no featured image. Add one in each post’s settings, or set a default image in your widget plugin.

Will a recent posts widget slow my site?

Built-in blocks and lightweight plugins have little impact, especially with caching. Keep thumbnails small.

Can I show recent posts from one category only?

Yes. The Latest Posts block and most plugins let you filter by category.