Fixing Incorrect Images on WordPress Archive Pages

The Problem

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Are you seeing the wrong image show up for a team member, product, or post—only for it to fix itself after a refresh? This glitchy behavior usually points to caching conflicts or misconfigured image logic in your theme templates.

What We Discovered

• Some images appeared mismatched on first load

• Refreshing or returning later fixed the issue

• The problem happened inconsistently and was hard to reproduce

• It often stemmed from reused variables or caching layers interfering with image rendering

How We Solved It

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1. Cleaned Up the Image Source

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Ensured each item’s image was properly stored in the database—either as a featured image or custom field—and referenced that field directly during rendering.

2. Fixed Loop Logic

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Scoped image variables inside the loop so they didn’t accidentally carry over values between items. This stopped images from being reused incorrectly.

3. Isolated the Cache Issue

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Disabled all caching and tested in staging to confirm whether the issue was logic-based or cache-related. This helped narrow down the source quickly.

4. Used Logging for Visibility

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Temporarily added debug logs inside the loop to check which images were loading per item. This helped validate fixes and catch any lingering problems.

5. Cleared Cache Across the Board

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After final adjustments, we purged site caches, browser caches, and CDN layers to ensure everything loaded cleanly moving forward.

The Result

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✅ Image mismatches are gone
✅ Listing pages now load with the correct images, every time
✅ The user experience feels more polished and professional

This fix is ideal for portfolios, staff directories, or product grids that rely on dynamic layouts.

Want Reliable Image Loading on Your WordPress Site?
Let Integriti Studio help you fix theme logic and caching conflicts for good.

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