Historical Note: This guide was written for the Divi WordPress theme (versions 2.x and 3.x). While Divi still exists, I don't build WordPress sites anymore. These days I build semi-static sites that are faster, more secure, and easier to maintain.
The Problem
By default, Divi displays a featured image at the top of every blog post. If you use the same image in your post content, it appears twice. The redundant image looks unprofessional and wastes space.
You also have limited control over how the featured image looks in Divi. You can't easily resize it or change its placement without getting into the code.
The Solution (No Code Required)
Unlike many WordPress themes, you don't need to edit any code to disable featured images in Divi. But the setting is buried deep in the options panel.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Go to Appearance → Divi Theme Options in your WordPress admin panel
- Click on the Layout tab
- Click on the Single Post Layout sub-tab
- Scroll down and disable "Place Thumbs on Posts"
- Click Save Changes
That's it. Your blog posts will no longer display a featured image at the top.
Important: Clear Your Cache
After making this change, clear your cache if you have a caching plugin installed. If you're using Cloudflare, put it in developer mode for a few minutes to see the changes immediately.
Otherwise you'll be staring at your screen wondering why nothing changed.
What About Featured Images on the Blog Index?
Disabling "Place Thumbs on Posts" only affects individual blog post pages. Featured images will still appear on your main blog page and in blog post lists.
This is usually what you want. The featured image serves as a visual preview on the blog index, but you don't need it cluttering up the actual post.
Alternative: Use Different Images
If you want to keep the featured image at the top of the post, just use a different image in your post content. That way you're not duplicating the same visual.
But honestly, most blogs look cleaner without that giant featured image taking up screen space at the top of every post.
Other Settings Worth Adjusting
While you're in the Divi Layout settings for Single Post Layout, you might also want to disable:
- Show Author Name - If you're the only author, this is redundant
- Show Date - Depends on your content strategy; dates can make evergreen content look stale
- Show Categories - Can be useful, but clutters the layout
- Show Comment Count - Most blogs don't get comments anymore thanks to social media
Less visual clutter = better reading experience.
Why I Don't Use Divi Anymore
Divi is powerful, but it's also bloated. Pages built with the Divi builder load slowly, the markup is a mess, and you're locked into the WordPress ecosystem.
These days I build semi-static sites with clean HTML and minimal JavaScript. They load in under a second, they're more secure, and they don't break when WordPress updates.
But if you're stuck with Divi, at least now you know how to turn off those annoying featured images.