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How does lazy loading images help improve LCP?
Asked on Nov 06, 2025
Answer
Lazy loading images can significantly improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) by deferring the loading of images that are not immediately visible to the user. This reduces the initial load time and allows the browser to prioritize critical resources, enhancing the perceived performance.
Example Concept: Lazy loading delays the loading of images until they are about to enter the viewport. This reduces the number of resources the browser needs to load initially, allowing it to focus on rendering above-the-fold content faster. By doing so, the time it takes for the largest visible content element (often an image) to load is minimized, directly improving LCP.
Additional Comment:
- Use the "loading='lazy'" attribute on
tags to enable native lazy loading in supported browsers.
- Ensure critical images (e.g., hero images) are not lazy-loaded to avoid delaying LCP.
- Combine lazy loading with other optimizations like image compression and responsive images for best results.
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