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Lazy Images Above Fold documentation

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Lazy Images Above Fold

Checks whether visible images are lazy loaded even though users need them immediately.

Why it matters

Lazy loading is useful below the fold, but it is harmful when applied to hero images or other visible content. This usually delays LCP and makes the page feel slower than it should.

Where to run it

Available automatically in Simple mode.

Can also be explored in more depth from the underlying WebPerf Snippets reference.

Open analyzer
What you learn from this test
Whether visible images are waiting too long to start loading
Whether your likely LCP image is incorrectly lazy loaded
Whether lazy loading is being applied in the wrong part of the page
Common fixes
Remove lazy loading from images visible on first load
Use fetchpriority="high" on the true hero image
Keep lazy loading only for below-the-fold or hidden images
Review JS lazy-loading libraries so they exclude above-the-fold content

References

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