How to Change Avatar Size in WordPress Comments (Classic and Block Themes)

Want bigger or smaller profile pictures in your comments? I once tried to enlarge the avatar size in WordPress comments with CSS and nothing worked, because WordPress outputs the Gravatar image at a fixed size in the HTML. The fix is to tell WordPress which size to generate. Here is how to change the avatar size in WordPress comments in 2026, for both classic and block themes.

Quick answer: In a classic theme, pass 'avatar_size' => 64 to wp_list_comments() in comments.php, or use the wp_list_comments_args filter in your child theme. In a block theme, open the Site Editor, select the Avatar block inside the Comments block and set its size. Make sure avatars are turned on in Settings > Discussion.

Why CSS alone does not work

WordPress requests each Gravatar at a specific pixel size (32px by default in many themes) and writes width and height into the image tag. CSS can stretch a 32px image to 64px, but it will look blurry. Changing the requested size fixes it properly.

Method 1: Classic themes (comments.php)

Find the comments list in your theme’s comments.php, usually:

<?php wp_list_comments(); ?>

Change it to:

<?php wp_list_comments( array( 'avatar_size' => 64, 'style' => 'ol' ) ); ?>

Edit a child theme so updates do not overwrite your change.

Method 2: A filter in functions.php

If you do not want to edit comments.php, add this to your child theme’s functions.php or a code snippets plugin:

add_filter( 'wp_list_comments_args', function ( $args ) {
    $args['avatar_size'] = 64;
    return $args;
} );

Method 3: Block themes

1. Go to Appearance > Editor and open the Single Posts template.
2. Select the Comments block, then the Avatar block inside the comment template.
3. Change the Image size in the block settings and adjust the border radius for round avatars.
4. Save the template.

Avatar settings to check

• Settings > Discussion > Avatars: tick “Show Avatars”, choose a rating and a default image (Mystery Person, Identicon, Retro and more).
• Commenters get a custom picture by creating a free account at Gravatar with the same email they use to comment.
• For round avatars, add CSS like .avatar { border-radius: 50%; }. See how to add custom CSS in WordPress.

Performance and privacy tips

• Gravatar images load from Gravatar’s servers. On posts with hundreds of comments, lazy-load avatars or paginate comments.
• Some privacy-focused sites use local avatars or disable Gravatar to avoid sending commenters’ email hashes to a third party.

More on comments: learn to moderate WordPress comments quickly and add Gravatars to WordPress themes.

FAQ

What is the best avatar size for comments?

48 to 64 pixels works well for most themes. WordPress automatically requests a double-size image for high-resolution screens.

Why are avatars not showing in my comments?

“Show Avatars” may be off in Settings > Discussion, or your theme may not output them.

Can users upload their own avatar without Gravatar?

Yes, with a local avatar plugin or a membership plugin that supports profile pictures.

What avatar size do you use? Tell us in the comments.