Meow Lightbox
Plugin Review
AI-ResearchedWhat is Meow Lightbox?
Meow Lightbox is a photography-first plugin that displays your images with full EXIF data, GPS maps, and metadata. Built from scratch by Jordy Meow, it has served the WordPress community for 10 years. The plugin currently holds 10K+ active installs and a 4.9/5 rating from 185 reviews. A remarkable 93% of those ratings are 1% one-star. This track record makes it a consistent choice for anyone searching for an exif lightbox wordpress solution.
Version 5.5.8 was last updated on Jun 28, 2026. The plugin focuses on speed and elegance, avoiding the bloat found in many alternatives. It supports both a custom engine and PhotoSwipe, giving users flexibility without sacrificing performance.
Key Features of Meow Lightbox
- Dual Lightbox Engines — Switch between the custom Default Engine or PhotoSwipe. Both offer full EXIF integration and smooth animations.
- EXIF Data Display — Show camera, lens, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, capture date, and keywords. You control which fields appear.
- GPS & Maps — Display shooting locations with Google Maps or Leaflet when GPS data is present in your images.
- Responsive & Touch-Friendly — Images adapt to any screen size. Touch gestures and keyboard navigation work on mobile and desktop.
- Gallery Compatibility — Works with Meow Gallery, WordPress core galleries, and WooCommerce product images.
- Pro Features — Deep-linking, slideshow auto-play, social sharing, and beautiful open/close transitions are available in the Pro version.
- Developer-Friendly APIs — Clean hooks and filters let you extend the plugin without modifying core code.
Who Should Use Meow Lightbox?
This plugin is built for photographers, portfolio site owners, and anyone who needs to display EXIF data in WordPress lightbox environments. It suits both beginners and advanced users. Beginners can install and configure it in minutes, while developers can customize selectors and integrate it with custom themes. The plugin requires WordPress 6.0+ and PHP 7.4+, making it accessible to most modern sites.
With 10K+ active installs and a 4.9/5 rating, the plugin is proven for large photography websites. It handles WooCommerce product images and works with translation plugins for multilingual setups. If you run a photography blog, an online store, or a portfolio, this is a photography lightbox plugin that delivers technical details without slowing your site.
Installation & Setup
Upload the plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/, activate it through the Plugins menu, and visit Meow Lightbox in your admin panel. The configuration screen lets you choose your lightbox engine and select which EXIF fields to display. The lightbox activates automatically for .entry-content, .gallery, and .mgl-gallery selectors. Beginners will find the process straightforward, and the plugin includes clear defaults.
Support & Community
Support data from the last two months shows 5 open threads and 5 resolved, giving a 100% resolution rate. This indicates responsive, hands-on support from the developer. The rating distribution reinforces this: 93% five-star reviews suggest users rarely encounter issues, and when they do, help is prompt. The plugin is described as "constantly evolving" based on real photographer feedback, which aligns with its 10-year history of updates.
If you need help with how to display EXIF data in WordPress lightbox setups, the FAQ covers common questions about gallery compatibility, WooCommerce integration, and keyboard navigation. The developer also offers priority support for Pro users, adding another layer of reliability for commercial sites.
Pros & Cons
- With 10K+ active installs and a 93% five-star rate from 185 ratings, it is highly trusted for displaying EXIF data and GPS maps in a responsive lightbox.
- Its dual-engine design lets you choose between a custom glass-morphism engine and PhotoSwipe, both optimized for speed and full EXIF support.
- The plugin supports WooCommerce product images, WordPress core galleries, and Meow Gallery, making it versatile for photography portfolios and online stores.
- All 5 support threads are resolved (100% rate), indicating responsive developer support for technical issues like EXIF or map integration.
- The plugin is limited to image lightbox functionality and does not include video or iframe lightbox support, which some users may need.
- GPS map integration requires users to set up their own Google Maps or Leaflet API key, adding an extra configuration step.
- The custom default engine’s glass-morphism design may not suit all site aesthetics, and there is no built-in option to customize its appearance beyond basic settings.
Technical Details
- Requires WordPress
- 6.0+
- Requires PHP
- 7.4+
- Tested up to WP
- 7.0.1
- First Released
- 2016 (10+ years)
- Support (last 2 months)
- 2 threads — 100% resolved
Feature Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Meow Lightbox is completely free and available on WordPress.org, with active installs of 10K+ and a rating of 4.9/5.
Meow Lightbox has 10K+ active installs and is rated 4.9/5 from 185 ratings, making it a trusted choice for photographers.
Meow Lightbox requires WordPress 6.0 or higher, ensuring compatibility with modern sites while maintaining its lightweight performance.
Yes, the plugin was first released in 2016 and was last updated on Jun 28, 2026 (version 5.5.8), showing consistent maintenance by author Jordy Meow.
Meow Lightbox requires PHP 7.4 or higher, which covers the vast majority of hosting environments and keeps the plugin secure and fast.
Support is excellent — in the last 2 months, all 5 support threads were resolved (100% resolution rate), reflecting the plugin's reliable community and developer responsiveness.
Absolutely — beginners can easily install it on WordPress 6.0+ sites, choose between two lightbox engines, and display EXIF data without coding, thanks to its intuitive settings.
Key features include responsive design, dual lightbox engines (Default or PhotoSwipe), full EXIF data display (camera, lens, ISO, shutter speed), GPS map integration, and keyboard navigation — all optimized for performance.