A practical guide to adding a photo gallery to your UniLink page — layout options, click behavior, captions, and everything you need to make it look professional.
- The Gallery block displays a grid or carousel of images directly on your UniLink page — no separate portfolio site needed.
- Add it from the Dashboard block picker, upload your images, then choose grid, masonry, or carousel layout.
- Turn on the lightbox setting if you want visitors to see full-size images on click; link-on-click lets you send each image to a different URL instead.
- Common gotcha: uploading images wider than 1200px with no compression will noticeably slow your page — resize or compress before uploading.
Instagram took your best photos and locked them inside an algorithm. Your portfolio site requires a separate login, a different URL, and another tab. If someone lands on your link-in-bio page wanting to see your work, neither of those solutions actually helps them — they require another decision and another click. The Gallery block is the fix: it brings your images into the page itself, displayed cleanly in a grid or carousel, viewable without leaving and without navigating anywhere. Photographers, fashion creators, travel bloggers, and anyone whose work is inherently visual can use the Gallery block to turn a plain link page into a mini-portfolio that loads in the same breath as everything else on their page.
What the Gallery block does
The Gallery block renders a collection of images in a structured layout — grid, masonry, or carousel — directly inside your UniLink page. Each image is loaded with lazy loading enabled by default, meaning images below the fold don't load until the visitor scrolls toward them. This keeps initial page load fast even if you're displaying 20 or 30 photos. The block also handles responsive breakpoints automatically: a 4-column grid on desktop becomes 2 columns on tablet and a single column on mobile without any configuration required.
What makes the block more than a simple photo strip is what happens when a visitor clicks an image. You have two options: lightbox mode, which opens the full-resolution image in an overlay directly on the page, or link-on-click mode, which sends the visitor to a URL you specify for that image. These behaviors are set per-image, so you can mix them in a single gallery — some images open in the lightbox, others link to product pages, booking forms, or social profiles. This is particularly useful for product showcases where some items have a dedicated page and others don't.
Captions are optional per image. When enabled, they appear on hover (desktop) or below the image (mobile), letting you add context — a product name, a location, a date, or a short description — without cluttering the visual presentation. The gallery also supports an alt text field per image, which matters both for accessibility and for SEO: search engines can index the gallery images and the alt text helps them understand what's shown.
How to add the Gallery block
- Open your page in the Dashboard: Log in to UniLink and navigate to the page you want to edit. Click the "Add block" button.
- Select "Gallery" from the block picker: Find the Gallery block in the list and click it to add it to your page. It will appear at the bottom; drag it to your preferred position.
- Upload your images: In the block settings panel, click "Add images" and select the photos you want to include. You can upload multiple images at once. UniLink accepts JPEG, PNG, and WebP formats.
- Choose a layout: Select Grid (fixed columns), Masonry (variable-height columns that pack images tightly), or Carousel (horizontal swipe/scroll). This sets the visual structure of the entire gallery.
- Set column count (Grid/Masonry only): Choose between 2, 3, or 4 columns. This is the desktop column count — mobile is adjusted automatically.
- Configure click behavior per image: For each image, choose between Lightbox (opens full-size on click), Link (enter a URL to navigate to), or None (click does nothing). This is done in each image's individual settings within the block.
- Add captions and alt text: For each image that needs it, enter a caption (displayed to visitors) and alt text (for accessibility and SEO). Both are optional but recommended.
- Save and preview: Click "Save" in the Dashboard toolbar and use the Preview mode to check how the gallery looks on both mobile and desktop layouts.
Key settings to configure
| Setting | What it does | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Controls the overall structure: Grid (uniform cells), Masonry (packed variable heights), or Carousel (horizontal swipe) | Grid for product showcases and portfolios; Masonry for photography with varied aspect ratios; Carousel for featured highlights |
| Column count | Number of columns in Grid or Masonry layout (2, 3, or 4); does not apply to Carousel | 3 columns for most use cases; 2 if images are portrait-oriented; 4 only if images are small thumbnails |
| Lightbox on click | Opens the full-size image in an overlay when a visitor clicks it | On for photography portfolios and travel content; Off if you're using link-on-click instead |
| Link on click | Navigates to a URL when the image is clicked; configured per image | Use for product galleries, lookbooks, or any image that corresponds to a specific page |
| Captions | Shows a text label for each image (on hover desktop, below image mobile) | On for product names, locations, or any context that adds value; Off for clean editorial portfolios |
| Lazy loading | Defers loading of off-screen images until the visitor scrolls toward them | Always On — improves page load speed with no visible downside |
| Responsive breakpoints | Automatically adjusts column count on tablet and mobile based on the desktop column setting | Automatic — no manual adjustment needed; verify in Preview mode |
Best practices for the Gallery block
Curate ruthlessly. The Gallery block has no hard image limit, but more images is not the same as better presentation. A gallery of 8 to 12 strong, cohesive images will always outperform a gallery of 40 mixed-quality ones. Visitors on a link-in-bio page are making a fast judgment about whether to take the next step — they don't browse galleries the way they would on a dedicated portfolio site. Give them your best 10 and let those do the work.
Maintain visual consistency across the images in a gallery. This means consistent aspect ratios if you're using Grid layout (so the cells don't look jagged), consistent editing style if they're photographs, and consistent subject framing if they're product shots. Masonry layout is more forgiving of mixed aspect ratios — it's designed for that — but even in masonry, wildly inconsistent quality across images will hurt the overall impression. If you have one standout image, consider placing it in the Carousel layout as the first item so it loads immediately and prominently.
Use link-on-click intentionally for product-driven galleries. If you're a fashion creator, each image in a "recent looks" gallery can link to the specific product or affiliate link for what you're wearing. If you're a photographer, each image can link to a specific photo service (portraits, events, commercial). If you're a visual artist, each piece can link to its print-on-demand purchase page. A gallery that just looks pretty is nice; a gallery that converts is better. Link-on-click turns the gallery from a display into a distribution tool.
Check your mobile layout before publishing every time. What looks balanced at 4 columns on desktop often becomes unreadably small on mobile — even with the automatic responsive adjustment. For most content, 3 columns on desktop (which typically becomes 2 on tablet and 1 on mobile) is the safest default. If you're uploading portrait-orientation images, 2 desktop columns is usually cleaner. Take 60 seconds to toggle Preview to the mobile view before saving any gallery changes.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Page loads very slowly after adding the gallery | Images were uploaded at full camera resolution (often 5–20MB each) without compression | Compress images to under 200KB each before uploading; use Squoosh or TinyPNG; target 1200px max width |
| Grid layout looks uneven with differently-sized cells | Images have inconsistent aspect ratios; Grid layout requires consistent proportions for uniform cells | Crop all images to the same aspect ratio before uploading, or switch to Masonry layout which handles mixed dimensions naturally |
| Lightbox and link-on-click are both configured for the same image | Both settings were accidentally left active; link-on-click takes priority and overrides lightbox | Decide which behavior you want for each image and disable the other; they are mutually exclusive |
| Captions appear over the images on mobile, covering the photo | Some themes or custom styles may render captions as overlays on smaller screens | Disable captions if they're covering important content on mobile; alternatively, keep captions short (under 30 characters) so the overlap is minimal |
| Gallery images don't show in Google Images | Alt text fields were left empty for all images | Add descriptive alt text to each image — include your name, subject, and relevant context (e.g., "landscape photography Iceland waterfall 2024") |
| Carousel only shows one image at a time and visitors don't realize it swipes | Carousel layout on desktop doesn't always make the swipe affordance obvious | Add a short caption to the first image like "Swipe to see more" or consider switching to Grid layout for desktop-heavy audiences |
When to use the Gallery block
- Your content is primarily visual and you want visitors to see it without leaving your page
- You're a photographer, artist, or designer and your link page should double as a mini-portfolio
- You sell physical products and want a shoppable lookbook or product grid with links to each item
- You're a travel or lifestyle creator and want to showcase recent work alongside your social links
- You want to display press features, brand collaborations, or testimonial screenshots in a visual format
When to use something else
- You want to display video content — use the Video block instead
- You have one key visual to highlight (like a product hero shot) — use the Banner block or a simple image block for a single prominent image
- Your "images" are actually infographics or data visuals that need to be readable — consider linking to them instead, since gallery thumbnails will be too small to read
- You have a large portfolio of 100+ pieces — a dedicated portfolio site or Behance profile linked from a single Link block is a better experience than an overwhelming gallery
Frequently asked questions
How many images can I add to a single Gallery block?
There is no hard cap on the number of images in a Gallery block, but practical performance limits apply. Above 30–40 images, even with lazy loading enabled, the block can start to feel heavy on mobile connections. For larger collections, consider splitting your content across two Gallery blocks with different themes (e.g., "Recent work" and "Past projects"), or link to an external portfolio for the full archive while keeping your best 12–15 in the on-page gallery.
Can I reorder images after uploading them?
Yes. In the Gallery block settings, uploaded images appear as a sortable list. Drag and drop them into the order you want. The first image in the list is what visitors see first — in Carousel mode it's the opening frame, and in Grid/Masonry it's the top-left position. Put your strongest image first.
Can each image in the gallery link to a different URL?
Yes. Link-on-click is configured per image, not per gallery. When you expand an image's settings inside the block editor, you'll see a URL field. Enter a different URL for each image that should link somewhere. Images without a URL can use lightbox mode or have no click behavior at all — you can mix all three in one gallery.
What image formats does UniLink accept for gallery uploads?
UniLink accepts JPEG, PNG, and WebP. JPEG is the best choice for photographs — good quality at small file sizes. PNG is better for graphics with transparency or text. WebP offers the best compression-to-quality ratio if you're comfortable working with that format, though most image tools can export WebP now. Avoid uploading HEIC files (default iPhone format) — convert to JPEG first using your phone's share settings or a free converter.
- The Gallery block renders a curated image grid or carousel directly on your UniLink page — no portfolio site redirect needed.
- Compress images to under 200KB each before uploading; unoptimized uploads are the most common cause of slow gallery pages.
- Use Grid layout for consistent aspect ratios, Masonry for mixed-height images, and Carousel for a featured highlight reel.
- Link-on-click (per image) turns your gallery into a conversion tool — pair it with product pages, booking forms, or affiliate links.
- Add alt text to every image for both SEO discoverability in Google Images and accessibility compliance.
Ready to turn your best photos into a page that actually converts? Create your free UniLink page and add your first Gallery block today.