Molongui Authorship lets you control which avatar source is used inside the Author Box and what should happen when that source is not available.
This gives you more control over the Author Box without changing the global avatar policy used elsewhere on your site.
Open the Author Box settings
- Go to Authors > Settings.
- Open the Author Box settings.
- Locate the avatar options.
Choose the avatar source
Use the Avatar Source setting to choose the primary avatar source for the Author Box.
Depending on your configuration, the available options may include:
- Local Avatar — Use the image uploaded directly to the author’s profile.
- Gravatar — Use the Gravatar associated with the author’s email address.
The selected source is tried first.
Choose the fallback
Use the Fallback setting to define what the Author Box should display when the selected avatar source is not available.
Depending on the available options, you may be able to use:
- Gravatar
- Acronym
- None
For example:
- Source: Local Avatar + Fallback: Gravatar — use the Local Avatar first, then Gravatar if no local image is available.
- Source: Local Avatar + Fallback: Acronym — use the Local Avatar first, then an acronym generated from the author’s name.
- Source: Gravatar + Fallback: None — use Gravatar when available and display no avatar otherwise.
Global avatar settings still apply
The Author Box settings cannot override the global avatar switches configured under Authors > Settings > General.
For example, if Use Gravatar for author avatars is disabled globally, choosing Gravatar as the Author Box source or fallback will not re-enable it.
The same applies to Local Avatars. If local avatars are disabled globally, the Author Box cannot use them even if Local Avatar is selected as the preferred source.
How the Custom Default Avatar fits in
The Custom Default Avatar is configured globally under Authors > Settings > General.
It can be used by Molongui Authorship when the normal avatar resolution flow reaches the global default fallback.
However, explicit Author Box fallback choices such as Acronym or None keep their intended behavior.
Example configurations
Prefer uploaded profile pictures:
- Avatar Source: Local Avatar
- Fallback: Gravatar
Avoid Gravatar:
- Disable Gravatar globally under Authors > Settings > General.
- Use Local Avatar as the Author Box source.
- Use Acronym or None as the fallback.
Use Gravatar only inside the Author Box when available:
- Keep Gravatar enabled globally.
- Set Avatar Source to Gravatar.
- Choose the fallback that best matches your design.
Why does the Author Box avatar differ from other places?
The Author Box has its own source and fallback settings, so its avatar can intentionally differ from the avatar shown in author lists, profile screens, or other Molongui Authorship components.
The global avatar settings define which sources are available site-wide, while the Author Box settings determine how those available sources are used inside the Author Box.
