What is LCP?
LCP, or Largest Contentful Paint, is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures how long it takes for the largest visible element, usually a main image or block of text, to render after a page starts loading.
Last reviewed .
Why LCP matters
LCP approximates when a visitor feels the page has loaded. A slow LCP makes people wait for the thing they came to see.
An LCP of 2.5 seconds or less is good, assessed at the 75th percentile of real page visits separately for mobile and desktop.
What slows LCP
Slow server responses, large unoptimized images, render-blocking scripts and styles, and content that loads late through scripts are the usual causes. The largest element is often a hero image or headline, so it's worth checking what yours is.
How to improve LCP
Compress and correctly size images, load the main image early, and avoid lazy-loading it. Reduce server response time, use caching or a content delivery network, and cut scripts that block rendering.
Common questions
What does LCP stand for?
LCP stands for Largest Contentful Paint. It marks when the largest content element in the viewport becomes visible.
What is a good LCP score?
Google's guidance treats 2.5 seconds or less as good, and more than 4 seconds as poor. In between needs improvement.
How do I find my LCP element?
PageSpeed Insights and Chrome DevTools both identify the element counted as the largest contentful paint on a page.
Is LCP the same as page load time?
No. Total load time waits for everything, while LCP only tracks when the main content appears, which is closer to what a visitor notices.
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