Avada is one of the most feature-rich WordPress themes but also one of the heavier ones by default. Its large JavaScript library, multiple CSS files, and global asset loading add page weight that shows up in PageSpeed scores. The good news is that the biggest speed improvements come from a handful of specific settings changes rather than major technical work.
Step 1: Enable Avada’s Built-In Performance Settings
Go to Avada -> Performance. These are Avada’s own optimization settings and are the first place to start:
- CSS Compilation – set to “Static Files”. This compiles your CSS into a single file rather than inline styles, which can be cached.
- Defer Javascript – enable this to move JavaScript loading to after the page content, preventing scripts from blocking rendering
- Preload JS – enable for the most critical scripts
- Emojis – disable WordPress emoji scripts if you do not use emojis in content
Need help with your WordPress site? Describe your project and get a free estimate.
Step 2: Disable Elements You Are Not Using
Go to Avada -> Theme Options -> Advanced -> Dynamic CSS & JS. You will see a list of Avada components. Disable any that you do not use on your site. Common ones to disable: Lightbox (if you use a separate gallery plugin), Elastic Slider (if you do not use it), Parallax (if no pages use parallax effects), and Infinite Scroll (if your blog uses standard pagination).
Each disabled component removes its JavaScript and CSS from the page load. On a site that uses only 30% of Avada’s features, disabling the rest can reduce the JavaScript payload significantly.
Step 3: Optimise Images
Images are typically the largest contributor to page weight. Install an image optimisation plugin like ShortPixel or Imagify. These compress images on upload and convert them to WebP format automatically. WebP images are typically 25-35% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality. Run the bulk optimisation on your existing media library before and after enabling the plugin to compress previously uploaded images.
Also configure Avada’s image sizes. Go to Avada -> Theme Options -> Media -> Images and disable any image sizes your site layout does not use. WordPress generates multiple versions of every uploaded image – disabling unused sizes reduces disk usage and the number of resize operations on upload.
Step 4: Add a Caching Plugin
Avada does not include caching. Add a caching plugin to serve static HTML versions of your pages rather than running PHP on every request. WP Rocket is the most compatible with Avada and includes page caching, browser caching, CSS/JS minification, and lazy loading for images in one configuration. For a free alternative, W3 Total Cache with file-based caching and browser caching enabled covers the basics.
After installing a caching plugin, test that Avada’s JavaScript still works correctly – caching plugin minification occasionally breaks Fusion Builder JavaScript. If issues appear, add the problematic scripts to the exclusion list in your caching plugin settings.
Step 5: Use a CDN for Static Assets
A Content Delivery Network serves your site’s images, CSS, and JavaScript from servers geographically close to each visitor. Cloudflare’s free plan provides CDN, basic caching, and DDoS protection. For more control, Cloudflare Pro or a dedicated CDN service delivers static assets faster than your hosting server for international visitors.
What to Expect
A typical Avada site before optimisation scores 30-50 on mobile PageSpeed Insights. After implementing all the steps above on good managed hosting, scores of 70-85 on mobile are achievable. Scores above 85 on mobile with Avada are difficult without aggressive JavaScript deferral that can break Fusion Builder elements. Set a realistic target of 75+ mobile and 90+ desktop as a well-optimised Avada result.