Title: is_random_header_image
Published: April 25, 2014
Last modified: February 24, 2026

---

# is_random_header_image( string $type ): bool

## In this article

 * [Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#description)
 * [Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#parameters)
 * [Return](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#return)
 * [Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#source)
 * [Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#related)
 * [Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#changelog)

[ Back to top](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#wp--skip-link--target)

Checks if random header image is in use.

## 󠀁[Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#description)󠁿

Always true if user expressly chooses the option in Appearance > Header.
Also true
if theme has multiple header images registered, no specific header image is chosen,
and theme turns on random headers with [add_theme_support()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/add_theme_support/).

## 󠀁[Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#parameters)󠁿

 `$type`stringrequired

The random pool to use. Possible values include `'any'`, `'default'`, `'uploaded'`.
Default `'any'`.

## 󠀁[Return](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#return)󠁿

 bool

## 󠀁[Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#source)󠁿

    ```php
    function is_random_header_image( $type = 'any' ) {
    	$header_image_mod = get_theme_mod( 'header_image', get_theme_support( 'custom-header', 'default-image' ) );

    	if ( 'any' === $type ) {
    		if ( 'random-default-image' === $header_image_mod
    			|| 'random-uploaded-image' === $header_image_mod
    			|| ( empty( $header_image_mod ) && '' !== get_random_header_image() )
    		) {
    			return true;
    		}
    	} else {
    		if ( "random-$type-image" === $header_image_mod ) {
    			return true;
    		} elseif ( 'default' === $type
    			&& empty( $header_image_mod ) && '' !== get_random_header_image()
    		) {
    			return true;
    		}
    	}

    	return false;
    }
    ```

[View all references](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/files/wp-includes/theme.php/)
[View on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/6.9.4/src/wp-includes/theme.php#L1470)
[View on GitHub](https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/blob/6.9.4/src/wp-includes/theme.php#L1470-L1491)

## 󠀁[Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#related)󠁿

| Uses | Description | 
| [get_theme_support()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_theme_support/)`wp-includes/theme.php` |

Gets the theme support arguments passed when registering that support.

  | 
| [get_random_header_image()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_random_header_image/)`wp-includes/theme.php` |

Gets random header image URL from registered images in theme.

  | 
| [get_theme_mod()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_theme_mod/)`wp-includes/theme.php` |

Retrieves theme modification value for the active theme.

  |

| Used by | Description | 
| [get_media_states()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_media_states/)`wp-admin/includes/template.php` |

Retrieves an array of media states from an attachment.

  | 
| [Custom_Image_Header::show_header_selector()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/custom_image_header/show_header_selector/)`wp-admin/includes/class-custom-image-header.php` |

Displays UI for selecting one of several default headers.

  | 
| [get_header_image()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_header_image/)`wp-includes/theme.php` |

Retrieves header image for custom header.

  | 
| [get_custom_header()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_custom_header/)`wp-includes/theme.php` |

Gets the header image data.

  |

## 󠀁[Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/is_random_header_image/?output_format=md#changelog)󠁿

| Version | Description | 
| [3.2.0](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/since/3.2.0/) | Introduced. |

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