WordPress: How to add a new custom default avatar

Do you find the default avatars options in WordPress inadequate?

Here is an example on how to add a new custom avatar to the default selection of avatars in WordPress – and it is actually quite simple :)

The below code should be added to your functions.php file in your theme folder – if you are using a child-theme, just add the code to the functions.php in the child folder. Upload a quadratic image that fits your needs in size, change the string PATH-TO-YOUR-CUSTOM-AVATAR to the path (url) of your avatar image. Give it a nice name by replacing the string NAME-OF-NEW-DEFAULT-AVATAR-OPTION.

/**
 * Adding new default avatar option to WordPress
 */
if ( !function_exists('addCustomAvatar') ) {
	function addCustomAvatar( $avatar_defaults ) {
		$myavatar = 'PATH-TO-YOUR-CUSTOM-AVATAR';
		$avatar_defaults[$myavatar] = 'NAME-OF-NEW-DEFAULT-AVATAR-OPTION';
		return $avatar_defaults;
	}
	add_filter( 'avatar_defaults', 'addCustomAvatar' ); 
}

All done… Enjoy!

NOTE: This approach works in “WordPress 3.3.2”