First Contentful Paint (FCP)
FCP marks the end of the blank page phase. While not a Core Web Vital itself, it's a key predictor of LCP and the first signal users see that something is happening.
First Contentful Paint fires when any visible content — text, image, non-white canvas, or SVG — first renders on the page. It's the earliest signal to users that the page is loading. Without a fast FCP, users see a blank white page and may abandon before seeing any content.
FCP differs from LCP in that FCP can fire on any small element — even a loading spinner or a header logo. LCP fires when the largest meaningful content is visible. The gap between FCP and LCP is an important diagnostic: a large gap indicates the LCP element loads significantly later than the first visible content.
FCP is a Lighthouse diagnostic metric (not a Core Web Vital) but contributes to the overall Lighthouse performance score. Improving FCP typically improves LCP — since many FCP optimisations (reducing TTFB, eliminating render-blocking resources) also benefit LCP.
FAQ
Is FCP a Core Web Vital?
No — FCP is not one of Google's three Core Web Vitals. LCP, CLS, and INP are the Core Web Vitals used as ranking signals. FCP is a Lighthouse diagnostic metric that appears in the performance score.
What is a good FCP score?
Google considers FCP under 1.8s as 'Good'. Between 1.8s and 3s is 'Needs Improvement'. Above 3s is 'Poor'.
How do I improve FCP?
The most impactful FCP improvements are: reduce TTFB (server response time), eliminate render-blocking CSS and JS, inline critical CSS, and preconnect to critical third-party origins.
Why is FCP faster than LCP on my site?
FCP fires on any first visible content. If your first visible content is a small element (logo, nav bar) that loads quickly while your hero image takes longer, FCP will be faster than LCP. The gap between them is how long your hero image takes to load after first paint.
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