{"id":41142,"date":"2022-10-28T15:00:42","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T13:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=41142"},"modified":"2022-10-27T14:45:02","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T12:45:02","slug":"complete-guide-to-wordpress-media-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/complete-guide-to-wordpress-media-library\/","title":{"rendered":"A Complete Guide to the WordPress Media Library"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Imagine the internet without any images. Imagine it doesn\u2019t have any videos, either, or audio tracks \u2013 it\u2019s just lines upon lines of text, any direction you look. If you were around for the early days of the internet, you don\u2019t have to work too hard to picture that kind of internet \u2013 it\u2019s what you would have dial-up-friendly back in the day of slow internet speeds. You probably would have preferred it over media-rich pages because they took ages to load. Today, however, bandwidth isn\u2019t that big of a problem, which is why there\u2019s no reason any WordPress website wouldn\u2019t use its WordPress media library to the fullest.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]In this article, we\u2019ll show you everything there is to know about the WordPress media library. If you\u2019re new to WordPress, you can expect to find some pretty useful tips on WordPress media library management. If you\u2019ve had a website for a while, though, you\u2019ll still want to stick around for tips on cleaning the library. All in all, you\u2019ll read:<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#primer-on-wordpress-and-storage\">A Primer on WordPress and Storage<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#what-is-the-wordpress-media-library\">What Is the WordPress Media Library?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#adding-files-to-media-library\">Adding Files to the Media Library<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#editing-media-in-wordpress-media-library\">Editing Media in the WordPress Media Library<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#removing-files-from-media-library\">Removing Files from the Media Library<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#managing-wordpress-media-library\">Tips and Tricks for Managing the WordPress Media Library<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;new-top-picks-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"primer-on-wordpress-and-storage\"><\/a>A Primer on WordPress and Storage<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<strong>When you add content to your WordPress website, you do it by creating a post.<\/strong> WordPress has two main post types, posts and pages, and while <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/difference-between-posts-and-pages-wp\/\">they have differences<\/a>, the process of adding content boils down to the same thing whichever of the two you use. You add the text, and then you add the media. Once you save it, the non-media content of the page or post is stored in <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-database-management-guide\/\">your website\u2019s database<\/a>. <strong>The media content, however, isn\u2019t.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There are a couple of different ways you can add media content to your pages and posts. You can embed it as <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/embed-youtube-video-in-wordpress\/\">you would a YouTube video<\/a> or a video <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-video-hosting-solutions\/\">hosted on another service<\/a>. If, on the other hand, you decided to host your media files \u2013 something that might be okay with images but could be impractical with videos \u2013 <strong>then you\u2019d upload the file and host it on your own server.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The place where the media files you add to your posts are stored on your server is typically located in <em>public_html\/wp-content\/uploads<\/em>. If your website\u2019s been around for a while, you\u2019ll notice that all kinds of plugins have directories for their content within <em>\/uploads<\/em>. The content you want is usually stored in folders named by the years they were uploaded.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>There are two ways you can access the media content of the uploads folder.<\/strong> One is by using an outside tool, such as the File Manager provided by your control panel software, or an FTP solution. <strong>The other way of accessing media files stored on your server is via the topic of this article \u2013 the WordPress Media Library.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"what-is-the-wordpress-media-library\"><\/a>What Is the WordPress Media Library?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-Library.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WP Media Library\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-Library.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-Library-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-Library-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-Library-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]So the WordPress Media Library isn\u2019t the thing that stores the content you use for your posts and pages. <strong>What it is is an interface, or a tool, created to help you access and manage the storage and the files within.<\/strong> This tool is included in WordPress\u2019 core software and it\u2019s very useful for a bunch of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that you can access it from your website\u2019s dashboard, by going to <em>Media &gt; Library<\/em>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Once there, you\u2019ll see all the media files your website has in storage. <strong>At the top of the window, you\u2019ll notice a strip with some viewing, navigation, and search options.<\/strong> The first one will let you choose between the grid view, which displays items in your media storage as thumbnails, and the list view, which looks similar to how the lists of posts or pages on your website look.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/All-Media-Items-Listes.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"All Media Items Listed\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/All-Media-Items-Listes.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/All-Media-Items-Listes-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/All-Media-Items-Listes-768x336.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/All-Media-Items-Listes-620x271.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Next, you have two filters you can apply to your media files.<\/strong> The first lets you specify the types of media files you wish to see \u2013 images, audio, video, documents, and others. The second lets you filter the media files by the month they were uploaded.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Items-Dropdown.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Media Items Dropdown\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Items-Dropdown.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Items-Dropdown-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Items-Dropdown-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Items-Dropdown-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Finally, both types of view will let you bulk select media and perform a bulk action on them.<\/strong> The way you bulk select might depend on the view \u2013 with the gallery, you simply click on the thumbnails you want to select, while the regular view gives you boxes you can check for bulk selection. The bulk action you can perform is deleting the files you\u2019ve selected.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"adding-files-to-media-library\"><\/a>Adding Files to the Media Library<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]To have new media files show up in the media library, you have to add them to your website\u2019s storage. <strong>One way you can do that is through the control panel or using an FTP solution<\/strong>, both of which can come in handy if you want to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/ftp-bulk-media-upload-wordpress\/\">upload media files in bulk<\/a>, but require an additional step for WordPress to recognize the files in the Media Library. So even if you prefer doing things through the Media Library, you still want to at least know one additional method for uploading files.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-Files.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Upload Files\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-Files.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-Files-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-Files-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-Files-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you decide to upload files from your website\u2019s backend, there are a couple of places you can go to do it. <strong>You can, for example, find the \u201cAdd New\u201d button in the Media Library itself, and use it to bring up the file upload menu.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"476\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Library-Add-New.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Media Library Add New\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Library-Add-New.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Library-Add-New-300x147.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Library-Add-New-768x377.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Media-Library-Add-New-620x305.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Alternatively, you can navigate to <em>Media &gt; Add New<\/em>. It will show you a file upload menu that looks very much like the one that opens up in the Library window. <strong>If you\u2019re having trouble with it, however, you\u2019ll have the option to switch to the browser uploader.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-New-Media.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Upload New Media\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-New-Media.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-New-Media-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-New-Media-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Upload-New-Media-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You\u2019ll notice that there\u2019s a limit on the maximum size of the file you can upload using the Media Library. <strong>This is something you can change<\/strong>, and we\u2019ll provide more information about it in the <em>Tips and Tricks<\/em> section of this article.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"editing-media-in-wordpress-media-library\"><\/a>Editing Media in the WordPress Media Library<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of the best things about the WordPress Media Library is how easy it makes editing media information and in some cases the files themselves. If you\u2019d go into the Media Library using the grid view, <strong>simply clicking on any file you can see would bring up the Attachment Details window.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There, you\u2019d see a bunch of information about the file, such as the date of uploading, its name, size, and type. <strong>You\u2019d also have the option to edit some of the meta information for the file.<\/strong> For an image, you\u2019d be able to add alternative text, caption, and description.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-File-URL.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WP Media File URL\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-File-URL.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-File-URL-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-File-URL-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WP-Media-File-URL-620x448.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For even more editing options, <strong>you could click on the \u201cEdit Image\u201d button and get additional editing tools.<\/strong> These would allow you to crop, rotate, and flip images. You\u2019d also have the ability to scale the image and enter the aspect ratio and pixel values for cropped images. Finally, there will be an option for thumbnail settings, where you can choose whether you want the edits to apply to the thumbnail, all image sizes, or the sizes except the thumbnail.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Attachment-Details.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Attachment Details\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Attachment-Details.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Attachment-Details-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Attachment-Details-768x437.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Attachment-Details-620x353.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you use the list view of the Media Library, you\u2019ll have a slightly different window in front of you when you decide to look up and edit attachment details, <strong>but all the same information and editing options will still be there.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Image-Editing-Options.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Image Editing Options\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Image-Editing-Options.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Image-Editing-Options-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Image-Editing-Options-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Image-Editing-Options-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>You\u2019ll also be able to edit images by clicking on the \u201cEdit Image\u201d button.<\/strong> Again, the window will look slightly different than it does when using the grid view, but you\u2019ll have access to all the same options.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"689\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Different-Editing-Options.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Different Editing Options\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Different-Editing-Options.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Different-Editing-Options-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Different-Editing-Options-768x546.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Different-Editing-Options-620x441.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For more substantial edits, or if you want to do something like <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/photoshop-effects-for-creative-web-design\/\">adding some nice Photoshop effects<\/a> to your photos, you\u2019ll have to use specialized software. Media Library\u2019s editing will, however, suffice to ensure that the image isn\u2019t upside down and that it\u2019s the right size.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"removing-files-from-media-library\"><\/a>Removing Files from the Media Library<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Besides adding and editing media files, the <strong>WordPress Media Library is also the place where you can go to delete the media files you don\u2019t need anymore<\/strong>. It\u2019s not the only place where you can do it, as we\u2019ll see shortly, but it might be the most convenient of the choices you have.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To remove media files from the Library, navigate to <em>Media &gt; Library<\/em>. In the list view, hovering over a single file will show you the menu that allows you to delete it permanently. <strong>To delete more than one file, use the selection checkboxes next to the items to select the ones you want to delete<\/strong>, and then choose \u201cdelete permanently\u201d from the Bulk Actions dropdown, and click the Apply button.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Delete-Images.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Bulk Delete Images\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Delete-Images.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Delete-Images-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Delete-Images-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Delete-Images-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you prefer the grid view, clicking on the file you want to delete and bringing up its Attachment Details page will give you the option to delete it permanently. <strong>As for doing it in bulk, you\u2019ll notice the Bulk Select button in the strip atop the files.<\/strong> Clicking on the button will let you choose the files you want to delete and issue the command.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Select.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Bulk Select\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Select.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Select-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Select-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Bulk-Select-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For those who want to remove files straight from the source, <strong>navigating to where they\u2019re stored on your host&#8217;s hard drive using the hosting control panel or an FTP solution is an option<\/strong>. It should be as simple as finding the files in their respective directories and deleting them.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"managing-wordpress-media-library\"><\/a>Tips and Tricks for Managing the WordPress Media Library<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The ability to add, edit, and remove media files are the three fundamental services of the WordPress Media Library, but they\u2019re not everything you can do with it. Although you might need some outside assistance to achieve some of the additional things with the Media Library \u2013 and media files on your website in general, what you get from it might be worth installing an additional plugin or two.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\">Back Up and Download Your Media Library<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]It goes without saying that somehow losing the files in your website\u2019s media library can be detrimental to your website. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to back up the library and its contents. Keep in mind, also, that media files aren\u2019t stored in the database, so backing up the database won\u2019t help safeguard the media files.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To help you create a copy of the media files in your Library, we\u2019ve created a detailed guide about <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-download-media-library\/\">downloading the Media Library<\/a>. Whether you want to do it using a plugin, FTP, or cPanel, you\u2019ll find all the steps in our guide.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\">Stop WordPress from Making Copies of Images<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When you add an image to your Media Library, <strong>WordPress might create multiple copies of those images<\/strong>, changing their sizes. This way, you\u2019ll have a thumbnail-sized version of an image, as well as medium size and large size.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To stop the number of image files you have in storage from ballooning, you can navigate to <em>Setting &gt; Media<\/em> and <strong>set the sizes for the extra images to zero<\/strong>. It\u2019s as easy as that.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\">Organize Media Files into Folders<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]It\u2019s true that, on the server where they are stored, media files are organized into folders. But that\u2019s not the case when you look at the Media Library \u2013 <strong>every file is listed separately<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t want them to be, you can organize them into folders.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>You will need a plugin to enable Media Library folders<\/strong>, but you\u2019ll find plenty of them on WordPress.org. From the oft-recommended <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/filebird\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FireBird<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/real-media-library-lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Real Media Library<\/a> or the aptly-named <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/media-library-plus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media Library Folders<\/a>, you\u2019ll have your pick of plugins with a variety of useful features.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\">Add Taxonomies to Media Files<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Another pretty useful tool for organizing the media files in your Media Library is taxonomies \u2013 <strong>categories and tags<\/strong>. With them, you can sort and filter the files in a way not originally devised by WordPress.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Once again, you\u2019ll have to turn to a plugin to add the categories and tags feature to media files. There will also be many to choose from, <strong>some of which might also be able to let you create folders<\/strong>. Finding a single plugin that does both things would be a good way to reduce the overall number of plugins you have installed.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\">Change Maximum File Size for Uploads<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]WordPress will put a limit on the size of a file you can upload via the Media Library. You can be happy with the limit, but in case it bothers you, <strong>it\u2019s easy to change it.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]We\u2019ve created a thorough guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-maximum-upload-size\/\">increasing the maximum file upload size<\/a>. It will show you which files you need to edit, and what code you need to add to them.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">Let\u2019s Wrap It Up!<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The WordPress Media Library is a great place that lets you add, edit, and remove media files to and from your website. It offers a simple set of tools for basic file management, as well as file-editing capabilities. For the most part, it makes it easier to operate with media files than doing so via cPanel or FTP, but it has its limits. Then again, this is WordPress, and reaching the limits of core features is only a sign you should continue your search among the plugins. In the case of the Media Library, they don\u2019t disappoint in the slightest.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Media is an integral part of any website\u2019s content. To make it easy for you to manage your media files, and even do some editing to them, WordPress lets you use the Media Library. We\u2019ve prepared for you a guide to help you make the most of it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9295,"featured_media":41220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[61,325,4,70,13],"class_list":["post-41142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources","tag-images","tag-media-library","tag-tips","tag-video","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9295"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41142\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}