The media library explained

The media library is where WordPress keeps every image, PDF, video, and file you upload to your site. Think of it as a filing cabinet built right into your dashboard — one central place to find and manage all your visual content.

What the media library stores

WordPress keeps all of these in your media library:

• Images — JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF and other common formats. SVG files aren't allowed by default; they need a plugin.
• Documents — PDFs, Word files, spreadsheets
• Audio — MP3 and other sound files
• Video — MP4 and other video formats (though large videos are better hosted on YouTube or Vimeo)

Each file has its own details, including the file name, size and upload date. If the file is attached to a page or post, the details show which one under Uploaded to. That isn't a list of everywhere the file is used: WordPress shows only one page there, and a file can appear on pages it isn't attached to.

How to open the media library

Grid view vs list view

The media library has two display modes. You can switch between them using the two small icons at the top left, above your files.

Grid view is the default and is the easiest way to browse images. List view shows more metadata at a glance. WordPress remembers whichever view you used last.

Searching and filtering your files

If you have many files, searching makes finding things much faster.

• Search box — Type part of a file's name or title to narrow down results. The search box is near the top right of the page. In grid view, results update as you type.
• Filter by type — Use the dropdown menu that says "All media items" to filter by Images, Audio, Video, Documents and more. It also offers Unattached (files not attached to any page or post).
• Filter by date — A second dropdown (All dates) lets you filter by the month the file was uploaded.

What happens when you click a file

Clicking any file in the grid opens an Attachment details window. The file is on the left and its details are on the right. Some details you can edit; others are just shown:

• File name — The name of the file on the server (shown, not editable)
• Alternative Text (images only) — The description read by screen readers, which Google also uses to understand the image (see image sizes, cropping & alt text)
• Title — The file's name inside WordPress. You can change it, and search looks at it.
• Caption — Optional short text about the file. It's labelled Image Caption for images and Short Description for other files.
• Description — A longer description of the file
• File URL — The direct web address of the file, with a Copy URL to clipboard button
• File details — Upload date, who uploaded it, file type, size, and (for images) dimensions

Uploading directly from the library

You don't have to be editing a page to add a file. You can upload directly from the media library at any time.

Common questions

How many files can I store in the media library?

How much you can store depends on your hosting plan's disk space. To see how much room your uploads take up, go to Tools → Site Health, open the Info tab, and expand Directories and Sizes. Your host can also tell you your total storage use. Contact your host if you need more space.

Can I delete files from the media library?

Yes. In list view, hover over a file and click "Delete Permanently." Be careful: this cannot be undone, and if the file is used on a page, it will show a broken image. See how to replace an image everywhere before deleting anything you think might be in use.

Why are there multiple sizes of the same image?

When you upload an image, WordPress automatically creates several resized copies, such as thumbnail, medium and large versions. Your theme or plugins can add more sizes. The copies are saved on your server and take up storage, but the library still shows the image as a single item. This is normal behavior. See image sizes, cropping & alt text for more detail.

Can I organize files into folders?

WordPress does not have folders in the media library by default. All files live together in one pool. See keeping your media library tidy for practical ways to work around this.

I uploaded a file but I can't find it. What happened?

Try clearing the search box and resetting the filters — sometimes a leftover filter hides files. Also check that you're looking at the right date range in the date filter. If the file truly isn't there, the upload may have failed — try uploading again.

Related guides

• How to upload images and files
• Image sizes, cropping & alt text
• How to replace an image everywhere
• Keeping your media library tidy
• How to add images to a page or post
• Alt text explained
• My images aren't loading

Learn more

• WordPress Media Library documentation
• Settings → Media (image sizes) — WordPress.org documentation