The media library explained
Learn what the WordPress media library is, what it stores, and how to navigate it to find and manage your site's images and files.
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.
Quick summary
The media library stores all files you upload to WordPress. You can view them in a grid or list, search by name, and filter by file type. Every file you've added to a page or post lives here. You can also upload new files directly from the library without opening a page.
What the media library stores
WordPress keeps all of these in your media library:
- Images — JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and SVG files
- 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 gets its own detail page that shows the file name, size, upload date, and a link to where it's used on your site.
How to open the media library
Log in to your WordPress dashboard. Go to your site's login page and sign in. If you need help, see how to log in to WordPress.
Click Media in the left sidebar. The sidebar is the dark column on the left side of your dashboard. "Media" is one of the menu items.
The library opens. You'll see all your uploaded files arranged in a grid of thumbnails.
Grid view vs list view
The media library has two display modes. You can switch between them using the icons near the top right of the page.
| Mode | What it looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Grid view | Thumbnails in a grid | Browsing images visually |
| List view | Rows with file details | Seeing dates, authors, and file names |
Grid view is the default and is the easiest way to browse images. List view shows more metadata at a glance.
Searching and filtering your files
If you have many files, searching makes finding things much faster.
- Search box — Type part of the file name to narrow down results. The search bar is near the top of the page.
- Filter by type — Use the dropdown menu that says "All media items" to filter by Images, Audio, Video, or Documents.
- Filter by date — A second dropdown lets you filter by the month the file was uploaded.
Tip: search by file name
WordPress searches by file name, not by what's in the file. So if you uploaded a file called "IMG_3847.jpg," searching for "logo" won't find it. Rename files descriptively before uploading — for example, "company-logo-blue.jpg." See how to upload images and files for naming tips.
What happens when you click a file
Clicking any file in the grid opens a detail panel on the right side of the screen. Here you can see and edit:
- File name — The name stored on the server
- Alt text — The description read by screen readers and used for SEO (see image sizes, cropping & alt text)
- Caption — Optional text shown below the image on the page
- Description — A longer note about the file, for your own reference
- Copy URL — The direct web address of the file
- File details — Size, dimensions, upload date, and uploader name
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.
Open the media library using the steps above.
Click the Add New button near the top of the page.
Drag your files onto the upload area, or click Select Files to browse your computer.
Wait for the upload to finish. The file will appear in the library when it's done.
Common questions
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
Need a hand?
Learn more
Reusable blocks & patterns
Learn how to save blocks as reusable blocks or use block patterns to quickly add professionally designed sections to any page or post.
How to upload images and files
Step-by-step instructions for uploading images, PDFs, and other files to your WordPress media library from your computer or mobile device.