If you’re a WordPress user, then you must have used Media Library for one task or another. It allows users to upload, edit and delete files including images, videos, etc. into a WP powered page or post. The primary reason behind creating this library was to make it easier for users to upload media files. However, there is a downside to the Media Library: it is not organized.
By default, WordPress doesn’t support creating media categories for files and links. And so, when you access Media Library, it will present you with a long list of images (as shown in the screenshot below), making it difficult for you to browse the files you have been searching for. In nutshell, Media Library is filled with unorganized files, making it too messy.
Know Simple Hacks To Systematize Media Library in WordPress
Even though, the look and functionality of the Media Library has changed with the introduction of new WordPress versions, but you still might have to struggle when it comes to organizing your files stored in the library.
In this post, I’ll explore some useful hacks that will help you systematize your Media Library in WordPress.
Better Management of Media Files
The very first thing that you should do to systematize your media files is to
manage them using the Enhanced Media Library plugin. This plugin enables to create unlimited number of media taxonomies such as categories and tags. And thus, help you search for the media files effortlessly.
Additionally, this plugin gives you complete control over managing your media categories and tags, by allowing you to edit and delete them. It even allows users to create new media files (like PDFs, documents, etc.).
Organize Media Library Structure With Categories
Without media categories, finding a particular media file that you might have uploaded months or years ago would prove a strenuous task for you. And so, it makes sense to find a way that lets you create categories for your media files. Media Library Categories plugin help you accomplish this goal without any hassle. This plugin allows you to create ‘n’ number of categories, as much as you would like.
After activating this plugin, a dropdown of categories will be visible in the media library, and so make it easy for you to search for any media file by filtering the category name. It even allows you to simultaneously change multiple items category. So, if you want to setup your WordPress media library structure in an organized manner, then creating categories with help of the Media Library Categories plugin is worth a try.
Adding Folders and Subfolders For Better Organization
Another crucial aspect that could help you systemize your media library is to make it look uncluttered, by creating folders and sub-folders for your files. Media File Manager Advanced is a great plugin that enables you to create folders as well as sub-folders in your WordPress install upload directory. And, the best part about this plugin is that it let you make changes to the media links inside the database, giving you the ability to sort your media files into subfolders keeping your media links intact.
This plugin makes picking up media files from the subfolders a breeze, by adding a file-selector in the edit post or page screen.
Easier Searching by Thumbnails
Within media library, finding the right image among the sea of options can be overwhelming. One possible solution to this problem is to embed thumbnails of uploaded images, however, it appears a daunting proposition for average bloggers. With Post Thumbnail Extras plugin, you can easily embed thumbnails via a shortcode. In fact, users with coding proficiency can use a hook (provided by this plugin) to create their own shortcodes for embedding thumbnails in media library.
This is a great plugin for users looking for ways to simplify the image managementtask. Besides, it best fit the need of rookie bloggers who often find embedding thumbnails within posts and pages using HTML code a hard task.
Adding/Importing Into the Media Library
Another thing that infuriates users is importing files into the media library. In case,you need to add lots of files in the media library simultaneously, there’s isn’t an easy way to do that. Moreover, making bulk changes all together can give you a hard time. This is where the Upload Media by Zip plugin comes in handy.
This plugin lets you easily import all your contents into the media library at once, by uploading them into a zip file. It even allows you to attach the contents to a page or post. That’s not it! This plugin adds a button directly to your page/post edit screen, to make it easier for you to upload your zip file (that contains your media contents).
Adding Space to Your Media Library
When hosting your WordPress website using any premium hosting plans, you will probably face limited disk space issue. Not having enough space in your Media Library won’t not only limit you from adding more media files, but will make things in the library disorganized. So, in case you need to upload huge volume of media files on your web server, then Media File Sizes plugin is exactly what you need.
This plugin allows you to create an additional column on your WP install media library page – that displays all your files either in KB or MB. In addition, it let you know the disk space percentage your media library is currently using, and thus provide you with correct assessment of disk space consumption. What’s more? Media File Sizes also helps filter all the media files through their size.
Wrapping Up!
Do you want to make your WordPress website Media Library systematized? In that case, you can create categories for your media files, or organize media library by creating sub-folders and so on; there are a lot of things that you will have to work upon.
I hope reading this post will provide you useful insight on the possible ways that will help you glide past the most common challenges you might face when using Media Library to upload your files.
