How Do I Use the WordPress Media Library?

If you are creating posts or pages in WordPress and you need to add a picture, then you will need to know how to use the media library. The WordPress media library contains all of the images that you will add to your website. Over the years, we have tried separate media folders but found the media library is more convenient to access all of your website pictures.

To access the media library, hover over media in your sidebar on the left-hand side of the screen, and then when you see the sub-menu, click “Library.” Now, you will see all of the images that were used for posts and pages, and that have been uploaded to your library. You can also add PDFs, documents (such as Microsoft Word, etc.), audio files, and video files. You can also reuse any of the media in subsequent pages or posts as well. At the top of the media library, you can choose how your media is going to be displayed in either a grid or a list type of display.

On that same bar, you can sort the media in several ways including type or date. By clicking on your media file, you will now see several details. At the top right, there are arrows to navigate through the different files in your media library. You can also edit information for that media file from this page. If you are editing images, also on this page in the lower-left area of the picture is the “Edit Image” button where you can resize and make other changes to images in WordPress. In the lower-right area of the screen, you have a link to the “View Attachment Page” that allows you to see the media previewed on your website.

Besides the “View Attachment Page” is a link to “Edit More Details,” and that takes you to an alternative editing page. Besides the “Edit More Details” link is the “Delete Permanently” link where you can delete the file from your media library. If you wish to delete several items from your media library, go to the top bar and click “Bulk Select” then click on all of the items that you wish to delete, and then click “Delete Selected.”

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