Managing Your Site’s Media

New users to WordPress may not realize that WordPress has its own media library, which is meant for storing your site’s uploads (such as pdfs and images).  Here are some directions

Certainly! Here are step-by-step directions on managing files within WordPress’ media library:

1. First Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard:

   • Open your web browser and navigate to your WordPress website (eg, yoursite.colostate.edu/netid).
   • Log in to your WordPress dashboard using your username and password.
     
     

2. Access the Media Library:

   • Once logged in, you’ll be on the WordPress dashboard.  If not, simply navigate to https://yoursite.colostate.edu/wp-admin/upload.php.
   • In the left-hand menu, hover over “Media” and click on “Library.” This will take you to the Media Library page.
     
     

3. Viewing Files in the Media Library:

   • On the Media Library page, you’ll see a grid or list of all the media files (images, videos, audio files) that have been uploaded to your WordPress site.
   • You can sort and filter files using the search bar, filters, and dropdown menus provided.
     
     

4. Uploading New Files:

   • To upload a new file, click on the “Add New” button at the top of the Media Library page.
   • You can either drag and drop files into the designated area or click on the “Select Files” button to browse your computer and select files to upload.
   • Once the upload is complete, the files will appear in the Media Library.
     
     

5. Editing Files:

   • If you need to edit any details of a file (such as title, caption, alt text, description), hover over the file’s thumbnail and click on the “Edit” button that appears.
   • Make your changes in the Edit Media screen that opens, and then click the “Update” button to save your changes.
     
     

6. Deleting Files:

   • To delete a file from the Media Library, hover over its thumbnail and click on the “Delete Permanently” link.
   • A confirmation pop-up will appear asking if you’re sure you want to delete the file permanently. Click “OK” to confirm and delete the file.
     
     

7. Organizing Files with Media Categories:

   • WordPress allows you to organize your media files using media categories.
   • To create a new media category, click on “Media” and then “Categories” in the left-hand menu.
   • Enter the name and slug for your new category, then click the “Add New Category” button.
   • You can assign categories to media files by editing the file and selecting the appropriate category from the Categories section.

8. Using Files in Posts or Pages:

   • To insert a media file into a post or page, open the post or page editor where you want to add the media.
   • Click on the “Add Media” button above the editor.
   • In the media modal that appears, select the file you want to insert, adjust any settings as needed, and then click the “Insert into post” button.

For more information, including a training video, please see https://wordpress.com/support/media/.