WordPress Media Library: what is it and how to use it?
The WordPress media library is an essential tool for anyone who manages a website or blog on this platform, as it works as a repository for all types of media files used on the website, from images to videos.
In this article, we will see what the WordPress media library is and how it works, as well as presenting simple instructions so that you can take advantage of all the features of the media library without any difficulty. Check out!
What is WordPress Media Library?
The WordPress media library is the section where you can upload, manage and organize your media files such as images, audios, videos and documents.
This library makes it easy to include these files in your posts, pages and other areas of your website.
How to upload media in WordPress?
Uploading media to WordPress is an intuitive process. Next, we will explain the three most popular methods. Check out!
Via the control panel
- Access your WordPress control panel;
- In the side menu, click on “Media” and then on “Add new” ;
- A screen will open with the option to drag and drop files or select them from your computer. Make your choice and wait for the upload to complete.
By Gutenberg editor
- Click on the “+” icon (add block) and search for blocks such as “Image” , “Audio” or “Video” , depending on the type of media you want to add;
- When selecting the desired block, you will have the option to upload the media or select from the existing library;
- If you choose to upload, select the desired file on your computer and confirm.
By Classic Editor
- If you are using the classic editor, when creating or editing a post (or page), you will see the “Add media” button above the text area ;
- Click the “Add Media” button to upload media to the library or use already imported media;
- A pop-up window will appear with options to upload new files or select from the existing library;
- After selecting or uploading the desired media, click “Insert into post” to add the media to the content.
How to access WordPress media library?
Accessing the media library in WordPress is very simple. Check out the step-by-step instructions below:
- First, log in to your WordPress site’s admin panel. This is usually done by accessing a URL like “yoursite.com/wp-admin.”;
- After accessing the WordPress dashboard, look at the left side menu. Locate and click on “Media”, then “Library”;
- When you access the “Media Library” , you will be able to see all the media files that have already been uploaded to your website.
In the media library, you can view your files in two ways: in a grid or in a list. Additionally, there are options to filter files by type or date and a search bar to quickly find specific items.
From the media library, you can also edit file details like title, caption, description, and URL, or even make minor edits to images like cropping, rotating, and resizing.
How to edit images in WordPress media library?
Editing images directly in the WordPress media library is a useful feature when you need to make quick adjustments without resorting to external image editing software.
1. Access the Media Library:
- Log in to your WordPress control panel;
- In the left side menu, click on “Media” and then “Media Library.”
2. Select the Image:
- Find and click on the image you want to edit. At this point, a screen with media details will open;
- Click on “Edit image”;
- Below the image, you will see an option called “Edit image” . Click on it to access the editing tools.
3. Editing Tools:
- Crop: use the crop icons or manually select an area of the image to crop;
- Rotate: Use the arrow icons to rotate the image clockwise or counterclockwise.
- Invert: Allows you to invert the image horizontally or vertically;
- Resize: You can specify new dimensions for the image. Keep in mind that increasing the image size may reduce its quality.
4. Save Changes:
- After making the desired edits, click the “Save” button ;
- If at any point you want to undo the changes, you can click on “Restore original image” .
This tool is used to make basic edits. If you need more advanced adjustments, it is recommended to use dedicated image editing software such as Photoshop or GIMP , and then upload the already edited image to WordPress.