Description
Organise your WordPress Media Library with virtual folders, edit and compress images locally, and replace an image without changing its existing URL. DawsonyWeb Media Library brings these free tools into one workspace under Media > DawsonyWeb Library. Your standard WordPress Media Library remains available.
Media folders and file organisation
- Nested virtual folders, drag-to-folder moves, grid and list views.
- Search, file-type filters, sorting, personal favourites and missing-alt-text view.
- Multiple uploads, bulk metadata editing, ZIP downloads of local originals.
- Bulk format conversion to separate WebP, AVIF, JPEG or PNG copies when supported by your server.
Image editing, compression and replacement
- Visual crop selection with aspect-ratio presets and exact pixel values.
- Rotation, flipping, proportional resizing and compression using your server’s WordPress image editor.
- Save edits as a new copy, including WebP or AVIF conversion when your server supports it.
- Replace a static image using the same format, preserving its attachment ID, full URL and existing image-size filenames.
- Restore the previous edited version from private temporary storage when it is still available.
- Find known WordPress content, block, featured-image and WooCommerce gallery references.
- Archive files in this workspace without deleting or unpublishing them.
- Folder filtering and assignment in the standard WordPress media tools.
Free tools that run on your server
No external image service, cloud account or paid API is needed. All listed features are included; there is no paid feature unlock. Existing WordPress upload and attachment permissions apply.
How folders and replacement work
Keep normal site backups before editing important files. Folders are virtual. Files are not physically moved. Replacement updates local originals and recorded generated image sizes. Cached pages, browser copies and CDN copies may need refreshing. External copies and custom page-builder image exports are not automatically replaced.
The previous version is stored in a private system temporary directory outside WordPress. Servers may clear temporary storage. This is a short-term restore option, not permanent version history or a substitute for backups. If private storage is unavailable, existing images are left unchanged.
Editing supports static JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF when the server supports their formats. Animated images and SVG editing are excluded. Local image operations require files within WordPress uploads. Offloaded media can be organised, but editing, duplication and ZIP downloads are unavailable when local originals are absent.
Privacy
The plugin does not send files or telemetry to DawsonyWeb or a third-party image service. Folders and their creator IDs, archive markers, favourites and revision records stay in your WordPress database. Your browser stores a grid/list preference. Previous image versions are held in private temporary storage on your server. Removing the plugin retains organisation data for reinstallation. Site administrators control retention and access. Normal uploads, server logs and backups follow the site and host policies.
Plugin privacy notice | Documentation | Support
Source code and development
The complete editable source is included in this plugin ZIP. assets/library.js is the human-readable workspace source and assets/media-bridge.js is the standard WordPress media integration source. Both files are served directly, without compilation or minification. assets/library.css is the editable stylesheet. PHP source is in dawsonyweb-media-library.php and includes/.
No npm install, Node.js build, bundler, transpiler or private repository access is required. Edit the included source files directly. There are no generated JavaScript or CSS counterparts to rebuild. See BUILDING.txt for source locations and optional syntax checks.
The icon definitions are inline SVG path data beside the icon renderer in assets/library.js. The logo is assets/logo.svg. No third-party JavaScript libraries, icon runtime or vendor bundles are included. WordPress provides wp.i18n and its media APIs through the declared script dependencies. Plugin code is licensed GPL-2.0-or-later; see LICENSE.txt.
Screenshots
Installation
- In Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for DawsonyWeb Media Library and select Install Now. Alternatively, upload the plugin ZIP through Upload Plugin.
- Activate DawsonyWeb Media Library.
- Open Media > DawsonyWeb Library.
- Use Help for the workspace guide. Create a folder, upload files or organise existing media.
FAQ
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Is this media library plugin free?
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Yes. All listed tools are included without a licence key, cloud account or paid image service. Image processing uses your own server.
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Does moving a file break its URL?
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No. Folders are virtual taxonomy terms. Your original file path and URL stay the same.
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Does replacement update images already used on my site?
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It preserves the attachment ID and overwrites the local full image and recorded generated sizes at their existing paths. Featured images, galleries and image blocks continue using those references. Refresh your site and CDN caches. External copies and custom exports need separate handling.
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Can I convert JPEG to WebP without changing its URL?
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No. A format conversion must be saved as a new attachment. Replacement requires the original format so existing file extensions and URLs stay valid.
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Does archive hide images from visitors?
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No. Archive only changes their visibility in this workspace. Files remain available to visitors and in the standard Media Library.
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Can I safely delete everything with no usage matches?
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No. The scan covers known references and only posts you can edit. Themes, widgets, custom fields and page builders can store other references.
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What happens when I deactivate or delete the plugin?
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Your files and WordPress attachment data remain. Folder terms, favourites and archive markers are retained so reinstallation can recover them. Deactivation does not undo image edits. Temporary previous versions can be removed by your server’s normal cleanup.
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Does conversion automatically speed up existing pages?
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No. Conversion creates separate attachments. Use the new copies in your page images to serve the new format. Originals and current references stay unchanged. Conversion can produce larger files; compare sizes and image quality. Keeping both versions uses extra storage.
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What are the limits?
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Bulk actions select up to 50 files. ZIP downloads are limited to 250 MB of local originals. Image editing accepts static images under 30 MB and 40 megapixels. WordPress and server upload, memory and execution limits also apply. Folder depth is limited to ten levels, with up to 500 folders.
Reviews
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Contributors & Developers
“DawsonyWeb – Media Library” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
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Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.1.1
- Ship consistently formatted, editable JavaScript and CSS with explicit source and development instructions.
- Remove redundant WordPress core includes and load attachment metadata helpers where needed.
1.1.0
- Bulk format conversion with WebP selected by default when supported, adjustable quality and per-file size comparisons.
- Keep originals and their existing URLs, skip files already in the target format, and report individual errors without stopping the batch.
- Open converted copies from the results. Use these copies in your pages to benefit from the new format.
1.0.1
- Clear the loading message after Find usage and other completed dialog actions, while preserving errors and results.
1.0.0
- First public release of the virtual-folder workspace, bulk metadata tools, crop editor, local compression, stable-path replacement and temporary previous-version restore.
- Translation-ready interface, standard media folder filters and built-in help.
- Permission checks, revision locks, validated local file paths and rollback protection for existing-image changes.