Repair of original images

Description

Since WordPress 5.3, every uploaded image larger than the “big image” threshold (2560 px by default) is stored twice: the untouched original and a smaller “-scaled” copy that the site actually displays. The original is never shown on the site — it is only used as a source when thumbnails are regenerated — yet it often takes several megabytes per image and most of the disk space of the uploads folder.

This plugin gives you tools to inspect and repair image files in the Media Library, with optional backups before every change.

How this plugin is different: this is not a thumbnail regeneration plugin. It works only on the original (full-size, uploaded) image files, which are often many megabytes because their quality is far higher than any website needs. The plugin shrinks or removes them, and it never touches thumbnails or the files used in content, so everything that already refers to your images keeps working. Every change can be backed up first, and every backed-up change can be restored.

Shrink originals

• Scans the library and marks originals larger than a chosen maximum size.
• Shrinks the original in place (same file name), keeping the aspect ratio, with a chosen quality.
• Optional backup of every file before it is changed. Existing backups are never overwritten.

Remove originals

• Deletes the original file and removes it from the attachment metadata, leaving the “-scaled” file as the only full-size image.
• Optionally regenerates the “-scaled” file from the real original first (shrink it if it is too big, or rebuild it if it is too small).
• Every write is verified by reading the file back; on any mismatch the change is rolled back.

Cleanup

• Unused files: files in an attachment’s folder that are variants of its name, are not registered in its metadata and are not referenced in posts, custom fields or options.
• Image editor backups: copies kept by the built-in WordPress image editor (“Restore original image”).
• Plugin backups: undo operations made with a backup — files and the changed attachment metadata are restored exactly as they were — and browse or delete backup copies.
• Scan cache: clear the stored dimensions of originals.

Diagnostics

• Inspect one image: all files of an attachment, what WordPress functions return for it, and its raw metadata.
• Environment check: real write/read/delete test of the database, the backup folder and uploads.
• Missing images: find image URLs used on the site whose files do not exist, or that point to another domain (e.g. an old domain of the site), and files registered in attachment metadata that are missing on disk. Missing files can be recreated under their original names; URLs pointing to another domain can be replaced with this site’s URL (serialized data is handled safely).

Settings

• Built-in image sizes, disabling sizes added by the theme or plugins, the “-scaled” threshold (with the value actually in effect after all plugins), shrinking images right on upload, and one backup folder for the whole plugin.

The plugin works only in the admin area (Tools → Naprawa zdjęć), only for users who can manage options, and never changes files unless you start an action.

The interface is currently in Polish.