Description
Photoledger makes sure every image uploaded to your WordPress Media Library has a paper trail: where it came from, when it was downloaded, and proof that you were licensed to use it. If a photographer, stock agency, or competitor ever comes after you over an image, you have the answer in seconds instead of digging through old emails and downloads folders.
How it works
The moment someone uploads an image through Media Add New, they’re asked for:
- Source of Image — where it came from (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, a client, etc.)
- Download Date
- At least one of: Account ID, License Key, or an uploaded License Document (the actual invoice/receipt/license PDF)
An image cannot be uploaded without this information — the plugin blocks uploads from the classic uploader, the block editor, and the REST API alike, so there’s no way around it.
Optional “Advanced License Details”
For anyone who wants to track more, an optional panel captures:
- License Type (Royalty-Free, Rights-Managed, Editorial Use Only, Creative Commons, Extended License, Other)
- License Expiry Date (with an optional time, for licenses that expire at a specific moment)
- Attribution Text
- Photographer / Artist
- Cost Paid
- Invoice / Purchase Number
- Internal Notes
Batch uploads
Dropping several images at once into the Media Library? One shared form covers the whole batch — fill it once, and every image in that drop gets the same license details.
Fixing missing details later
Every image’s Edit screen has an editable “License Details” panel in the sidebar — nothing is locked in at upload time. Missing a License Key you found later? Add it any time, including uploading or replacing the proof document.
See everything at a glance
- A License column and filter dropdown right in the Media Library list, showing Licensed / Missing / Expiring / Expired for every image.
- A dedicated License Manager dashboard with stat cards, a searchable and filterable table (by status, source, or download date), and one-click CSV export (formatted so Excel doesn’t mangle long ID numbers or dates).
- Automatic daily email reminders for anything expiring soon or already expired.
Settings
- Choose which of the Advanced fields are required.
- Provide a fixed list of allowed “Source of Image” values, or leave it free text.
- Set the maximum license-document file size and allowed file types.
- Configure the expiry reminder email address and how many days ahead to warn.
- Choose whether License Expiry Date captures a date only, or a date and time.
License documents (the actual proof files) are kept out of the normal Media Library grid and picker — they’re stored as attachments linked to the image they belong to, not shown as if they were photos themselves.
Installation
- Upload the
photoledgerfolder to/wp-content/plugins/, or install the ZIP directly via Plugins Add New Upload Plugin. - Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress.
- A new License Manager menu appears in the WordPress admin sidebar.
- Visit License Manager Settings to:
- choose which extra fields (if any) should be required,
- optionally set a fixed list of image sources,
- set the maximum license-document size and allowed file types,
- turn on expiry reminder emails and set the email address / warning window.
- From now on, every image uploaded through Media Add New (or the Media Library’s “Add Media File”) will ask for its license details before the upload completes.
No database setup or configuration is required beyond Settings — the plugin works immediately after activation.
FAQ
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Can someone upload an image without filling in the license details?
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No. Uploads are blocked at the server level for the classic uploader, the block editor’s image blocks, and the REST API — not just hidden in the UI. There’s no route around it for a logged-in user with upload permission.
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What happens to images that were uploaded before I installed the plugin?
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They’re shown as “Missing” in the License column and dashboard until you open each one’s Edit screen and fill in its details — the plugin doesn’t retroactively invent data for images it didn’t see uploaded.
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Where are the license documents (PDFs/receipts) stored?
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As regular WordPress attachments, linked to the image they belong to, but hidden from the normal Media Library grid and the “Insert Media” picker so they never get mistaken for a photo.
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Does this work with ACF (Advanced Custom Fields)?
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If ACF is active and has field groups using the same field names, the plugin’s own values take priority and ACF’s editing controls for those fields are made read-only on the attachment edit screen, to avoid two different places trying to control the same value.
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Can I require the Advanced fields, or is everything except the basics optional?
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Any of the Advanced fields can be marked required from License Manager Settings. The four core fields (Source, Download Date, and one of Account ID/License Key/Document) are always required — that’s the whole point of the plugin.
Reviews
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Contributors & Developers
“Photoledger” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Photoledger” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.0
- Initial release (previously distributed under the name “Image Copyright Guard” prior to its first public listing). All internal functions, classes, options, meta keys, nonces, and script/style handles use the
ektailr_/EKTAILR_prefix; front-end assets are loaded via the standard WordPresswp_enqueue_script()/wp_enqueue_style()APIs rather than printed inline.