Konstantin Kröpfl

Ever lost the overview of your attachments in the media library? This plugin helps you to identify if an attachment has been used on the website. A free and easy to use plugin saving you time working in WordPress.
<h4>Your benefits</h4>
<ul>
<li>You have immediate information if and where attachment and media files are used.</li>
<li>Work more efficient with your media library.</li>
<li>Provides links to the corresponding pages/posts or widgets where the media file was found.</li>
<li>Filter your attachment/media list view by usage status (found/not found).</li>
<li>Saves you a lot of time by knowing exactly where your files are used.</li>
<li>It´s free and easy to use.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Locations looked through</h4>
<ul>
<li>Posts, pages: It searches in content and excerpt field and it checks if the attachment/image is used in a gallery within the content/excerpt section.</li>
<li>Custom post types: It searches in content and excerpt field of custom post types and checks if the attachment/image is used in a gallery within the content/excerpt section.</li>
<li>Featured image: It searches if the media file is used as featured image for the different post types.</li>
<li>Widgets: It searches if any media or attachment file is used in the following widget elements (text, audio, video, gallery, image).</li>
<li>WooCommerce Products: It searches in content and excerpt field as well as checks the product thumbnail and product gallery.</li>
<li>WooCommerce Product Variation: It looks through the product variation thumbnail if the image is used.</li>
<li>WooCommerce Product Category: It searches if the image is set in a product category.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Compatible</h4>
The plugin is compatible with a multisite setup and WooCommerce. Furthermore it supports 
the lookup process for the following page builders Gutenberg, Elementor and Visual Composer.
<h3>Future roadmap & wishlist</h3>
By future updates the plugin´s functionality will be enriched. 
If you have any suggestion please hit me an <a href="mailto:konstk.wp@gmail.com" rel="nofollow ugc">email</a>
<h3>Contribute</h3>
Want to help improve the plugin feel free to submit PRs via Bitbucket <a href="https://bitbucket.org/konstk/attachment-usage/" rel="nofollow ugc">here</a>.

Attachment Usage

Find easily attachment and media files used in different locations on your website.

WPCreatix

Media Sweep: The Ultimate WordPress Media Library Cleaner
Media Sweep is a powerful WordPress plugin designed to help you reclaim valuable server space by identifying and safely removing unused media files from your WordPress site. Whether you’re dealing with orphaned attachments, forgotten uploads, or files left behind by themes and plugins, Media Sweep provides a comprehensive solution to keep your media library clean and organized.
Perfect for bloggers, agencies, e-commerce sites, and any WordPress website looking to optimize storage space and improve site performance.
🚀 Key Benefits:
✅ Reclaim Server Space – Remove unused files and free up valuable storage 
✅ Improve Site Performance – Faster backups and reduced server load 
✅ Safe & Reversible – Files moved to trash folder, not permanently deleted 
✅ Smart Detection – Advanced algorithms identify truly unused files 
✅ Batch Operations – Process multiple files efficiently 
✅ Detailed Analytics – Comprehensive scan reports and file insights
<h3>🎯 Core Features</h3>
<h3>🔍 Dual Scan Modes</h3>
Media Library Scan 
* Scans all media attachments in your WordPress library 
* Checks for usage in posts, pages, and custom fields 
* Detects thumbnail and size variations 
* Identifies gallery shortcodes and blocks 
* Fast and efficient for large media libraries 
* Recommended for most WordPress sites
File System Scan 
* Deep scan of your uploads directory 
* Finds orphaned files not in the media library 
* Detects cache and temporary files 
* Identifies theme and plugin generated files 
* Comprehensive but may take longer to complete 
* Best for sites with file management plugins
<h3>📊 Smart File Detection</h3>
<ul>
<li>Usage Analysis – Checks posts, pages, custom fields, and widgets</li>
<li>Database Scanning – Searches content for file references</li>
<li>Shortcode Detection – Identifies gallery and media shortcodes</li>
<li>Block Analysis – Scans Gutenberg blocks for media usage</li>
<li>Plugin Integration – Detects files used by popular plugins</li>
<li>Theme Assets – Identifies theme-related media files</li>
</ul>
<h3>🗂️ Advanced File Management</h3>
<ul>
<li>Status Classification – Files categorized as In Use, Unused, or Orphaned</li>
<li>Bulk Actions – Select and process multiple files at once</li>
<li>Smart Filtering – Filter by file type, status, date, and directory</li>
<li>Search Functionality – Quickly find specific files</li>
<li>Preview Mode – View files before taking action</li>
<li>Detailed File Info – Size, type, usage locations, and more</li>
</ul>
<h3>🛡️ Safety Features</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trash System – Files moved to secure trash folder, not deleted</li>
<li>Restore Capability – Easily restore accidentally removed files</li>
<li>Backup Integration – Works with popular backup plugins</li>
<li>Progress Monitoring – Real-time scan progress with pause/resume</li>
<li>System Resources – Intelligent resource management prevents timeouts</li>
<li>Rollback Protection – Safe operations with detailed logging</li>
</ul>
<h3>📈 Comprehensive Analytics</h3>
<ul>
<li>Scan History – Track all previous scans and results</li>
<li>Storage Statistics – See exactly how much space you’ve reclaimed</li>
<li>File Breakdown – Detailed analysis by file type and status</li>
<li>Usage Patterns – Understand your media library usage</li>
<li>Performance Metrics – Scan duration and processing statistics</li>
</ul>
<h3>🚀 Easy 3-Step Process</h3>
Step 1: Choose Scan Type 
* Select Media Library or File System scan based on your needs 
* Configure advanced options for thorough analysis
Step 2: Run the Scan 
* Watch real-time progress as Media Sweep analyzes your files 
* Pause and resume scans as needed without losing progress
Step 3: Review & Clean 
* Browse detected files with detailed information 
* Use bulk actions to efficiently process multiple files 
* Restore files from trash if needed
<h3>🔧 Advanced Configuration</h3>
<ul>
<li>Scan Options – Deep scan, thumbnail inclusion, custom field checking</li>
<li>File Type Filters – Focus on specific file types (images, documents, etc.)</li>
<li>Directory Exclusions – Skip specific folders during scans</li>
<li>Performance Settings – Adjust batch sizes and resource limits</li>
<li>Automation Rules – Set up automatic cleanup schedules (planned for future versions)</li>
</ul>
<h3>💡 Perfect For</h3>
<ul>
<li>Content Creators – Bloggers and publishers with large media libraries</li>
<li>Web Agencies – Managing multiple client sites efficiently</li>
<li>E-commerce Sites – Cleaning up product images and assets</li>
<li>Membership Sites – Optimizing user-generated content</li>
<li>Portfolio Sites – Managing large image collections</li>
<li>News Sites – Handling high-volume media uploads</li>
</ul>
<h3>Support</h3>
Need help with Media Sweep? We’re here to assist!
<ul>
<li>Support Forum: <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/media-sweep/" rel="ugc">WordPress.org support forum</a></li>
<li>Feature Requests: <a href="https://wpcreatix.com/contact/" rel="nofollow ugc">Submit ideas and suggestions</a></li>
<li>Bug Reports: <a href="https://wpcreatix.com/contact/" rel="nofollow ugc">Report issues for quick resolution</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Privacy</h3>
Media Sweep respects your privacy and does not collect or transmit any personal data. All file analysis and cleanup operations are performed locally on your server. No external services are contacted during plugin operation.
<h3>Credits</h3>
Media Sweep is crafted with ❤️ by the <a href="https://wpcreatix.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">WPCreatix</a> team. We’re passionate about creating tools that help WordPress users optimize and maintain their websites efficiently.
Special thanks to the WordPress community for their continuous feedback and support in making this plugin better.

Media Sweep – WordPress Media Cleaner


I installed Media Sweep expecting it to identify and help clean unused media files, but the plugin does not actually do that.



What it really does is just list media files. It does not clearly detect which files are unused or show reliable information about where a file is being used. You still have to manually inspect each item and guess whether it’s safe to delete.



If I have to manually verify every single file myself, then this plugin provides no real value. At that point, it’s no better than browsing the uploads folder directly.



For sites with a large media library, this becomes a huge waste of time. A media cleaner should:




Clearly mark used vs unused files



Show where a file is referenced (post/page/custom field)



Offer safe, confident cleanup options




Unfortunately, Media Sweep does none of this. The name and description are misleading, and the plugin does not solve the actual problem it claims to address.



Not recommended if you’re looking for a real unused media cleaner.


Very misleading – no real “unused media” cleaning

Clean up your WordPress Media Library by finding and removing unused files. Safely scan, preview, and sweep away orphaned media to keep your site fast …

Attachment Usage vs Media Sweep – WordPress Media Cleaner