Using FTP to Completely Delete Images from WordPress Media Library

Why Delete Images from the Media Library?

• Increased Storage Space: Your hosting plan often comes with limited storage. By removing unused images, you free up valuable space.
• Boost Performance: A bloated media library can slow down your website. Fewer images mean faster loading times!
• Organization: A clean library is easier to manage, making it simple to find the images you actually use.

Getting Started: What You Need

• FTP Client: Applications like FileZilla are perfect for managing your files through FTP.
• FTP Credentials: Your hosting provider gives you these. Check your hosting dashboard or contact support to obtain the username, password, and FTP server address.
• WordPress Site Access: Make sure you have administrator access to your WordPress site.

Step 1: Connect to Your Site via FTP

1. Open your preferred FTP client (like FileZilla).
2. Input your FTP credentials (username, password, server address, and port) to establish a connection.
3. Click Quickconnect—you should see your site’s files on the right side.

Step 2: Navigate to the Uploads Directory

1. In the server directory structure, go to the folder named
   1 **public_html**
   (or your site’s root directory).
2. Follow this path:
   1 **wp-content/uploads/**
   . This directory contains all the images uploaded through your media library.

Step 3: Identify Images to Delete

• Here’s where it can get tricky! You need to determine which images to delete. Identify by:
  • Date of upload
  • File size
  • Specific folders (like
    1 2020
    ,
    1 2021
    ) or any organized system you’ve used.

Step 4: Delete Images

1. Select the images or folders you want to remove. You can select one file or multiple files (using Ctrl or Shift keys).
2. Right-click and choose the Delete option to remove selected files. This action is irreversible, so make sure you've chosen correctly.

Step 5: Clean Up the Database

1. Backup your database. Using a plugin or a tool like phpMyAdmin is wise to prevent irreversible changes.
2. Access phpMyAdmin through your hosting dashboard. Find your WordPress database.
3. The tables you’ll work with are generally
   1 wp_posts
   (for image attachment records), and
   1 wp_postmeta
   (for metadata).
4. To remove images, run SQL queries similar to these:
   1 2 3 sql DELETE FROM `wp_posts` WHERE `post_type` = 'attachment'; DELETE FROM `wp_postmeta` WHERE `post_id` = (SELECT ID FROM `wp_posts` WHERE `post_type` = 'attachment');
5. If you want to delete images based on a specified date range or particular criteria, modify your queries accordingly.

Step 6: Verify Changes

1. Once you’ve completed your deletions, log into your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Media → Library and check if the images are successfully removed.
3. Additionally, always review your website’s functionality to ensure images are only missing where intended.

Important Considerations

• Deleting images directly via FTP removes them from the server, but related links in your posts or pages might still reference them. Use the search replace tool or a plugin like Better Search Replace if needed.
• Remember: Always back up before making substantial changes; you'll thank yourself later!

Best Practices for Media Management

• Regular Cleanup: Set a regular schedule (monthly/quarterly) for cleaning up your media library.
• Use Image Optimization Plugins: Tools like Smush can help reduce image size when uploading, making for lighter loads in your library.
• Employ Media Management Plugins: Consider plugins like Media Cleaner or WP-Optimize, which can help automate cleanup tasks, offering easier management of your library.

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Conclusion