Delete media files

Deleting media files helps you manage your site’s storage and keep your Media Library organized. In this guide, you’ll learn how to delete media files, what happens to posts or pages using deleted files, and what to know before deleting.

Before deleting an image, video, or other media file:

• Review which posts or pages use the file before deleting it.
• When reviewing files in your Media Library, note that media with the “unattached” label may still be in use on your site. Learn more about attached/unattached media.
• Export your Media Library for backup if you plan to delete many files.

To delete a single media file, follow these steps:

1. Go to your dashboard.
2. Select Media from the menu.
3. Hover over the media file you want to delete and click the “Delete permanently” link.

4. Carefully read the warning and click the OK button to continue, or Cancel to exit without deleting the file.

You can also bulk delete media files by following these steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Select Media.
3. Switch to the list view using the icon to the right of the “All media items” drop-down.
4. Check the box next to each media file you want to delete.
5. In the “Bulk actions” drop-down, select “Delete permanently” and click the Apply button.

After you delete files from your Media Library, you will want to:

• Wait a few minutes after deleting files for your storage space to update.
• Clear your browser cache if a deleted file still appears.
• Check for any broken image links on pages or posts, since deleting the file removes it from your content.
• Allow search engines to re-crawl your site. Images or files may still appear in search engines until they re-crawl your site.