Media Reference Inspector

Media Reference Inspector is a read-only WordPress admin tool for checking where Media Library items are referenced.

Version 2.0.0 adds a redesigned professional workflow for both individual checks and bulk audits while preserving the plugin’s safety-first behavior. It does not delete files, modify content, create database tables, track users, or call external services.

Scanner

Use the Scanner tab to search and filter Media Library items, review file details, and inspect one item at a time. Results are grouped by reference type with clear status information and Edit or View actions where WordPress provides them.

Supported reference checks include:

• Post, page, and custom post type content or excerpts containing the original media URL, generated image-size URLs, or the WordPress wp-image-ID class.
• Core Image, Gallery, Cover, Media & Text, File, Audio, and Video blocks that store the attachment ID.
• Featured images stored in WordPress core _thumbnail_id metadata.
• Navigation menu custom URLs matching the original media URL or generated image-size URLs.
• WordPress Site Icon and Site Logo settings.
• Active theme Custom Logo, Header Image, and Background Image settings.
• WooCommerce product gallery attachment references when WooCommerce gallery data is present.
• Elementor saved media-control references when Elementor data is present and the saved JSON confirms the attachment ID.

Bulk Scan

Bulk Scan can process a bounded batch of Media Library items and shows live progress plus a summary of referenced items, items with no supported references found, and items that need review.

Bulk results can be filtered and exported to CSV for audit or reporting workflows. Bulk scanning remains read-only.

Media Library shortcut

A Check references row action is added to the standard Media Library list so administrators can open an item directly in Media Reference Inspector.

Important safety note

A result of «No supported references found» does not prove that a file is unused or safe to delete. Themes, page builders, custom database tables, external systems, custom code, or plugin-specific storage can reference media in ways that are outside the supported checks.

Privacy

Media Reference Inspector does not send data to external services and does not add tracking, analytics, or telemetry. It stores no plugin settings or scan history.