How to Delete Media Files in WordPress?

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Deleting media files in WordPress is very simple, whether you want to delete an individual file or a selection of files at once.

Let’s find out how to delete media files in WordPress.

Deleting Individual Media File

First, go to Media > Library in your admin dashboard to open the library page. Then, click on the media that you want to delete.

select image to delete wordpress media library
Select Image to Delete from the WordPress Media Library

After clicking on the file, it will open a window containing the details of the media. On the bottom-right, there’s the link to delete the file labeled Delete Permanently.

permanently delete wordpress image media
Permanently Delete WordPress Media file

After clicking delete permanently, it will ask you to confirm it. Click OK to continue the deletion of the file. Or, if you want to stop the deletion click on Cancel.

click ok to delete wordpress media
Click OK to Delete WordPress Media files

Deleting Media Files in Bulk

Sometimes, you might need to delete a larger selection of media files from the media library. Deleting them one by one is a lot of work. The bulk delete feature is just for this –

From the media library page, click on the Bulk Select button.

click bulk select wordpress media library delete media
Click Bulk Select WordPress Media files

Now, select the file you want to delete by just clicking on it. Then, click on the Delete Permanently button.

bulk delete image media files permanently wordpress media
Bulk Delete WordPress Media files permanently

After that, confirm the deletion by clicking on the OK button.

confirm bulk delete wordpress media
Confirm Bulk Delete WordPress Media files

The selected files will now be removed from the media library and your website.

Ankit S J B Rana

Ankit S J B Rana

Ankit S J B Rana is a marketing enthusiast originally from the Himalayas of Nepal and currently based out of Bangkok, Thailand.

He is currently the Marketing Director at Mbrella Films and Filma.io

Marketing With WP is Ankit's blog full of marketing insights to turn your website into a 24 hour marketing machine.

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