The WordPress Media Library can be accessed from your dashboard, in the menu to the left. The library houses all multimedia on your site, including images, logos, PDFs, spreadsheets, documents, audio, and video. 

Once a file is added to the media library, it’s accessible to add to your pages via blocks, links, featured images, or toppers. 

Adding Media to Library

Go to the Library and click the Add New Media File button at the top. A box with a dotted outline will appear. You can either drag and drop your file into the box or click Select Files and find the file on your computer, then click the Open button to add it to the library. 

The main HLS site has a file size limit of 10 MB. There is a note in the upload box indicating the size limit. If your file is larger than 10 MB or the stated file size limit, you may need to reduce the file size. 

Metadata, Photo Credits, and More

Once your file is added to the library, you can click on it to edit its metadata. (Tip: You can view your files either as a list or tiles. To change this, click on the icons in the upper-left corner of the library.) 

In the top section, you’ll see fields for Alternative Text, Title, Caption, Description, and File URL: 

Alternative Text: This is a brief description of the image, useful for people with vision impairments who are using screen readers. See Digital Accessibility Services’s guidance on alt text. 

  • Title: This is the title of the file, which is automatically added according to the original file name and will be reflected in the file URL. If you want this name to be something specific in the URL, make sure the file you are uploading has that name. You can change the file title after it’s added to the library, but the URL will not change, so name your files with intent. 
  • Caption: The public-facing description of your image. Include as much information as you would like to appear in small text under the image. 
  • Description: Include as much information about your file as necessary here. This field is not public-facing and can be really useful in the future in helping identify the people, places, dates, and events depicted in an image. 
  • File URL: This is the URL to your file, used to add spreadsheet or PDF links, as well as for sharing images.  

Below this, you’ll find fields for tags and credits. 

In the HLS website, it’s a good idea to add your Department tag to files so that they are easier to find later. You can also use general tags, as well as People tags, to stay organized internally. For instance, if you are uploading a batch of images from a particular event, you might create a general tag with that event name. 

The Credits field is for photo credits. If you know the photographer, it’s a good move to give them credit for their work. You can either begin typing a name to see an existing list of photographers or, to add a new one, hover on the field and click the plus sign to the right. 

The Gallery Block Image toggle lets you add an image to a gallery. When toggled on, you’ll see a series of fields for the title, subtitle, description, and more. 

The Rights Restricted toggle is for images that can only be used for editorial purposes, mainly from Getty or other editorial photography providers. This hides the image from all staff except the Communications team. 

Bulk Adding and Editing

You can easily add or edit files in bulk. To add in bulk, just select all the files you want to add and drop them into the library, or choose Select Files and add them from there. (Tip: You can usually select multiple files from a list by clicking the first in the list, holding the shift button, then clicking the last in the list.)

To edit files in bulk, click the Bulk Select button at the top then choose all the files you wish to edit. From here, you can add tags, departments, people, usages, or photo credits to multiple files at once. You can also delete multiple files this way. 

Replace Media 

Certain media types, including spreadsheets, documents, and PDFs, give you the option to replace the file with a new or updated version while keeping the same URL. This function is commonly used for spreadsheets and documents that are linked to in multiple places, as it allows users to update media without having to update the links. 

Additionally, web editors can update their WP DataTables (searchable/sortable tables) using Replace Media. See more information in the Tables post. 

Still have questions? Check out WordPress’ guidance on managing your site’s media. You can also reach out to Comms via ServiceNow.

Tags: Images, Media

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