Central Media Library For Network Websites

Central Media Library For Network Websites is designed exclusively for WordPress Multisite.

It allows a network administrator to maintain a central collection of media and make selected media available to enabled subsites. When central media is used on a subsite, the plugin creates a site-specific attachment that references the central media source. This allows the media to work with WordPress features such as the Media Library, featured images, editors, and supported page builders.

The plugin is useful for multisite networks where several websites need to reuse the same images, videos, audio files, PDFs, and other supported media.

Important: This plugin does not automatically merge or move all existing media files from every subsite into one physical uploads directory. Existing subsite media is not migrated automatically. The plugin maintains central media records and creates linked attachment records for enabled sites.

Before updating the plugin, always take a complete backup of your WordPress files, database, and uploads.

How It Works

1. Install and Network Activate the plugin on a WordPress Multisite network.
2. Open Network Admin → Central Media → Settings.
3. Select the subsites that should have access to the Central Media library.
4. Optionally enable Site Upload Permission if users with the upload_files capability on enabled subsites should be allowed to add media to the central library.
5. Use Network Admin → Central Media to view and manage central media.
6. Enabled subsites can open Media → Central Media and reuse available central media.
7. When central media is used on a subsite, the plugin creates a local attachment record linked to the central media item.

Features

• Central media management for WordPress Multisite.
• Enable or disable Central Media access per subsite.
• Network-level Central Media library.
• Site-level Central Media library for enabled subsites.
• Upload media directly from the Central Media interface.
• Optional permission for enabled subsites to upload media to the Central Media library.
• Automatically register eligible media uploaded on enabled sites as central media when site uploads are permitted.
• Automatically create linked attachment records for enabled sites when new central media is added.
• Reuse central media from different subsites without uploading the same source media separately to each site.
• Search central media by title or filename.
• Pagination for large media libraries.
• Display media preview, title, filename, media type, file size, upload date, source site, and usage information.
• View which network sites are currently using a central media item.
• Use central media from an enabled site’s Central Media screen.
• Edit central media metadata including title, alt text, caption, and description.
• Supports images, audio, video, documents, and other media types supported by WordPress uploads.
• Works with WordPress Media Library attachment data.
• Supports featured image usage.
• Supports Grid View and List View compatibility through WordPress attachment integration.
• Includes compatibility handling for Elementor and Elementor Pro.
• Includes REST API endpoints for reading, using, and deleting central media.
• Uses WordPress nonces and capability checks for administrative actions.
• Keeps central media data when the plugin is uninstalled; media cleanup is intentionally not performed automatically.

Network Settings

Go to:

Network Admin → Central Media → Settings

Enabled Sites

Select the subsites that are allowed to access the Central Media library.

Only selected/enabled sites receive the Media → Central Media interface and can use central media through the plugin.

The setting is controlled at the network level by the network administrator.

Read the full description on the official page →