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Free Plugin by DimitriAus v1.8.1

Cleanup Orphan Images

Orphan media files cleaner

Cleanup Orphan Images

The facts

Rating
5★ from 1
Active installs
100+
Price
Free
Last updated
6 Jul 2026
Added
Dec 2025
Requires WP
5.0
Tested up to
WP 7.0.4
Requires PHP
7.4
Downloads
1,139

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Cleanup Orphan Images is a WordPress plugin designed to identify and remove redundant files from your uploads folder that are not visible in the Media Library. It can help you clean up files left behind from various processes, such as failed uploads or FTP transfers that were not registered in WordPress.

The plugin scans the uploads directory for various file types, including images, documents, audio, video, and archives. It allows for safe manual selection before deletion and provides warnings if the number of orphan files exceeds server limits. This plugin is suitable for users looking to maintain a tidy media library and optimize storage space.

Best for: This plugin is best for WordPress users looking to clean up their media uploads and optimize storage.

What it does well

  • Finds and deletes orphan files not visible in Media Library
  • Supports a wide range of file types including images, documents, audio, video, and archives
  • Allows safe manual selection before deletion
  • Provides warnings for high orphan file counts
  • Optimized for performance with hash-based detection

Where it falls short

  • Does not manage unattached images in the Media Library
  • Limited information on user experience and support

Verdict

Cleanup Orphan Images offers a straightforward solution for managing redundant files in your uploads folder. It is particularly useful for users who frequently upload media and want to maintain an organised library.

From the developer

DimitriAus's own description of Cleanup Orphan Images, lightly tidied.

Finds and deletes redundant files from the uploads folders that are not visible in WordPress Media Library.

These orphan files may have been left behind from:

  • Failed or interrupted uploads
  • Plugin operations or migrations
  • FTP/SFTP uploads not registered in WordPress
  • Database restores or imports

Features

  • Scans uploads directory for orphan media files
  • Supports images: JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, TIFF, SVG, ICO
  • Supports documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, ODT, ODS, ODP, TXT, RTF, CSV
  • Supports audio: MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AAC, M4A, WMA
  • Supports video: MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, MKV, WebM, FLV, M4V, MPEG, MPG
  • Supports archives: ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ
  • Safe manual selection before deletion
  • Warns when orphan count exceeds server’s max_input_vars limit (typically 1000)
  • Optimized O(1) performance with hash-based detection

Note

This plugin does NOT manage “unattached” images in the Media Library. WordPress already provides built-in filtering for unattached media.

Read the full description on the official page →

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