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External files in Media Library
Add external files to your media library to use them in your website. They are integrated as if they were available locally.
The facts
- Rating
- 5★ from 3
- Active installs
- 400+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 16 Aug 2026
- Added
- Sep 2023
- Requires WP
- 6.2
- Tested up to
- WP 7.1
- Requires PHP
- 8.2
- Downloads
- 13,569
Our analysis
AI-assistedThe External Files in Media Library plugin allows you to add and manage external files from various sources, such as AWS S3, Google Drive, and FTP, directly within your WordPress media library. You can embed these files in your content using popular editors like Block Editor and Elementor, treating them as if they were stored locally.
This plugin is suitable for users who need to integrate external media into their WordPress sites, providing features like automatic synchronization of external directories, file availability checks, and user access configuration. It also supports importing files into WooCommerce and organizing them with various media management plugins.
Best for: This plugin suits users who want to manage and embed external media files in their WordPress sites.
What it does well
- ✓Supports a wide range of external file sources
- ✓Allows embedding and importing of files as real media
- ✓Automatic synchronization of external directories
- ✓User access configuration for external files
- ✓Compatible with various media management and multilingual plugins
Where it falls short
- •No specific details on support for all plugins
- •Limited information on potential issues or conflicts
Verdict
External Files in Media Library offers a comprehensive solution for integrating external files into WordPress, making it a valuable tool for those needing advanced media management.
From the developer
threadi's own description of External files in Media Library, lightly tidied.
Add one or more files with their URLs under Media > “Add New Media File”. You can use these external files anywhere the media library is used.
Feature
Embed your files from AWS S3, DropBox, Google Drive, Google Cloud Storage, FTP, your local hosting, another website in your multisite, other WordPress REST APIs, YouTube or many other possible sources. Use them in your preferred editor such as Block Editor, Elementor, Divi, Classic Editor, WpBakery and many more as if the files were stored normally in your media library.
Automatically synchronize external directories containing files with your media library at intervals you specify.
And even more:
✅ Add the files with their external dates. This allows you to get the date, helpful for SEO, for example.
✅ Import them as real files instead of just linking to them in your media library. This allows you to import any amount files into your project.
✅ Check their availability (only for HTTP connections) to ensure that the external files are actually available.
✅ Configure, which users in your project are allowed to use the external files options.
✅ Extract ZIP files from any external source into your media library.
Support for other plugins
Use external URLs when importing products via CSV in a WooCommerce store (including access data for these e.g., via an FTP).
Add external files on download lists of Download Lists with Icons.
Sort your external files in a folder of CatFolders, Filebird, Folderly, Folders, iFolders, Media Library Organizer or assign them into categories from Enhanced Media Library and Real Media Library Lite. Also supported: NextGen Gallery and Robo Gallery. You can import and synchronize them in these plugins.
And compatible with Network Media Library for use in multisites.
And it is also compatible with multilingual plugins like Polylang to translate the media files.
The plugin is also compatible with a variety of other plugins not listed here. If, contrary to expectations, something does not work properly, please report it in the support forum.
Rest API
You can manage your external files with REST API requests as documented here.
Mass-Import
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