Unattached Media Manager

Why This Plugin Is Different

Most media cleaner plugins help you delete unused images. This plugin fixes a fundamental WordPress problem first.

WordPress has a built-in “Unattached” filter in the Media Library. The idea is simple: it shows you media files that aren’t connected to any post, so you can decide whether to keep or delete them.

The problem? WordPress only marks media as “attached” if it was uploaded directly through the post editor. Any image added through ACF fields, Gutenberg blocks, page builders, widgets, theme options, or shortcodes shows as “Unattached” — even though it’s actively being used on your site.

This makes WordPress’s native “Unattached” filter completely unreliable.

How Unattached Media Manager Fixes This

This plugin scans your entire site, finds every place where media files are actually being used, and properly attaches them to their parent posts. Once attached:

• WordPress’s “Unattached” filter actually works — It now shows only truly unused media
• You can use WordPress’s native tools — No need to depend on third-party plugins to manage media
• Import/export plugins work correctly — Tools like WP All Import, WP Migrate, Duplicator, and others can now properly identify and migrate media with their associated posts
• You can safely uninstall this plugin — The attachments remain as part of WordPress’s native structure

The Workflow

1. Scan — The plugin finds all media usage across your site (content, ACF, blocks, widgets, options, etc.)
2. Attach — One-click to properly attach all “used but unattached” media to their parent posts
3. Review — Now WordPress’s “Unattached” filter shows only genuinely unused files
4. Clean Up — Use WordPress’s native tools OR this plugin’s safe deletion features
5. Done — Uninstall if you want; the fixes stay with WordPress

Yes, It Also Deletes Unused Media

Like other media cleaners, this plugin also helps you safely delete unused media with:

• Trash support — Move to trash first, restore if needed
• Permanent delete — Remove forever when you’re sure
• Change history — Track all attachment changes with one-click revert

But the real value is fixing WordPress’s attachment system so you don’t need to depend on any plugin long-term.

Two Processing Modes

• Browser-Driven (Recommended) — Fast and reliable with real-time progress. Keep the browser tab open until complete.
• Background (WP-Cron) — Processing continues even after closing your browser. Ideal for server cron setups.

Read the full description on the official page →