Besides text, we have to add different media like graphics and audios to our blog posts. The WordPress Media library is an important tool that enables us to do so. You can simply upload media files from the admin area and insert it into posts and pages. The upload feature can be accessed from the post compose and edit page as well as the dedicated settings present in the administration dashboard. It is feature rich and you will also find that it is quite helpful when it comes to swiftly editing images.
So, here is how you can access the WordPress Media Library and make full use of it:
- Open and log into the administration panel.
- To view all files: Click on Media > Library.
- To upload: Click on Media > Add New.
Media Library Preview
Add New (Upload New Media)
From this page, you can upload media files for use later in content. Simply drag and drop the files in the rectangular area or use the Select Files button to browse and upload from your computer or device. It supports multiple file types.
- Images (jpg, jpeg, png, gif, ico)
- Documents (pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, ppsx, odt, xls, xlsx, psd)
- Audio(mp3, m4a, ogg, wav)
- Video (mp4, m4v, mov, wmv, avi)
From the Visual Editor
When you compose a post, page or other content, you can find a button called Add Media right above the visual editor. It opens up the Insert Media settings within the page so that you can select an item from the library, upload new ones, or insert an URL for external media.
There are additional settings like you can choose a picture and insert the title, caption, alt text, and description. You will also be able to specify the alignment, link, and dimensions of the available image. Fairy advanced option includes the ability to create a gallery and also choose a featured image right from this popup.
Another way to bring up the media library is to select a picture in the post. Then click the edit button (pencil icon) and you have the options again. You can change image details, display settings, and advanced options.
Overall, the media library is an important tool to insert images and other files into posts. Like most bloggers, I use it mostly for images but you can also insert documents, audio, and even video if your host allows it.
You may be interested in: How to Use WordPress Media Manager to Edit Images