Description
📁 PixelVault is the free way to organize your WordPress media library with unlimited, drag-and-drop media folders, and now to present those folders as a downloadable Document Library on the front end. Sort images, videos, PDFs, audio, and documents into nested, colour-coded folders right inside the Media Library, then publish any folder as a browsable asset manager for your visitors.
Stop scrolling through hundreds of unsorted attachments. PixelVault lets you categorize media into folders and subfolders, filter instantly, and find any file in seconds — a proper file manager for your WordPress media.
Folders are virtual — physical files never move, no URLs change, nothing breaks, and standard WordPress export/import keeps working without any special steps.
🆕 Document Library block (new in 1.2.0)
Turn any media folder into a browsable, downloadable document library on the front end, no page builder required. The PixelVault Document Library Gutenberg block renders a folder as an accessible file browser with a sidebar folder tree, breadcrumb navigation, in-library search, pagination, and per-file downloads.
- 🗂️ Folder tree and breadcrumb: visitors browse nested folders without page reloads
- 🔍 Search and pagination: find files fast inside large folders
- ⬇️ Per-file download plus Download-all ZIP: grab one file or the whole folder in a click
- 🎨 Three design presets (Cards, Compact, Minimal), with an accent colour and a framed option
- ♿ Accessibility-first: full keyboard navigation (WAI-ARIA tree pattern), screen-reader friendly
- 📱 Fully responsive: grid and list layouts adapt to mobile
- 🔒 Respects folder visibility: restricted folders stay hidden from guests
Perfect for knowledge bases, press kits, resource centres, download portals, and product documentation.
✨ Core Features
- 📂 Unlimited nested folders and subfolders — no depth limit, no folder count limit
- 🔗 Assign files to multiple folders — one file can appear in as many folders as you like
- 🎨 Folder colour coding — colour-label folders for instant visual orientation
- 🖱️ Drag-and-drop sidebar — reorder folders, move files, and create subfolders by dragging
- ⚡ Auto-assign uploads — new files go straight into whichever folder is selected
- 🔍 Search and sort — find folders instantly; sort manually, by name, or by file count
- ⌨️ Keyboard shortcut — press “n” to create a new folder
- 🖲️ Right-click context menu — Rename, Delete, Lock, Create subfolders, Copy gallery shortcode, Import ZIP to folder, Download all files
- 🌐 RTL language support — full right-to-left layout
🛠️ Organisation and Productivity Tools
📦 ZIP File Import
Right-click any folder and choose “Import ZIP to folder”. Upload a .zip archive and PixelVault extracts and assigns every image, video, audio file, and PDF directly into that folder.
🗺️ Media Usage Map
Right-click any image and choose “Where is this used?” to see every post, page, or custom post type that references the file — useful before replacing or deleting files.
⬇️ Bulk Download as ZIP
Right-click any folder to download all its files as a ZIP archive.
🔒 Folder Locking
Lock any folder to prevent accidental renaming, deletion, moving, or file reassignment. Locked folders display a padlock badge.
📊 Storage Analytics
Full storage overview with total size, average file size, file-type breakdown chart, top-10 largest files, and per-folder size distribution. Available under Settings Analytics and as a WordPress Dashboard widget.
✏️ Bulk Alt Text Editor
Batch-edit alt text on all images that are missing it — useful for accessibility and image SEO. Edit multiple files at once without opening each one individually.
🔄 Media Replace
Swap any file in place, keeping the same URL and attachment ID. All existing references on posts and pages continue to work automatically.
🎯 Smart Filters
Dynamic built-in views that update automatically: Missing Alt Text, Unused Files, Recent Uploads, and Large Files.
🗂️ Auto-Categorise Existing Media
Bulk-organise your existing media library in one click via the import icon at the bottom of the folder panel. Choose a rule:
- 📅 By Year — creates a folder per year (e.g. 2023, 2024).
- 🗓️ By Month — creates a folder per month (e.g. January 2024, February 2024).
- 🏷️ By File Type — creates Images, Videos, Audio, PDFs, Documents, and Spreadsheets folders.
Choose Unassigned only to leave already-organised files untouched, or All files to reassign everything. PixelVault previews the result before making any changes.
🚚 Import from Other Plugins
One-click migration from FileBird, Real Media Library, WP Media Folder, and Enhanced Media Library. Folder hierarchy and all file assignments are copied automatically. Go to Settings Tools Import from Another Plugin. The original plugin’s data is never modified.
💾 Export and Import
Back up your entire folder structure as a JSON file and restore it on any WordPress site — no SQL required.
🔐 Role Permissions
Granular folder access per WordPress user role: control who can create, edit, and delete folders independently.
🧩 Gutenberg, Elementor, and Divi
- 📚 PixelVault Document Library block — publish a folder as an accessible, downloadable file library with a folder tree, search, pagination, and Download-all ZIP
- 🖼️ PixelVault Gallery block — insert a folder’s contents as a responsive gallery with lightbox directly in the block editor
- 📝 [pixelvault_gallery] shortcode — classic editor, widgets, and theme template support
- 🎛️ Elementor — folder panel works inside the Elementor media modal
- 🏗️ Divi — folder panel works in the Divi backend builder and the Divi Front End Builder
- 🌍 Universal compatibility — PixelVault hooks into WordPress’s native media modal, so it works with any theme or page builder
🏛️ Architecture: Virtual Taxonomy
PixelVault stores folder assignments in WordPress’s native taxonomy tables (wp_term_relationships). Physical files stay exactly where they are. Deleting a folder never deletes files.
👩💻 For Developers
Full REST API and documented action/filter hooks.
🔌 REST API — Full CRUD at /wp-json/rayetun-medianest/v1/folders. Authenticate with X-WP-Nonce.
⚙️ Action hooks (selection):
rayetun_medianest_folder_created( $term_id, $folder_id, $args )rayetun_medianest_folder_renamed( $term_id, $new_name )rayetun_medianest_folder_moved( $term_id, $new_parent, $old_parent )rayetun_medianest_folder_deleted( $term_id, $folder_object )rayetun_medianest_folders_reordered( $ordered_term_ids )rayetun_medianest_attachment_assigned( $attachment_id, $term_ids, $context )
🔧 Filter hooks (selection):
rayetun_medianest_get_folders( $folders, $post_type )— modify the folder listrayetun_medianest_auto_assign_target( $term_id, $attachment_id )— override the upload target folderrayetun_medianest_smart_folders( $defs )— register custom dynamic folders
JavaScript hooks (via @wordpress/hooks) let you add items to the folder/image context menus and the bulk-action bar.
A full list of PHP and JavaScript hooks with examples ships in HOOKS.md inside the plugin.
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the plugin folder to
/wp-content/plugins/. - Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
- Go to Media Library — the folder panel appears on the left.
No configuration is required to get started.
FAQ
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❓ Will this break my media URLs or move my files?
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No. PixelVault uses virtual folders — it only stores a taxonomy relationship between your attachment and a folder label. Physical files are never moved. No URLs change.
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🔗 Can one file appear in multiple folders?
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Yes. PixelVault supports many-to-many assignment — the same file can appear in as many folders as you like.
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🗑️ What happens to my files if I delete a folder?
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Your files are completely unaffected. They remain in the media library; only the folder assignment is removed. Child folders are automatically moved up to the deleted folder’s parent.
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♻️ What happens if I uninstall PixelVault?
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All folder data is removed cleanly on uninstall: taxonomy terms, term relationships, and the plugin’s custom table are deleted. Your media files are never touched.
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🔌 Is there a REST API?
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Yes. Full CRUD is available at
/wp-json/rayetun-medianest/v1/folders. Authenticate with a standardX-WP-Nonceheader. -
🚚 Can I import my folders from FileBird, Real Media Library, WP Media Folder, or Enhanced Media Library?
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Yes — all four are supported. Go to Settings Tools Import from Another Plugin, scan for importable plugins, and click Import. The original plugin’s data is never modified or deleted.
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🧩 Does it work with Elementor, Divi, and Gutenberg?
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Yes. The folder panel works inside Elementor’s media modal, in both the Divi back-end and front-end builders, and the Gutenberg media uploader. There are also two dedicated Gutenberg blocks: the PixelVault Gallery block and the new PixelVault Document Library block.
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📚 What is the Document Library block and where does it work?
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The Document Library block turns any folder into a front-end file browser your visitors can search, navigate, and download from (including a Download-all ZIP). It is a Gutenberg block, so add it on any post or page from the block inserter, pick a folder, and choose a design preset. It is keyboard-accessible and fully responsive, and it respects your folder visibility rules, so restricted folders stay hidden from guests. Requires WordPress 6.5 or newer.
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💬 Get Support
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Post in the WordPress.org support forum. We aim to respond within 24 hours on business days.
Reviews
Contributors & Developers
“PixelVault – Media Library Folders & Asset Manager” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “PixelVault – Media Library Folders & Asset Manager” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.2.0
- New: 📚 PixelVault Document Library block — publish any media folder as an accessible, downloadable file library on the front end, with a sidebar folder tree, breadcrumb navigation, in-library search, pagination, per-file downloads, and a Download-all ZIP.
- New: three design presets (Cards, Compact, Minimal), plus an accent colour, a framed option, and grid/list layouts, all configurable from the block settings.
- New: the block is accessibility-first (full keyboard navigation using the WAI-ARIA tree pattern, screen-reader friendly) and fully responsive on mobile.
- New: the Document Library respects folder visibility and role permissions, so restricted folders stay hidden from guests. It uses a public REST endpoint for no-reload navigation, and adds developer filters to extend file queries, downloads, and per-file output.
- Fix: bulk “Move to folder” in the Media Library now works. It previously did nothing.
- Fix: bulk “Add to folder” now keeps a file’s existing folders instead of removing it from them, so a file can stay in several folders at once.
- Fix: the bulk Delete button no longer gets stuck showing “Deleting…” after a deletion.
- Fix: turning on Bulk Select and switching folders now clears it, instead of leaving Bulk Select active when you move between folders or return to a previous one.
- Improve: bulk Add, Move, Remove, and Delete now show live “X of N” progress and run in batches for speed.
- Change: Requires at least is now WordPress 6.5, which the Document Library block needs.
1.1.5
- Improve: the folder panel in the media popup now shows a collapsible tree (collapsed by default with expand arrows), so large folder structures stay tidy instead of appearing fully expanded.
- Fix: removed the flicker/flash in the media popup when opening it, switching folders, or uploading. The folder panel and grid now render smoothly.
- Improve: dragging files onto a locked folder now shows clear feedback (a blocked highlight while dragging, and a rejection shake plus a message on drop) instead of failing silently.
1.1.4
- Fix: pressing the “N” key while typing in the block (Gutenberg) editor, Elementor, or Divi no longer triggers the folder shortcut — the “New Folder” keyboard shortcut is now limited to the Media Library screen, where the folder sidebar lives. Previously the letter “n” could be swallowed while writing a post or page.
1.1.3
- New: create a folder right from the media popup while adding images to a post, page, Elementor, or Divi — no need to pre-create it in the Media Library first. New uploads go straight into the folder you just made.
- New: ZIP imports now run in batches, so large archives (hundreds or thousands of files) import reliably without timing out, with a live “Importing X of Y…” progress readout.
- New: added safety guards to ZIP import — a per-file-count limit and an uncompressed-size (zip-bomb) limit — and abandoned extractions are now cleaned up automatically.
- Fix: dropping a .zip onto the “Import ZIP to folder” window no longer uploads it to the Media Library by mistake — the drop is now captured by the import window and sent to the chosen folder.
- Fix: the “Done” button in the ZIP import window now closes the window as expected.
1.1.2
- Fix: the Media Library layout no longer pulls WordPress’s own “Help” and “Screen Options” tabs (and the update/admin notices) into the folder sidebar row. They now stay in their normal position instead of forming an empty column and pushing the media grid off-screen.
- Fix: newly uploaded files now appear in the grid instantly — with WordPress’s native upload progress bar — without needing to reload the page.
- Fix: the folder drag handle and the expand/collapse arrow no longer overlap in the sidebar.
- Fix: the “Media PixelVault” admin menu item now shows with correct capitalisation.
- New: developer filter
rayetun_medianest_load_admin_assetslets companion plugins load the PixelVault folder sidebar inside their own media modals.
1.1.1
- Fix: folder drag-to-reorder now starts from anywhere on the folder row — previously it required a pixel-perfect press on the tiny drag handle, so reordering often did nothing.
- Fix: drag-to-reorder now works for Editors (users with the “Edit Any Folder” capability), not only Administrators. Previously it silently failed to save for non-admins.
- Tweak: the drag handle is hidden for users who don’t have permission to reorder, so there’s no confusing non-working handle.
1.1.0
- New: ⭐ Starred Folders — mark favourite folders and pin them to the top of the media library sidebar (per user).
- New: 🗂️ Folder Templates — save your current folder structure as a reusable template and apply it in one click (Settings Tools).
- New: Folder Structure Backup — export your folder structure to a JSON file and re-import it on any site.
- New: Developer hooks — added a full set of PHP actions/filters and JavaScript hooks so add-ons can extend PixelVault. See HOOKS.md.
- Tweak: Assets now use file-modification-time cache-busting, so updates always load without a hard refresh.
- Fix: Quick Action cards on the dashboard no longer overlap on some screen widths.
🎉 1.0.0
- Initial release.
- Unlimited nested virtual folders with colour coding and drag-and-drop sidebar.
- Right-click context menu: rename, delete, lock/unlock, subfolder creation, gallery shortcode copy, ZIP import, usage map, bulk download.
- Keyboard shortcut: press n to create a new folder.
- Auto-assign new uploads to the selected folder.
- Search and sort controls (manual, A-Z, Z-A, file count).
- Role-based folder visibility and granular role permissions panel.
- Folder Locking with padlock badge.
- Bulk Download as ZIP — download any folder’s contents as a zip archive.
- ZIP File Import — upload a zip and extract media directly into a folder.
- Media Usage Map — see every post and page that references any image.
- Import from other plugins — one-click migration from FileBird (v5 and v6), Real Media Library, WP Media Folder, and Enhanced Media Library.
- Auto-Categorise Existing Media — bulk-assign unorganised files into folders by year, month, or file type.
- Storage Analytics — overview dashboard, file-type chart, and per-folder size breakdown.
- Bulk Alt Text Editor — batch-edit missing alt text.
- Media Replace — swap any file in place, preserving its URL and attachment ID.
- Smart Filters — Missing Alt Text, Unused Files, Recent Uploads, Large Files.
- PixelVault Gallery Gutenberg block with lightbox support.
- [pixelvault_gallery] shortcode for classic editor and theme templates.
- Elementor media modal integration.
- Divi backend and frontend builder integration.
- REST API — full CRUD at /wp-json/rayetun-medianest/v1/folders.
- AJAX fallback for environments where the REST API is restricted.
- JSON Export and Import for folder structure backup and restore.
- RTL language support.
- Documented action and filter hooks for developers.
- No external services, no data collection.