Title: External files in Media Library
Author: threadi
Published: <strong>13. september, 2023</strong>
Last modified: 30. august, 2026

---

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# External files in Media Library

 Af [threadi](https://profiles.wordpress.org/threadi/)

[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/external-files-in-media-library.5.4.0.zip)

[Forhåndsvisning i realtid](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/?preview=1)

 * [Detaljer](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/#description)
 * [Vurderinger](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/#reviews)
 *  [Installation](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/#installation)
 * [Udvikling](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/)

## Beskrivelse

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](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce/)
store (including access data for these e.g., via an FTP).

Add external files on download lists of [Download Lists with Icons](https://wordpress.org/plugins/download-list-block-with-icons/).

Sort your external files in a folder of [CatFolders](https://wordpress.org/plugins/catfolders/),
[Filebird](https://wordpress.org/plugins/filebird/), [Folderly](https://wordpress.org/plugins/folderly/),
[Folders](https://wordpress.org/plugins/folders/), [iFolders](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ifolders/),
[Media Library Organizer](https://wordpress.org/plugins/media-library-organizer/)
or assign them into categories from [Enhanced Media Library](https://wpuxsolutions.com/plugins/enhanced-media-library/)
and [Real Media Library Lite](https://wordpress.org/plugins/real-media-library-lite/).
Also supported: [NextGen Gallery](https://wordpress.org/plugins/nextgen-gallery/)
and [Robo Gallery](https://wordpress.org/plugins/robo-gallery/). You can import 
and synchronize them in these plugins.

And compatible with [Network Media Library](https://github.com/humanmade/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](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/).

### REST API

You can manage your external files with REST API requests as documented [here](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/tree/master/docs/rest.md).

### Mass-Import

You can import complete directories from any of the supported TCP protocols. Just
enter the directory as path to import, and the plugin will import any supported 
files from it or use the external source tools to navigate to the directory to import.

For large directories, there is also an automatically processed queue. You could
also use the [WP CLI](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/blob/master/docs/cli.md)
for large directories.

### TCP Protocols

You can use the following TCP-protocols to import external files in your media library:

📡 `http://`
 📡 `https://` 📡 `ftp://` 📡 `ftps://` 📡 `sftp://` 📡 `ssh://` 📡`
file://`

Some of them require credentials, for http(s) it is optional.

### Service plugins

Support for additional platforms as external sources is enabled by additional service
plugins. These are now:

➕ [External files from AWS S3 in Media Library](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-from-aws-s3)(
incl. support for AWS S3, Backplaze S3, Cloudflare R2 and DigitalOcean Spaces)
 
➕ [External files from Google Cloud Storage in Media Library](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-from-google-cloud-storage)
➕ [External files from Google Drive in Media Library](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-from-google-drive)
➕ [External files from WebDav in Media Library](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-from-webdav)(
incl. any WebDav-provider like NextCloud or Seafile)

They can be installed manually or in the backend of your WordPress under Media Library
> Add External Files.

### Use cases

Here are a few examples of how this plugin can help you:

💡 Store particularly large files in a different storage location so that you save
storage space on your hosting.
 💡 Import files that your graphic designer provides
you in a shared directory. 💡 Automatically synchronize photos from your vacation
for display on your website. 💡 Use regularly newly generated PDF files from a shared
directory for output on your website. 💡 Get images for your products from a central
directory.

Find more [here](https://plugins.thomaszwirner.de/en/external-files-in-the-media-library/)

### ClassicPress

This plugin is compatible with [ClassicPress](https://www.classicpress.net/).

### Repository, documentation and reliability

You find some documentations [on this plugin page](https://plugins.thomaszwirner.de/en/plugin/externe-dateien-in-der-mediathek/)
and [in GitHub](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/tree/master/docs).

The development repository is on [GitHub](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/).

Each release of this plugin will only be published if it fulfills the following 
conditions:

✅ PHPStan check for possible bugs.
 ✅ Compliance with WordPress Coding Standards.
✅ No failures during PHP Compatibility check. ✅ No exceptions during PHP Unit 
Tests.

## Skærmbilleder

[⌊Field to add external files in Media > Add New Media File.⌉⌊Field to add external
files in Media > Add New Media File.⌉[

Field to add external files in Media > Add New Media File.

[⌊Dialog to add URLs of external files.⌉⌊Dialog to add URLs of external files.⌉[

Dialog to add URLs of external files.

[⌊Success message after adding the URL of an external file.⌉⌊Success message after
adding the URL of an external file.⌉[

Success message after adding the URL of an external file.

[⌊An external file in the media library.⌉⌊An external file in the media library.⌉[

An external file in the media library.

[⌊View directories and files in Google Drive.⌉⌊View directories and files in Google
Drive.⌉[

View directories and files in Google Drive.

## Installation

 1. Upload “external-files-in-media-library” to the “/wp-content/plugins/” directory.
 2. Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” menu in WordPress.

## FAQ

### Why do you need to install additional plugins for some sources?

Two reasons for this:

a) Some of the external sources use libraries whose licenses are not permitted in
the WordPress repository. For example, the aws/aws-sdk-php library for AWS uses 
the Apache License. This is not compatible with GPL.

b) With all these libraries, the plugin would be too large to publish in the WordPress
repository.

### Can I prevent other WordPress-users from adding external files?

Yes, you can select under Settings > “External files in Media Library” > Permissions,
which roles gets the ability to add or delete external URLs in your media library.

### Can I also embed password-protected external files?

Yes, but these files are integrated locally and not from the external URL so that
your visitors can access them without any problems.

### Can I embed files from an FTP?

Yes, you can [add them manually](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/blob/master/docs/import/ftp.md)
or with the FTP-tool in Media > “Add external files”.

### Can I import complete directories?

Yes, you can. Just enter the directory to import or use the tools under Media > “
Add external files”. All files in the directory will be imported.

### Do the upload size limits for files apply in the same way as for a normally uploaded file?

No, there is no fixed size limit for external files. Limits are determined by the
storage space available to you, depending on where the file is stored.

### Can I import from my local server?

Yes, you can. Simply use the Local tool under Media > “Add external files” or enter
the absolute path with file-protocol,
 e.g., `file:///var/www/path/to/file.png` –
see also [our documentation](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/blob/master/docs/import/file.md).

### Can I import external product images for WooCommerce?

Yes, simply enable the setting under Settings > “External files in Media Library”
> WooCommerce. Add your external URLs
 for images in the CSV you want to import 
as it is already possible with WooCommerce. They will be handled as external files
by this plugin. This also allows you to use all protocols supported by the plugin
as external source of your files.

### Is there a WP CLI command?

Yes, we provide many options on WP CLI, see [our documentation](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/blob/master/docs/cli.md).

### Google tells me that the app is not verified when I connect Google Drive – why?

According to Google guidelines, an app that is used to connect to the Google Drive
API is only checked and confirmed once
 it has 100 active users. As long as less
than 100 active users use this function via this plugin, you will always see this
message. You can confirm it via “unsecure” and still complete the connection of 
your Google Drive with your WordPress website.

## Anmeldelser

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/890867096b278e0610028b8601534275e47cb675460096ec33fccd02a37fc032?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[Interested – but took my site down – SOLVED](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/interested-but-took-my-site-down/)󠁿

 [psudan](https://profiles.wordpress.org/psudan/) 2. oktober, 2024 5 svar

Hi there,Wanted to give it a try but it took my site down![29-Sep-2024 09:00:07 
UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: Unsupported operand types: string & int
in /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-rewrite.php:1036Stack
trace:#0 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-rewrite.php(1410):
WP_Rewrite->generate_rewrite_rules()#1 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/
class-wp-rewrite.php(1509): WP_Rewrite->rewrite_rules()#2 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/
public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-rewrite.php(1884): WP_Rewrite->refresh_rewrite_rules()#
3 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/rewrite.php(282): WP_Rewrite->
flush_rules()#4 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/external-
files-in-media-library/classes/eml/Controller/class-proxy.php(225): flush_rewrite_rules()#
5 [internal function]: threadi\eml\Controller\Proxy::do_refresh()#6 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/classes/eml/class-
transient.php(186): call_user_func()#7 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-content/
plugins/external-files-in-media-library/classes/eml/class-transients.php(152): threadi\
eml\Transient->display()#8 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/
external-files-in-media-library/inc/admin.php(1241): threadi\eml\Transients->check_transients()#
9 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php(324): eml_admin_notices()#
10 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php(348): WP_Hook-
>apply_filters()#11 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-includes/plugin.php(517):
WP_Hook->do_action()#12 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-admin/admin-header.
php(303): do_action()#13 /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/public_html/wp-admin/plugins.php(
624): require_once('/home/1340234.c…')#14 {main}thrown in /home/xxxxxxxxxxxxx.com/
public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-rewrite.php on line 1036

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2e2fedaeab10d43901602620615252813a1f8ca2dcfd28539642ae01d41f38df?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[GREAT!](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/great-16415/)󠁿

 [TOTEM WORLD](https://profiles.wordpress.org/totemworld/) 1. august, 2024 1 svar

Highly recommend this plugin for anyone looking to enhance their media management
with ease!

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d4e22e33c2def32f83a555a55ab23f64cee404dca2d0a623f433d804f34d0347?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[Everything I was looking for](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/everything-i-was-looking-for-9/)󠁿

 [VooDoo](https://profiles.wordpress.org/dearvoodoo/) 12. april, 2024

This plugin simply does what it says it does.This allows me to have images hosted
on a Discord channel directly on my Wordpress website without having to host a single
one of them. If I could find just one little thing to add, it would be to see in
real time which link is being processed. Bravo to the developer, great work !

 [ Læs alle 3 anmeldelser ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/)

## Bidragsydere & udviklere

“External files in Media Library” er open source-software. Følgende personer har
bidraget til dette plugin.

Bidragsydere

 *   [ threadi ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/threadi/)

“External files in Media Library” er blevet oversat til 4 sprog. Tak til [oversætterne](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/external-files-in-media-library/contributors)
for deres bidrag.

[Oversæt “External files in Media Library” til dit eget sprog.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/external-files-in-media-library)

### Interesseret i udvikling?

[Gennemse koden](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/external-files-in-media-library/),
tjek [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/external-files-in-media-library/),
eller abonner på [udviklerloggen](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/external-files-in-media-library/)
via [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/external-files-in-media-library/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).

## Ændringslog

#### 5.4.0

 * Added our own list of intervals for schedules as expendable objects
 * Added a hook to add custom result handler
 * Added setting for max age of log entries
 * Added new site health check for accessibility of the proxy folder
 * Log any server-side error during loading of a directory
 * Use screen reader text for open new window hint
 * Remove filter to use unsafe URLs after they have been used
 * Videos are not proxied by default anymore to save this space
 * Updated settings and dialog library
 * Optimized some hooks with more parameters
 * Optimized the switch to external hosting incl. more log entries
 * Send optimized HTTP header via proxy
 * Optimized deletion of old log entries
 * Our custom log table is now compatible with strict database systems
 * Secure proxy folder also in versions before 5.2.0
 * Optimized check for max execution time
 * Show the availability of services to export files
 * Do not export not allowed mime types
 * Typos
 * Fixed a wrong placeholder to use an external link to Dropbox
 * Fixed wrong capabilities for some term handlings
 * Fixed check for development mode in WordPress < 6.3
 * Fixed missing set of fields during protocol detection for files
 * Fixed JavaScript to show any error during hosting switch
 * Fixed error in calculation for Audio files in proxy
 * Do not load support for PreventDirectAccess on every page in the backend
 * Fixed export of files to Dropbox
 * Fixed missing thumbnails after image has been uploaded and exported to external
   service

[older changes](https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library/blob/master/changelog.md)

## Meta

 *  Version **5.4.0**
 *  Senest opdateret **1 måned siden**
 *  Aktive installationer **500+**
 *  WordPress-version ** 6.2 eller højere **
 *  Testet op til **7.1.3**
 *  PHP-version ** 8.2 eller højere **
 *  Sprog
 * [Chinese (Taiwan)](https://tw.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/),
   [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/),
   [German](https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/), 
   [German (Austria)](https://de-at.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/)
   og [German (Switzerland)](https://de-ch.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/).
 *  [Oversæt til dit sprog](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/external-files-in-media-library)
 * Tags
 * [embed](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/embed/)[media](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/media/)
   [media library](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/media-library/)
 *  [Avanceret visning](https://da.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/advanced/)

## Bedømmelser

 5 ud af 5 stjerner.

 *  [  3 5-stjernet anmeldelser     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/?filter=5)
 *  [  0 4-stjernet anmeldelser     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/?filter=4)
 *  [  0 3-stjernet anmeldelser     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/?filter=3)
 *  [  0 2-stjernet anmeldelser     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/?filter=2)
 *  [  0 1-stjernet anmeldelser     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/?filter=1)

[Din anmeldelse](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/#new-post)

[Se alle anmeldelser](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/reviews/)

## Bidragsydere

 *   [ threadi ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/threadi/)

## Support

Problemerne er løst inden for de sidste to måneder:

     1 ud af 3

 [Vis supportforum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/)