Virtual folders
Create nested, hierarchical folders to organize media any way you like.
v2.1.4 · WordPress 6.8+ · PHP 8.3+
Your Media Library, finally organized.
Virtual Media Folders adds hierarchical folders to the WordPress Media Library — without moving a single file. Folders are virtual, so your URLs never change. Lightweight, accessible, no lock-in.
- 200+ active installs
- ★ 5.0 on WordPress.org
- 24 GitHub stars
The problem
The WordPress Media Library gets messy — fast.
Every upload lands in one flat pile. On a site that’s been around for years, finding the right image becomes a scroll-and-squint exercise.
- Thousands of files in one endless scroll.
- No way to group images by project, brand, or campaign.
- Other folder plugins move files and break your URLs.
- Heavy “media manager” plugins that feel like a second CMS.
Virtual Media Folders fixes this with real folders that don’t touch your files.
Features
Everything you need to tame your media.
Powerful where it counts, invisible everywhere else.
Drag & drop
Move media between folders with a drag — or bulk-move many at once.
Gutenberg integration
Filter media by folder right inside the block editor’s media modal.
Fast folder search
Jump to any folder instantly; matching subfolders expand automatically.
Fully keyboard accessible
Complete keyboard navigation and screen-reader support, by design.
Lightweight & private
Uses native WordPress taxonomy. No tracking, no cookies, no bloat.
How it works
Reorganize freely. Break nothing.
The trick is that folders are metadata, not directories. That one design choice is why URLs never change.
- 01
Folders are virtual
Built on a native WordPress taxonomy — assigning media to a folder is just a term relationship, not a file move.
- 02
Files never move on disk
Your uploads stay exactly where they are, so every media URL keeps working. Reorganize as much as you like.
- 03
Nest without limits
Create folders inside folders to mirror how your team actually thinks about content — brands, projects, campaigns.
Add-ons
Extend it, only when you need to.
The core plugin stays lean. Nine free add-ons — installed and managed from the Add-On Manager — add AI, workflow, cleanup, migration, and search when your library grows.
AI★ 1
AI Ability
Give AI agents safe, structured access to your folders.
Registers MCP tools for AI agents through the WordPress Abilities API — list, create, and fill folders.
AI★ 5
AI Organizer
Let vision AI sort your library for you.
Uses vision-capable AI models to analyze what’s actually in each image and auto-file it into virtual folders.
Needs an API key or local LLM
Workflow★ 1
Editorial Workflow
Roles, restrictions, and an Inbox for teams.
Role-based folder access, move restrictions, and an Inbox workflow for editorial teams.
Workflow★ 1
Rules Engine
Auto-file uploads by metadata, type, or EXIF.
Rule-based automatic folder assignment for uploads, driven by metadata, file type, and EXIF/IPTC data.
Maintenance★ 2
Media Cleanup
Find and clear unused, duplicate, oversized media.
Detects unused, duplicate, and oversized media — then archive, trash, or flag it for review.
Import/Export★ 3
Migrate
Bring folders over from your old plugin.
Migrate folder structures from other media folder plugins into Virtual Media Folders.
Import/Export★ 1
Folder Exporter
Export folders as ZIP archives with manifests.
Export folders (or whole subtrees) as ZIP archives, with optional CSV manifests.
Discovery
Search
Fast, typo-tolerant Media Library search.
Fast, typo-tolerant search for the WordPress Media Library, powered by the Loupe engine.
For developers & AI
Built on native WordPress. Extend it your way.
No proprietary tables, no lock-in — just a WordPress taxonomy with a documented REST API, filters, and first-class support for AI agents.
Hooks & filters
Shape folder behavior with filters like vmfo_upload_folder and vmfo_can_delete_folder. Add-ons build on the same public API you do.
Development docs →REST API
A clean vmfo/v1 namespace for folders, counts, and preferences — plus native /wp/v2/vmfo_folder for the block editor.
API reference →MCP & AI Abilities
With the AI Ability add-on, agents get capability-gated tools to list, create, and fill folders through the WordPress Abilities API.
MCP guide →Loved by editors
Lightweight by reputation, not just by claim.
200+Active installs
5.0 ★2 reviews, all 5-star
20 yrsMedia tooling, since ImageManager (2006)
★★★★★
“Just a nice, lightweight organizational tool with no lock-in. It helps me, my clients, and doesn’t bloat up my sites. Win for everyone!”
★★★★★
“A lightweight plugin that uses the WordPress internal API and the native taxonomy system, up-to-date and very lightweight. You can download it without worry.”
Give your Media Library the structure it deserves.
Free, open source, and installable in under a minute. No account, no tracking, no lock-in.