Control Permissions for Media Files

The PublishPress Permissions plugin allows you to control permissions for media files on your site.

  • Go to Permissions > Settings.
  • Click the “Core” tab and make sure the “Media” box is checked:
Media Permissions
Media Permissions
  • Click the “Editing” tab:

Scroll down to the “Media Library” area. Here you're going to see 4 options you can use to control access to files inside the Media Library:

  • List other users' uploads if attached to a readable post: If this boxed is checked, users can view other people's media files if they are attached a post they can read.
  • List other users' uploads if attached to an editable post: If this boxed is checked, users can view other people's media files if they are attached a post they can edit.
  • Edit other user' uploads if attached to an editable post: If this boxed is checked, users can edit other people's media files if they are attached a post they can edit.
  • Other users' unattached uploads listed by default: If this boxed is checked, users can view other people's media files
Media Library
Media Library

There is also an extra feature available in the Pro version of PublishPress Permissions:

  • Users can always edit their own attachments: If this boxed is checked, users can always edit attachments they have uploaded, even if they are later attached to a post which the user cannot edit.
Edit Attachments
Edit Attachments

An example with the Media settings #

I'll walk you through an example of using the Media options in PublishPress Permissions.

  • Go to Permissions > Settings.
  • Click the “Editing” tab.
  • Make sure “Other users' unattached uploads listed by default” is unchecked, If you uncheck this, you will automatically hide other people's files for most users:

I logged out and logged in again as an Author user. This next image shows what I saw. I no longer had access to files from any other users.

I will note two key things:

  • This example restriction applies to all users except Administrator. This image below shows the same site. I browsed to the Media Library as an Administrator. I have full access to all the images in the Media Library.
  • There are potential complexities with editing media files. For example, you can deny a user access to a file that someone else has uploaded. But what happens if you also give that user the ability to edit a post where that image is used? The 5 options shown earlier in this guide will give you ways to deal with those scenarios.

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