{"id":12595,"date":"2011-03-19T21:53:29","date_gmt":"2011-03-19T21:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins-wp\/overwrite-uploads\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T16:18:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:18:37","slug":"overwrite-uploads","status":"publish","type":"plugin","link":"https:\/\/szl.wordpress.org\/plugins\/overwrite-uploads\/","author":33690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","version":"1.2.2","stable_tag":"1.2.2","tested":"6.8.5","requires":"2.9","requires_php":"","requires_plugins":null,"header_name":"Overwrite Uploads","header_author":"Ian Dunn","header_description":"","assets_banners_color":"","last_updated":"2025-08-04 16:18:37","external_support_url":"","external_repository_url":"","donate_link":"https:\/\/kiva.org","header_plugin_uri":"","header_author_uri":"http:\/\/iandunn.name","rating":3.4,"author_block_rating":0,"active_installs":1000,"downloads":60968,"num_ratings":8,"support_threads":0,"support_threads_resolved":0,"author_block_count":0,"sections":["description","installation","faq","changelog"],"tags":{"1.0":{"tag":"1.0","author":"iandunn","date":"2011-03-20 01:34:06"},"1.0.1":{"tag":"1.0.1","author":"iandunn","date":"2011-08-14 18:36:39"},"1.0.2":{"tag":"1.0.2","author":"iandunn","date":"2012-01-13 06:39:53"},"1.1":{"tag":"1.1","author":"iandunn","date":"2015-04-17 13:04:32"},"1.2":{"tag":"1.2","author":"iandunn","date":"2020-12-09 15:32:17"},"1.2.2":{"tag":"1.2.2","author":"iandunn","date":"2025-08-04 16:18:37"}},"upgrade_notice":{"1.2.2":"

Version 1.2.2 fixes a security bug where Author accounts could overwrite media created by editors and administrators.<\/p>","1.2":"

Version 1.2 adds support for sideloaded images, and fixes a bug when handling files with spaces and other non-standard characters in the name.<\/p>","1.1":"

Overwrite Uploads 1.1 now works without having to modify WordPress Core files<\/p>","1.0.2":"

Overwrite Uploads 1.0.2 fixes a bug where old Media Library entries weren't deleted.<\/p>","1.0.1":"

Overwrite Uploads 1.0.1 adds support for network-side activation on WordPress MultiSite installations<\/p>","1.0":"

Initial release<\/p>"},"ratings":{"1":3,"2":0,"3":0,"4":1,"5":4},"assets_icons":[],"assets_banners":[],"assets_blueprints":{},"all_blocks":[],"tagged_versions":["1.0","1.0.1","1.0.2","1.1","1.2","1.2.2"],"block_files":[],"assets_screenshots":[],"screenshots":[],"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"plugin_section":[],"plugin_tags":[88,233,22037,536,85],"plugin_category":[50],"plugin_contributors":[77535],"plugin_business_model":[],"class_list":["post-12595","plugin","type-plugin","status-publish","hentry","plugin_tags-files","plugin_tags-media-library","plugin_tags-overwrite","plugin_tags-unique","plugin_tags-uploads","plugin_category-media","plugin_contributors-iandunn","plugin_committers-iandunn"],"banners":[],"icons":{"svg":false,"icon":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/plugins\/geopattern-icon\/overwrite-uploads.svg","icon_2x":false,"generated":true},"screenshots":[],"raw_content":"\n

By default WordPress doesn't overwrite an existing file if you upload a new one with the same name and directory. Instead, it appends a number to the end of the filename in order to make it unique, e.g., filename.jpg<\/code> becomes filename1.jpg<\/code><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

That isn't always the desired behavior, so this plugin makes it so that any files uploaded will automatically overwrite existing files in the same folder<\/strong>, rather than creating a second file with a unique name. It will not overwrite files in other folders.<\/p>\n\n

After activating the plugin, you won't need to do anything else, it'll start working automatically. If you run into problems, please check the FAQ and existing support forum posts before opening a new support request.<\/p>\n\n\n

For help installing this (or any other) WordPress plugin, please read the Managing Plugins<\/a> article on the Codex.<\/p>\n\n

Once the plugin is installed and activated, it will start to work automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Why do I see multiple copies of the file in the Media Library<\/h3><\/dt>\n

WordPress allows files to have the same name if they're not in the same directory. So, wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/pizza.jpg<\/code> can live alongside wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/pizza.jpg<\/code>. This plugin only deletes existing files if they are in the same folder that the new file will be placed in.<\/p>\n\n

Also, only Editor and Administrator accounts can overwrite the uploads of other users. You can customize this behavior using the ovup_can_overwrite_upload<\/code> filter.<\/p><\/dd>\n

Can I make a donation to support the plugin?<\/h3><\/dt>\n

I do this as a way to give back to the WordPress community, so I don't want to take any donations, but if you'd like to give something I'd encourage you to make a microloan with Kiva<\/a>.<\/p><\/dd>\n

Do you support this plugin?<\/h3><\/dt>\n

I'm happy to fix reproducible bugs, but I don't have time to help you customize the plugin to fit your specific needs.<\/p><\/dd>\n\n<\/dl>\n\n\n

1.2.2 (2017-04-01)<\/h4>\n\n