WordPress Media Library Not Showing Images – 10 Easy Fixes

You’re excited to upload images to your media library for a new post. But wait—the images are not showing!

Panic sets in! Your mind races with one big worry: have all the images on my site vanished? You frantically check, hoping nothing is lost, but everything seems confusing and uncertain.

Fixing the WordPress media library not showing images error on your site can be frustrating. This common issue can happen for several reasons. Maybe a recent update caused it. Or, it could be a new plugin misbehaving. Sometimes, your browser cache is holding onto old data and creating chaos.

Before diving into the fixes, try refreshing the page. It might sound too simple, but sometimes a refresh is all it takes.

If your images still won’t show up, don’t worry. Follow the steps below, and you’ll have your media library back to normal in no time.

TL;DR: If your WordPress media library isn’t showing images, it could be due to various reasons. Start by clearing your cache and checking for recent changes in plugins or themes. If those don’t work, more tweaks might be needed. Always remember to backup your site before making changes to avoid losing any important data.

1. Clear cache and cookies

When troubleshooting the WordPress media library not showing images issue, start with the basics.

Clearing your cache and cookies is a simple step that often solves the problem. Outdated cache and cookies can lead to images not showing up.

Begin by clearing your browser cache. This step removes old data that your browser might be holding onto. Sometimes this stale data prevents new content from displaying properly.

Next, clear the caches of any caching plugins you might use on WordPress. If you are using a CDN (Content Delivery Network), clear its cache too. This ensures that all parts of your site are up-to-date and loading correctly.

Don’t forget to clear your browser cookies as well. Cookies store small amounts of data from websites you visit. Over time, they can cause issues like WordPress media library not showing images. Once you’ve cleared everything, check if your images now load correctly in the media library.

2. Check your plugins

Plugins can sometimes disrupt how your media library behaves. If you installed a new plugin and then noticed the WordPress media library not showing images error, that plugin might be the culprit. Try deactivating it and see if the images show up again.

Have you recently updated your plugins? Updates can sometimes create plugin conflicts. To check if this is the issue, disable all your plugins temporarily. Then, see if your media library starts working properly. This step helps identify plugin conflicts as the cause.

Lastly, consider any changes made to settings in site caching or image processing plugins. If you’ve altered these settings, try reverting to earlier or default configurations. This might solve the issue and get your images displayed correctly again.

3. Switch to a default theme

Sometimes, themes can interfere with how your media library functions. If you recently got a new theme or updated your existing one, it might be affecting image loading and causing the WordPress media library not showing images error.

To rule out your theme as the cause, switch to a default WordPress theme like TwentyTwentyTwo. These themes are usually more stable and less likely to cause conflicts.

After switching, check if your media library images appear. If they do, your theme might be the problem. You can then decide whether to contact the theme developer for help or look for a different theme that works better with your site.

4. Update your site

Make sure your WordPress site is up-to-date. This can help fix the WordPress media library not showing images issue.

First, check if there’s a WordPress core update available. Updates fix bugs and might solve your problem.

Next, look for updates to your plugins and themes. New updates can fix bugs and help your site run smoothly.

Keeping everything updated can help bring your media library back to normal. This way, you can focus on adding and using images without any trouble.

5. Check your error logs

Your error logs can be a helpful tool in solving the WordPress media library not showing images issue. They might show you the exact reason behind the error.

Start by checking your debug logs or error logs. These logs record problems that happen on your site and can point you in the right direction.

You will first need to enable debug logs on your site, if you haven’t already done that. Once enabled, you can look for entries that relate to your image problem. This information can guide you toward a solution and help you fix the issue faster.

6. Increase PHP memory limit

If your site runs out of PHP memory, it might struggle to load images in the media library. By increasing your PHP memory limit, you can help fix the WordPress media library not showing images issue.

To increase the PHP memory limit, follow these steps:

1. Access your site’s files through an FTP client or your hosting control panel.

2. Find the wp-config.php file in the root folder of your WordPress site. This folder is usually named www or public_html.

3. Edit the file and add the following line of code before the line that says That's all, stop editing!:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

This code will increase your site’s PHP memory limit to 256MB. This should help provide more resources for WordPress to function smoothly. Save the changes and check if your media library starts showing images again.

7. Disable mod_security

mod_security is an open-source firewall used by many web hosts. While it helps protect your site, it might sometimes block images from loading in your media library. This can happen if it sees the image source as a security risk.

To fix this, you can disable mod_security:

1. Access your site’s files using an FTP client or your hosting control panel.

2. Locate the .htaccess file in your site’s root directory.

3. Edit the .htaccess file and add the following code to it:

<IfModule mod_security.c>
SecFilterEngine Off
SecFilterScanPOST Off
</IfModule>

4. Save your changes.

Or, if your web host provides a cPanel, you can disable mod_security there. Log in to your cPanel and go to the ModSecurity settings. Once in, turn off mod_security for your domain.

After making these changes, check if your images appear in the media library. If mod_security is the issue, this should help resolve it.

8. Disable CDN

Using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) might sometimes interfere with your media library. Sometimes, CDNs can cause issues like WordPress media library not showing images by caching outdated files or blocking certain content.

To check if this is the problem, try disabling your CDN. For this, you need to log in to your CDN’s dashboard and look for a setting to temporarily disable the CDN. Turn it off and wait a few minutes for changes to take effect.

After you’ve disabled the CDN, go back to your site and see if the media library is now working correctly. If the images start loading, your CDN might be causing the issue. You can contact your CDN’s support team for help or tweak settings to ensure smooth operation.

9. Disable image hotlinking

Hotlinking allows other websites to use images directly from your site. If too many websites do this at once, your media library might stop working due to the extra load. This can lead to the WordPress media library not showing images issue.

To solve this, you can disable image hotlinking from your web host’s admin panel. If your host uses cPanel, go to Security > Hotlink Protection and enable hotlink protection if it’s currently disabled.

This step helps prevent other sites from using your images directly. This can reduce the load on your media library. Once enabled, check if this resolves the issue and your images start showing up correctly again.

10. Contact your web hosting provider

So you’ve tried everything and you are still facing the WordPress media library not showing images issue?

It might be time to contact your web hosting provider. They have access to settings and tools that are beyond your reach.

Your host likely has WordPress experts ready to help. These experts can pinpoint the problem and offer solutions to fix the issue. They can also assist with other challenges you might face on your site.

Reaching out to your web host can save time and frustration. This can get your media library back to normal faster.

Final thoughts

Fixing the WordPress media library not showing images error can be a bit tricky. But most problems have a simple solution. Clear caches, check plugins, and review themes. This step-by-step approach often solves the issue.

Remember, regular backups are important for your site. MalCare can help with this. It takes automatic backups and stores them off-site. This keeps your data safe without slowing your site. MalCare also detects malware and cleans it with one click. It scans for vulnerabilities, too. Using tools like these can keep your WordPress site secure and running well.

FAQs

How to fix WordPress media library not showing images?

To fix the WordPress media library not showing images issue, start by clearing your browser cache and cookies, and the caches of plugins or CDNs. Check for new or updated plugins that might be causing conflicts by deactivating them, and try switching to a default theme. Make sure your WordPress, plugins, and themes are updated, and check error logs for clues. Increase the PHP memory limit if needed, disable mod_security and CDNs temporarily, and stop image hotlinking. If nothing works, contact your web hosting provider for more help.

Why won’t my images show up in WordPress?

Images might not show up in WordPress due to several reasons. You could be dealing with outdated cache and cookies, or there might be conflicts with plugins or themes, especially if you installed new ones or updated existing ones. There could also be issues with your PHP memory limit or settings in your site’s CDN or mod_security. Sometimes, even enabled image hotlinking can cause problems by putting too much load on your site. Checking these areas should help you pinpoint the issue.

How do I fix blank thumbnails in WordPress media library?

To fix blank thumbnails in the WordPress media library, start by regenerating your thumbnails using a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails. Check if there are any issues with your theme’s settings that affect image sizes. Clear your cache and cookies, as well as the caches of any plugins or CDNs you use. Ensure your media settings are correct under Settings > Media, and update WordPress, plugins, and themes. Also, check for plugin or theme conflicts by deactivating them one at a time. If the problem persists, consider increasing the PHP memory limit or contacting your web host for help.