Offload existing media

New uploads go to the bucket on their own once Test connection passes. For everything uploaded before, use the Existing media card under Settings › Safe Media Offload:

• It estimates how much is waiting to be offloaded before you start.
• Offload existing media runs in the background, so you can close the page. If WP-Cron is disabled on your site, the job only moves while someone is in wp-admin or a real cron job runs wp-cron.php; wp zdom offload always works.
• Restore local copies brings files back to your server.

In the Media Library

In list mode, the Media Library has an Offload column and filter, and bulk and row actions to offload or restore a selection. Up to five attachments go in the request; more continue in the background.

Deleting local copies

Delete local copies after offloading frees disk space. It’s off by default and needs Serve media from the provider. Once local copies are gone, the bucket is the only copy of those files:

• If you deactivate the plugin, they stop loading until it’s active again. The Plugins screen says how many and asks first.
• wp media regenerate, wp media fix-orientation, the image editor and the block editor’s missing-sizes rebuild fetch each original from the bucket as they reach it, so they work without local copies.

Links, audio and video

Image URLs aren’t the only ones rewritten. File links, audio, video and backgrounds in your post content point at the bucket too.

Checked against ZealDen Safe Media Offload 1.0.3 on main, 19 October 2026.