Concept
Bulk operations are actions applied to multiple media files simultaneously — compress 500 images at once, delete a filtered set of unused files, apply a tag to a selection, or regenerate thumbnails across the library. They are the difference between governance that scales and governance that does not.
Bulk operations in WordPress core
WordPress includes basic bulk actions in the Media Library list view: you can select multiple files and delete them, or edit their details in bulk using the Quick Edit interface. These native options are limited — there is no bulk compress, no bulk tag apply, no bulk delete by filter, no bulk replace.
Bulk operations in Mediapapa Pro
Mediapapa Pro adds: bulk compression (compress and convert a filtered selection or the entire library), bulk delete unused files (with Deletion Warning checks), bulk remove duplicates (with Safe Replace for reference updates), bulk AI metadata generation (fill alt text, title and caption across a selection), and bulk tag application.
All bulk operations in Mediapapa include safety checks. Bulk deletion passes through the Deletion Warnings system — files still in use are flagged before anything is removed. Bulk deduplication uses Safe Replace to update references before files are deleted.
Frequently asked questions
Are bulk operations available in Mediapapa Free?
Limited bulk actions are available in the free version. The full bulk operation suite — bulk compression, bulk delete, bulk deduplication, scheduled automation — requires Pro.
How long do bulk operations take?
Bulk operations in Mediapapa run via WordPress Action Scheduler in the background. A 5,000-image library compression run may take several hours depending on server speed and the Mediapapa API queue. You can continue using the site normally while the operation runs.
Related terms: Image Optimisation · Unused Media · Duplicate Images · Safe Replace
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