Replace External Images – Full Documentation

Introduction

Replace External Images is a powerful WordPress plugin that helps you take control of your media.
It automatically imports externally hosted images from post content into your WordPress Media Library and replaces the external URLs with local copies.

  • ✅ Fix broken images after site migrations
  • ✅ Eliminate hotlinking issues
  • ✅ Improve SEO and performance by hosting images locally

New in version 1.1.0: Bulk Import – process multiple posts at once.

Features Overview

  • ✅ One‑Click Import – Import images directly from any post with a single click.
  • 🚀 Bulk Import (NEW) – Process hundreds of posts in one go via the Bulk Actions menu.
  • 📊 Live Progress View – See exactly which images are being imported.
  • 🌍 Supports any image host – Works with all external URLs.
  • 📌 Featured Image Support – Automatically sets the first imported image as the featured image if none exists.
  • 🔌 Add‑ons for More Post Types – Enable Pages, WooCommerce Products, and any Custom Post Type.

Installation & Setup

  1. Install from WordPress.org
    Go to Plugins → Add New, search for Replace External Images, click Install Now and then Activate.
  2. Or install manually:
    Download the ZIP file, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, upload the ZIP and click Activate.

How to Use

📌 Single Post Import

  1. Open any post that contains externally hosted images.
  2. Look for the Replace External Images panel in the sidebar.
  3. Click Replace External Images.
  4. Watch the live progress bar as each image is imported.
  5. Done – all images are now stored locally.

🚀 Bulk Import (New in 1.1.0)!

  1. Go to the Posts list screen in your dashboard.
  2. Select multiple posts using the checkboxes.
  3. Open the Bulk Actions dropdown and choose Replace External Images.
  4. Click Apply.
  5. A new screen will open – watch the import progress.

This works the same way with our add‑ons for other post types such as products, pages, or custom post types. If you have any questions, please send us a message.

Add‑ons & Extensions

By default, Replace External Images supports posts.
Want to use it on Pages, WooCommerce Products, or any Custom Post Type?

👉 Install one of the official add‑ons.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

❓ Does it overwrite existing media?
No. Only external images are imported – existing library items are skipped.

❓ What happens to image URLs?
External URLs are automatically replaced with local media URLs.

❓ Can I undo the import?
Not automatically. Always make a backup before importing.

❓ What if the source blocks hotlinking?
The plugin skips blocked or protected images and logs the reason.

❓ What if my post has no featured image?
The plugin will set the first imported image as the featured image.

SEO Benefits

  • ✅ Local images = faster loading (better Core Web Vitals)
  • ✅ Eliminate hotlinks – no more relying on third-party servers
  • ✅ More control for image optimization (e.g. WebP, compression, CDN)

Bulk Import is especially useful for large sites with hundreds of posts – clean up hotlinked images in minutes.