BEA – Sanitize Filename
Remove all punctuation and accents from the filename of uploaded files.
Solid choice
BEA – Sanitize Filename is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 62/100 on our health check.
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where BEA – Sanitize Filename stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| media | >100 |
| sanitize | #1 |
| uploads | #81 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
About BEA – Sanitize Filename
From the official readme · v2.0.10Description
This plugin allows you to sanitize files on upload, which is pretty handy. It means all punctuation and accents from the filename of uploaded files will be removed.
Features
- All accented letters will be converted to same letters without accent
- Special characters will be deleted
- Underscores will be replaced by hyphens
Warning For Mac Owners
On MAC, you can also create an accented character with the combination of ` and the wanted letter. This has the effect to create a character with a special filename system encoding format which is not sanitized. An issue is already open about this.
Who ?
Created by Be API, the French WordPress leader agency since 2009. Based in Paris, we are more than 30 people and always hiring some fun and talented guys. So we will be pleased to work with you.
This plugin is only maintained, which means we do not guarantee some free support. Consider reporting an issue and be patient.
To facilitate the process of submitting an issue and quicker answer, we only use Github, so don’t use WP.Org support, it will not be considered.
Installation
Requirements
WordPress
- Download and install using the built-in WordPress plugin installer.
- Site activate in the “Plugins” area of the admin.
- Nothing more, this plugin is ready to use !
Frequently asked questions
Will this plugin affect existing files ?
No. Only after plugin activation, while a file is uploaded to the library. However, inf the future a tool will be available to sanitize old files.
Can I use into a multisite ?
Yes. You just need to activate on each site.
Changelog
2.0.10 – 07 Apr 2026
- Improve
sanitize_file_namehandling so only the real file suffix is transformed (avoid stripping when an extension-like segment appears earlier in the name) - Expand PHPUnit coverage with data providers and upload-style filename cases
- Tidy
sanitize_file_name_charsflow and align PHPCS with PHP 8.0; refine Composer/npm test scripts
2.0.9 – 02 Apr 2026
- Fix invalid smart quotes in special characters list
- Migrate tests to
wp-envwith PHPUnit unit tests only - Improve testing documentation and scripts
2.0.8 – 02 Apr 2026
- Add
@character to the sanitized characters list
2.0.7 – 20 Sept 2022
- Non Latin characters in filename are handled
2.0.6 – 05 Oct 2018
- #8 : Add More accentuated characters
2.0.5 – 12 Feb 2018
- i18n
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
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FAQ
BEA – Sanitize Filename: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 28, 2026
Is BEA – Sanitize Filename free?
Yes. BEA – Sanitize Filename is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is BEA – Sanitize Filename safe to use in 2026?
BEA – Sanitize Filename is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 62/100 on our health check.
How many websites use BEA – Sanitize Filename?
BEA – Sanitize Filename is active on 1K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 19,590 times since it launched in February 2018. It was downloaded 387 times in the last 30 days.
Does BEA – Sanitize Filename work with WordPress 7.1?
BEA – Sanitize Filename is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.6, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does BEA – Sanitize Filename need?
BEA – Sanitize Filename requires PHP 8.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was BEA – Sanitize Filename last updated?
The latest version, 2.0.10, was released on April 7, 2026 (6 months ago).
Who makes BEA – Sanitize Filename?
BEA – Sanitize Filename is developed and maintained by BE API.
What are the best alternatives to BEA – Sanitize Filename?
The most popular alternatives to BEA – Sanitize Filename are Safe SVG (1M+ installs), FileBird (200K+ installs) and Media Cleaner: Clean your W… (90K+ installs).
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