Overwrite Uploads
Overwrites files with the same name and folder when uploading, instead of storing multiple copies with unique filenames.
Use with caution
Overwrite Uploads works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 3.4/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 42/100 on our health check.
- Low rating so far — 3.4/5 from only 8 reviews
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
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 Overwrite Uploads stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| files | >100 |
| media library | >100 |
| overwrite | #1 |
| unique | >100 |
| uploads | #28 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 3.4 from 8 reviews
About Overwrite Uploads
From the official readme · v1.2.2Description
By default WordPress doesn’t overwrite an existing file if you upload a new one with the same name and directory. Instead, it appends a number to the end of the filename in order to make it unique, e.g., filename.jpg becomes filename1.jpg.
That isn’t always the desired behavior, so this plugin makes it so that any files uploaded will automatically overwrite existing files in the same folder, rather than creating a second file with a unique name. It will not overwrite files in other folders.
After activating the plugin, you won’t need to do anything else, it’ll start working automatically. If you run into problems, please check the FAQ and existing support forum posts before opening a new support request.
Installation
For help installing this (or any other) WordPress plugin, please read the Managing Plugins article on the Codex.
Once the plugin is installed and activated, it will start to work automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I see multiple copies of the file in the Media Library
WordPress allows files to have the same name if they’re not in the same directory. So, wp-content/uploads/2013/11/pizza.jpg can live alongside wp-content/uploads/2013/12/pizza.jpg. This plugin only deletes existing files if they are in the same folder that the new file will be placed in. Also, only Editor and Administrator accounts can overwrite the uploads of other users. You can customize this behavior using the ovup_can_overwrite_upload filter.
Can I make a donation to support the plugin?
I do this as a way to give back to the WordPress community, so I don’t want to take any donations, but if you’d like to give something I’d encourage you to make a microloan with Kiva.
Do you support this plugin?
I’m happy to fix reproducible bugs, but I don’t have time to help you customize the plugin to fit your specific needs.
Changelog
Version 1.2.2 fixes a security bug where Author accounts could overwrite media created by editors and administrators.
1.2.2 (2017-04-01)
- [SECURITY] Fix a bug where Author accounts could overwrite media created by editors and administrators. If desired, the previous behavior can be restored using the
ovup_can_overwrite_uploadfilter. Props phycox69.
1.2 (2017-04-01)
- [NEW] Added support for sideloaded images (typically done by plugins), in addition to regular manual uploads. Props wayneallen-1
- [FIX] Filenames with spaces and other non-standard characters are now overwritten. Props ascottmccauley
1.1 (2013-12-14)
- [NEW] Delete existing attachments before a new one is uploaded. This avoids the need to modify WordPress core files.
- [UPDATE] General code cleanup and modernization
- [UPDATE] Removed unnecessary debugging method, activation logic and admin notices support
- [UPDATE] Moved requirements check into bootstrap script
- [UPDATE] Moved overwrite-uploads.php into classes directory
- [UPDATE] Fixed improperly capitalized overwriteUploads class name
1.0.2
- Fixed bug where old Media Library entries weren’t removed if the ‘Organize my uploads into year and month folders’ setting was enabled.
- Setting removed because it’s unnecessary. Plugin will overwrite uploads if activated, and won’t if it isn’t.
1.0.1
- Added network-wide activation for WPMS blogs
1.0
- Initial release
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Overwrite Uploads alternatives
All files plugins →
FAQ
Overwrite Uploads: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 2, 2026
Is Overwrite Uploads free?
Yes. Overwrite Uploads is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Overwrite Uploads safe to use in 2026?
Overwrite Uploads works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 3.4/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 42/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Overwrite Uploads?
Overwrite Uploads is active on 1K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 90,513 times since it launched in March 2011. It was downloaded 5,037 times in the last 30 days.
Does Overwrite Uploads work with WordPress 7.1?
Overwrite Uploads is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.10, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Overwrite Uploads last updated?
The latest version, 1.2.2, was released on August 4, 2025 (1 year ago).
Who makes Overwrite Uploads?
Overwrite Uploads is developed and maintained by Ian Dunn.
What are the best alternatives to Overwrite Uploads?
The most popular alternatives to Overwrite Uploads are Media Cleaner: Clean your W… (90K+ installs), File Upload Types by WPForms (40K+ installs) and Clean Image Filenames (30K+ installs).
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
