Restrict Media Library Access
This plugin restricts access for Authors and Contributors so they can only see their own Media Library uploads.
Consider an alternative
Restrict Media Library Access shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 2K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 3 years ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.3 (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 Restrict Media Library Acce… stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| media library | >100 |
| roles | >100 |
| users | >100 |
| visibility | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
About Restrict Media Library Access
From the official readme · v1.4Description
This plugin restricts access for Authors and Contributors so they can only see their own Media Library uploads.
This has two main uses: Make it easier for Authors to locate their own uploads when Media Libraries grow very big and prevent Authors from using or downloading media that belongs to other users.
Admins and Editors will still be able to see everyone’s uploads.
Installation
- Visit Plugins > Add New
- Search for ‘Restrict Media Library Access’
- Activate Restrict Media Library Access from your Plugins page.
- That’s all!. After activating the plugin Authors and Contributors will only be able to see their own uploads.
Changelog
1.0
First release
1.1
Add filter to also restrict access on the list view.
1.2
Fixes fatal error in frontend caused by get_current_screen being unavailable
1.3
Fixes warnings due to the “screen” variable being undefined in some scenarios
1.4
Fix error in readme.txt to allow localisation. Added header banner asset.
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
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FAQ
Restrict Media Library Access: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is Restrict Media Library Access free?
Yes. Restrict Media Library Access is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Restrict Media Library Access safe to use in 2026?
Restrict Media Library Access shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 2K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 3 years ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Restrict Media Library Access?
Restrict Media Library Access is active on 2K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 24,044 times since it launched in August 2017. It was downloaded 282 times in the last 30 days.
Does Restrict Media Library Access work with WordPress 7.1?
Restrict Media Library Access is officially tested up to WordPress 6.3.12, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Restrict Media Library Access last updated?
The latest version, 1.4, was released on October 28, 2023 (3 years ago).
Who makes Restrict Media Library Access?
Restrict Media Library Access is developed and maintained by Alvaro Gómez.
What are the best alternatives to Restrict Media Library Access?
The most popular alternatives to Restrict Media Library Access are Instant Images (100K+ installs), Folders (90K+ installs) and Media Library Assistant (70K+ installs).
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