Tidy Images – Used & Unused Image Cleaner

by Pushpasharmila S

Description

Tidy Images is a lightweight WordPress media cleanup plugin that helps you identify used and unused images in your Media Library.

Instead of simply marking an image as used, Tidy Images also shows where the image is being used. This helps you understand your media usage before permanently deleting unnecessary files.

The plugin is designed to be simple, transparent, and easy to manage without adding unnecessary features.

Used and Unused Image Detection

Tidy Images scans your Media Library and separates images into two clear sections:

Used Images
Unused Images

This makes it easier to review your media files and identify images that may no longer be needed.

See Where Images Are Used

For each used image, the plugin displays where the image was detected.

Usage information can include:

Posts
Pages
Custom post types
Featured images
Post content
Custom image fields
Gutenberg content
Elementor content
WooCommerce products

If the same image is used in multiple locations, Tidy Images displays the different usage locations.

WordPress Content Support

Tidy Images can detect images used in:

Posts
Pages
Public custom post types
Featured images
Post content
Custom fields
Gutenberg blocks
Elementor content

WooCommerce Support

When WooCommerce is active, Tidy Images can detect and protect images used as:

Product featured images
Product gallery images
Product variation images
WooCommerce placeholder images

The WooCommerce placeholder image is treated as a used image to help prevent accidental deletion.

Important Image Protection

Tidy Images protects important WordPress images from being marked as unused, including:

Site Icon
Custom Logo
WooCommerce Placeholder Image

Safe Review Before Deletion

Unused images are displayed separately so you can review them before deletion.

You can:

Delete a single unused image
Select multiple unused images
Select all unused images on the current page
Permanently delete selected images

A confirmation message is shown before permanent deletion.

Pagination

Used and unused images are displayed with separate pagination.

This makes larger Media Libraries easier to browse and manage.

Lightweight and Focused

Tidy Images focuses on one main purpose: helping you understand which images are used and which images may be safely reviewed for cleanup.

The plugin does not try to replace image optimization, compression, or CDN plugins.

Installation

Upload the tidy-images folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress Plugins screen.
Activate Tidy Images through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
Open Tidy Images from the WordPress admin menu.
Review the Used Images and Unused Images sections.
Check image usage information before permanently deleting any image.

Screenshots

Tidy Images admin screen with Used Images and Unused Images sections.
Used Images section showing where images are being used.

Faq

Does Tidy Images automatically delete unused images?

No. Tidy Images does not automatically delete images.

You must manually review and confirm images before permanent deletion.

Can I see where an image is being used?

Yes. Used images display the detected usage location, such as a post, page, custom post type, featured image, content area, custom field, or supported WooCommerce location.

Does the plugin support custom post types?

Yes. Tidy Images scans public custom post types and can detect featured images, content images, and supported custom image field values.

Does the plugin support Gutenberg?

Yes. Tidy Images can detect images used in supported Gutenberg content.

Does the plugin support Elementor?

Yes. Tidy Images can detect supported image references stored in Elementor content.

Does the plugin support WooCommerce?

Yes. When WooCommerce is active, the plugin can detect product featured images, gallery images, variation images, and the WooCommerce placeholder image.

Are the Site Icon and Custom Logo protected?

Yes. The WordPress Site Icon and Custom Logo are treated as used images.

What happens when I permanently delete an image?

The original image and its generated image sizes are permanently removed using WordPress attachment deletion functionality.

Permanent deletion cannot be undone. Always review images before deleting them and keep a recent website backup.

Can I delete multiple images at once?

Yes. The Unused Images section supports selecting multiple images and permanently deleting the selected files after confirmation.

Why is an image marked as used even if I cannot see it on the front end?

An image may still be referenced by content, a custom field, a page builder, a draft or private post, a WooCommerce product, or another supported location.

Review the usage information before deleting any image.

Can every dynamically loaded image be detected?

No image cleanup plugin can guarantee detection of every possible dynamically generated or custom-coded image reference.

Themes, plugins, custom code, external storage, CSS files, JavaScript, and unsupported data structures may reference images in ways that are not detectable by Tidy Images.

Always review unused images and keep a recent backup before permanent deletion.

Reviews

Changelog

1.0.0

Initial release.
Added used and unused image detection.
Added image usage location tracking.
Added support for posts and pages.
Added support for public custom post types.
Added featured image detection.
Added content image detection.
Added custom image field detection.
Added Gutenberg content detection.
Added Elementor content detection.
Added WooCommerce product image detection.
Added WooCommerce gallery image detection.
Added WooCommerce variation image detection.
Added WooCommerce placeholder image protection.
Added WordPress Site Icon protection.
Added WordPress Custom Logo protection.
Added separate pagination for used and unused images.
Added single permanent image deletion.
Added bulk permanent image deletion.
Added confirmation before permanent deletion.
Added nonce verification and user capability checks.