The Add Media button is available on every WordPress post and page edit screen, allowing you to insert media items into your content. You can add any file type, from images to GIPs and videos.
In fact, WordPress isn’t an error-free content management system, nor does its Add Media function. There may be times that your Add Media button doesn’t work as you expected. Consequently, you fail to make your web page more lively with visual content.
In this tutorial, we’ll look at how to fix the WordPress Add Media button not working issue, both temporarily and permanently. But first, let’s figure out what prevents you from embedding files to the content.
What Causes WordPress Add Media Button not Working
When the upload image button doesn’t work, it never displays an error message or warning. You just can’t press on it and have no clue about why this occurs.
To have an in-depth understanding, WordPress uses JavaScript to run all screen buttons, including the Add Media button. If there is any conflict between the Add Media JS and other scripts, it disables the upload button right away.
Identify File Upload not Working
Despite not seeing any error messages or warnings, you can still emphasize the root cause of the problem by using the Inspect Console tool. All you need to do is right-click the Add Media button in your post edit screen and choose the Inspect option.
Open the Console tab and you’ll see a script that causes the conflict in red.
How to Fix the WordPress Add Media Button Not Working Error
There is more than one way you can try to fix the WordPress upload image button not working issue. You can either modify the wp-config.php file using an FTP client, deactivate plugins, or switch themes.
#1 Use cPanel
This method requires you to access the WordPress root directory and add a line of code in the wp-config.php file. To achieve that, you first need to log into the cPanel and open the File Manager.
Now find the wp-config.php file under the public_html directory. Then, right-click it and choose Edit.
After that, enter this code to the bottom of the file, above the “/*.
define(‘CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS’, false );
Remember to secure your files and create a backup for them before making any adjustments. You have to clear all your caches, including browser, plugins, and also server cache.
Save all changes when you’re done with the settings. The code forces WordPress to load and process one request at a time. As a result, the Add Media script can complete the content upload request without conflicting with other scripts.
Bear in mind that this way just temporarily fixes the problem, but it doesn’t the real cause. Plus, when you add the code above, it will slow down the website speed which adversely affects your SEO performance.
#2 Deactivate WordPress Plugins
Plugins are one of the most common reasons affecting the file upload button’s performance. To confirm if the cause is from plugins, you can:
- Log into your WordPress admin dashboard and open Plugins
- Tick on the box next to the Plugin column
- Choose the Deactivate option in Bulk actions to make all plugins inactive at once
Visit a page or post to check whether the Add Media button works. If yes, the error certainly derives from one of your plugins.
The next step is re-activating them one by one to find out which plugin is the original reason. Now, it’s necessary to contact the plugin developer to troubleshoot the mistake or install better-coded alternatives with similar features.
In case the error still exists, you must move to the next solution.
#3 Test Current WordPress Theme
Another potential root of Add Media error may be the theme you’re using. To check it, you can switch to a default WordPress theme by going to Appearance → Themes and clicking Activate on your desired theme.
In case there is no more error, your current theme is the reason. So, seek support from the theme developers or simply use another one.
#4 Remove Add Media For Non-Admins
It’s possible for you to decide who can click on the Add Media button and insert files to your content. For example, you’re able to permit only admin users to upload files. Other people will be blocked from doing that.
To enable this capability, go to the Theme Editor section under Appearance in your admin area.
After that, head over to the functions.php file on the right side menu and enter the following code there.
function RemoveAddMediaButtonsForNonAdmins(){
if ( !current_user_can( ‘manage_options’ ) ) {
remove_action( ‘media_buttons’, ‘media_buttons’ );
}
}
add_action(‘admin_head’,
‘RemoveAddMediaButtonsForNonAdmins’);
Don’t forget to save your changes.
Say Goodbye to WordPress Add Media Error
Without the Add Media button, you have no ways to embed images and other files into your WordPress content. Frankly, this upload file button doesn’t always work properly due to conflicts in the Java Script.
If you’re in an urgent situation and need the feature immediately, temporarily improve it by using cPanel. You can quickly add a code line to the wp-config.php file.
To identify the root cause, you can try deactivating plugins or switching to a default WordPress theme to easily troubleshoot the problem.
What is your experience with the WordPress Add Media button not working issue? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. You may be interested in solutions for other media troubles like WordPress Media Library not showing images. Check out the details now!
