Upload Multiple Media by API

Aprašymas

Upload multiple media files through the WordPress REST API with optional authentication, duplicate detection, detailed responses and upload limits.

Video Tutorial

Learn how to upload multiple media files through the WordPress REST API:

REST API

POST /wp-json/mmbyapi/v1/upload-multiple-images

File field:
mmbyapi_file_upload[]

Optional field:
post_id
mmbyapi_alt_texts[]

Features

• Optional authentication using WordPress authentication/Application Passwords.
• Backward-compatible public mode when authentication is disabled.
• Detailed per-file JSON responses.
• Duplicate detection using a content hash.
• Maximum files per request setting.
• Maximum individual file size setting.
• Allowed MIME type settings.
• Optional post attachment.
• Optional ALT text for each uploaded image.

Use Cases

• Headless WordPress websites using Next.js, React, Vue or other frontend frameworks.
• iOS and Android applications that need to upload multiple media files to WordPress.
• React Native and other JavaScript-based applications communicating with WordPress through the REST API.
• Custom frontend applications that need programmatic multi-file media uploads.
• WooCommerce applications that need to upload product, gallery or supporting media through an API-driven workflow.
• Backend integrations, automation tools and custom services that need to send multiple media files to WordPress.
• Multisite and enterprise WordPress projects requiring controlled API-based media uploads.
• Content publishing workflows where uploaded media needs to be optionally attached to an existing WordPress post.
• AI-powered applications and external services that need to send generated images or supported media to WordPress.
• Decoupled WordPress architectures where WordPress acts as the CMS and media backend while the frontend is hosted separately.

Authentication

Authentication is OFF by default for backward compatibility.

When enabled, the caller must be authenticated and have the WordPress upload_files capability.

Application Password example:

curl -i -u „USERNAME:APPLICATION_PASSWORD” \
-F „mmbyapi_file_upload[]=@/path/to/image1.jpg” \
-F „mmbyapi_file_upload[]=@/path/to/image2.jpg” \
„https://example.com/wp-json/mmbyapi/v1/upload-multiple-images”

Response

Successful uploads return attachment information including attachment ID, URL, MIME type, file size, image dimensions when available, ALT text, and a content hash.
Duplicate uploads return the existing attachment with duplicate: true.

If some files fail and others succeed, the endpoint returns HTTP 207 with per-file results.

Duplicate detection

Duplicate detection is enabled by default. The plugin calculates a SHA-256 hash of each uploaded file and stores it as attachment metadata. Uploading identical file content returns the existing Media Library attachment instead of creating a second attachment. Renaming a file does not bypass duplicate detection.

Compatibility fixes

The 1.6.0 settings allow-list correctly validates MIME types against WordPress MIME values. PNG, JPEG/JPG, GIF and WebP remain enabled by default. Duplicate detection also works when the same file is included more than once in a single API request.