Enable Media Replace
by ShortPixel
Replaces an existing media file in place, keeping the same URL so nothing breaks across your content.
This link may earn us a commission. It never changes our rating.
What Enable Media Replace does
Replaces an existing media file in place, keeping the same URL so nothing breaks across your content.
It sits in the media part of a WordPress stack and is sold by ShortPixel on a freemium basis. We recommend it in our media guides because it does that one job well without asking you to rebuild the rest of the site around it.
Every plugin adds work to a page request, so treat this as a decision with a cost. Record a speed test before you install it and run the same test afterwards, on the same page, so you know exactly what it charged you.
Real user ratings
Score
4.4/5
Reviews
302
Active installs
600,000+
Downloads
14.2M
Latest version
4.2.2
Last updated
2026-08-20
These figures come straight from the public WordPress.org plugin directory API for version 4.2.2, not from us. Check them yourself on the WordPress.org listing. Our own editorial score is 4.4/5.
Where Enable Media Replace ranks elsewhere
Enable Media Replace does not appear in the published "best of" lists we track from WPBeginner, TechRadar, Kinsta, Themeisle and similar sites. That is not a mark against it - those roundups are short and skew towards the biggest names.
What changed in the latest version
- Release date: June 28, 2026
- Fix: A potential stored XSS via the display name has been fixed, following the responsible disclosure from the PatchStack team;
- Fix: A fatal error was thrown in a very specific edge case;
- Compat: Fixed the composer file to publish the plugin on packagist.org.
- Release date: June 24, 2026
- Compat: Updated the integration with Breakdance builder to also work with the upcoming 2.8.0 version.
- Release date: June 17, 2026
- New: Updated the plugin design and user interface;
- New: Added hooks/filters to programmatically select the default replacement method;
- New: Added cache plugin integrations for FastPixel, Breeze(Cloudways), and Cache Enabler(KeyCDN). EMR will now automatically purge the cache when a media file is replaced;
- New: You can now add the API key from your ShortPixel Unlimited or Unlimited AI plan to enable unlimited AI background removals. This is especially useful when the standard 100 background removal limit has been reached;
- New: Added support for the Breakdance builder. Images uploaded through this page builder can now be replaced correctly;
- Fix: Fixed an issue where image titles could lose diacritical characters after replacement in certain cases;
- Tweak: Added various visual improvements and compatibility tweaks for WordPress 7.0.
Release notes are the developer's own words, published on WordPress.org. Read the full changelog
Pros and cons
- Swap a file without hunting down every link
- A free tier you can trial before paying
- Actively maintained and used on production sites we test
- Caches and CDNs may keep serving the old file briefly
- The features most sites need sit in the paid tier
How to use it
- 1Install on a staging copy first if the site takes money.
- 2Work through the setup wizard and connect any external accounts it needs.
- 3Configure the one feature you installed it for, and leave the rest off.
- 4Test the result as a logged-out visitor on both mobile and desktop.
- 5Re-run our speed test to confirm the plugin has not cost you load time.
How it compares
Other media plugins we recommend, with their rating and pricing model.
| Plugin | Our rating | WordPress.org | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Media Replace | 4.4 | 4.4 (302) | Freemium | Swap a file without hunting down every link |
| Safe SVG | 4.9 | 4.9 (79) | Free | SVG uploads without the usual security hole |