Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Use a WordPress Function to Download Uploads Folder

WordPress users often need to access the uploads folder, where all media files are stored, for various reasons, such as backup, migration, or debugging. However, downloading the whole folder manually can be a daunting task, especially if it contains thousands of files. Fortunately, WordPress provides a handy function that makes the process much easier. In this article, we will guide you on how to use the WordPress function to download the uploads folder.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

• A WordPress site with administrative access
• FTP or SSH credentials to access the server
• A code editor or text editor to edit files

Step by Step Guide

Follow the steps below to download the uploads folder using the WordPress function:

1. Login to your WordPress site dashboard.
2. Navigate to the plugins section and search for "File Manager."
3. Install and activate the plugin.
4. Once the plugin is activated, go to the Admin Panel and click on File Manager.
5. In the File Manager, navigate to the "wp-content" folder.
6. Locate the "uploads" folder and right-click on it.
7. Select the option "Download as Zip" from the context menu.
8. The plugin will create a zip file containing all the files in the uploads folder and start the download.

Alternatively, you can use a WordPress function in your theme's functions.php file to download the uploads folder. Here's how:

1. Open the functions.php file in your code editor.
2. Add the following code:

php function download_uploads_folder(){ $uploads = wp_upload_dir(); $path = $uploads['basedir']; $zipname = 'uploads.zip'; $zip = new ZipArchive; $zip->open($zipname, ZipArchive::CREATE); $dir = opendir($path); while ($file = readdir($dir)) { if ($file != '.' && $file != '..') { if (is_dir($path . '/' . $file)) { $zip->addEmptyDir($file); $sub_dir = opendir($path . '/' . $file); while ($sub_file = readdir($sub_dir)) { if ($sub_file != '.' && $sub_file != '..') { $zip->addFile($path . '/' . $file . '/' . $sub_file, $file . '/' . $sub_file); } } } else { $zip->addFile($path . '/' . $file, $file); } } } closedir($dir); $zip->close(); header('Content-Type: application/zip'); header('Content-disposition: attachment; filename=' . $zipname); header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($zipname)); readfile($zipname); }

3. Save the functions.php file and upload it to your server.
4. Open your WordPress site and navigate to any page.
5. Append the query string "?download_uploads" to the page URL and hit enter.
6. The function will run and download the uploads folder as a zip file.

You can also modify the function by changing the file name and location, compressing specific directories, or adding authentication for security purposes.

Conclusion

With the WordPress function, downloading the uploads folder has never been easier. Whether you prefer using a plugin or adding the code to your theme, you can now access and backup your media files with just a few clicks. Remember to keep your files organized and secure to maintain the integrity of your WordPress site.