The WordPress media library hasn’t really changed in years. A few hundred uploads in, you spend more time scrolling than working. Refined Media Library turns it into an actual asset manager, and it does it without adding a single per-image setting for you to babysit.
Folders that actually feel like folders
A real detail panel
Click any file and a panel slides in from the right, no more full-screen modal. Edit the alt text and title, move it to a folder, drop it into collections, copy its URL, and see exactly which posts and pages use it. Arrow keys move you through the library without ever leaving the panel.
Less clutter, automatically
WebP and AVIF on upload
Convert images to WebP and/or AVIF the moment they land, after a quick check that your server can actually do it. Quality is one slider, not a wizard. If another plugin already owns image conversion, Refined Media Library steps aside.
Switching from another plugin?
One-click import from FileBird, Real Media Library, HappyFiles, Folders (Premio) and Enhanced Media Library. It reads their data directly, even if the plugin is already deactivated, never touches it, and the import is reversible. Preview first, undo anytime.
No per-image settings
That’s the whole point. A few toggles in one place, sensible defaults everywhere else.
Free, and built to stay that way.