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Why Aren't My Thumbnails Updating After Using Enable Media Replace?

31 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Enable media replace

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If you've used the Enable Media Replace plugin and found that your image thumbnails aren't updating, you're not alone. This is one of the most common points of confusion for users. This guide will explain why this happens and what you can do about it.

The Core Issue: What the Plugin Actually Replaces

First, it's crucial to understand the plugin's primary function. Enable Media Replace is designed to replace the main file attached to a specific Media Library entry (its ID). When you choose the option "Replace the file, use new file name and update all links", the plugin's description notes: "Please note that if you upload a new image, only embeds/links of the original size image will be replaced in your posts."

This means the plugin focuses on updating direct references to the main file you replaced. It does not automatically resample and regenerate every single thumbnail size (e.g., 'thumbnail', 'medium', 'large', 'post-thumbnail') that WordPress generates. The thumbnail displayed in your Media Library and used across your site might be one of these generated sizes, not the original.

Why Don't Thumbnails Always Update?

Several factors can contribute to thumbnails not updating:

  1. Plugin Functionality: As explained, the plugin's core task is to replace the main file, not necessarily regenerate every derivative image size.
  2. Caching: This is a very common culprit. Your site, browser, or a Content Delivery Network (CDN) might be serving a cached version of the old thumbnail. The main image appears updated because it has a new filename, but the thumbnail's filename might remain the same, so the cache isn't busted.
  3. Third-Party Plugins: Plugins that offload media to external storage (like Amazon S3) or that handle image optimization and resizing (like Imsanity, ShortPixel, or WP Offload Media) can sometimes interfere with the process. The replacement may happen, but the offloaded or optimized versions might not be updated correctly, or the regeneration process might be interrupted.
  4. Block Editor (Gutenberg): Some users have reported that images inserted via specific blocks (e.g., core/image, core/media-text) do not update correctly, especially if the new image has different dimensions, leading to broken thumbnail links.

Common Solutions to Try

If your thumbnails aren't updating, work through these steps:

  1. Clear All Caches: This is always the first step. Clear your WordPress caching plugin's cache, your browser cache, and any CDN cache (like Cloudflare). This alone often resolves the issue.
  2. Use a Regenerate Thumbnails Plugin: After replacing an image, use a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails or your theme's built-in thumbnail regeneration function. This will force WordPress to create all image sizes from the new main file you just uploaded.
  3. Check for Plugin Conflicts: Temporarily disable other media-related plugins (especially offload and optimization plugins) and see if the thumbnails update correctly. If they do, you know there's a conflict. Re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit. The 'Enable Media Replace' team has worked to improve compatibility with many of these plugins, but conflicts can still occur.
  4. Understand the Two Replacement Options:
    • "Just replace the file": Keeps the old filename. Best for when you want to fix a typo in an image or update a PDF without breaking existing links.
    • "Replace the file, use new file name and update all links": Use this if you are changing the image's dimensions. It changes the filename and updates links in post content to the original size image.

It's important to note that while the plugin maintains the media's ID, ensuring references to that ID remain intact, it does not automatically scan and update hard-coded width and height attributes in your HTML or regenerate every possible thumbnail size. For a complete replacement that includes all thumbnails, following up with a thumbnail regeneration tool is currently the most reliable method.

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