Keep Large Video Files Out of WordPress Uploads
- Video files can consume storage and bandwidth far more quickly than ordinary images. On shared hosting or agency-managed sites, one editor uploading several large MP4 files can consume gigabytes of disk space and create a media-delivery problem the hosting environment was never designed to solve.
- Block Video Uploads gives administrators a role-based way to enforce a different workflow. Selected users are told to embed videos from services such as YouTube or Vimeo instead of uploading the files into the WordPress Media Library. Other roles can continue uploading videos normally when they genuinely need that capability.
Apply the Rule by WordPress Role
- Not every user needs the same media permissions. A developer or administrator may need to upload a local video for a specific feature, while authors and editors should be limited to externally hosted video.
- The module provides a searchable role selector and applies the restriction when any role assigned to the current user matches the blocked list. If no roles are selected, no enforcement hooks are registered, so enabling the module by itself does not unexpectedly change uploads.
Block Video Through the Actual Upload Pipeline
- Hiding video extensions from the media picker would not be enough protection because files can arrive through AJAX or REST and MIME information can be spoofed.
- WP PowerSuite checks classic uploads before WordPress saves them, validates REST uploads, removes video MIME keys from relevant upload interfaces, and rejects files when either the detected MIME begins with video/ or the extension belongs to the supported video list. This produces a more consistent policy than a purely visual interface restriction.
Keep Embeds and Other Media Working
- The module targets uploaded video files rather than video content as a concept. You can still use YouTube, Vimeo, oEmbed, video blocks that reference a remote URL, and other externally hosted workflows.
- It also does not block audio files, PDFs, images, or other large uploads. If your main goal is to control the maximum size of all Media Library uploads rather than videos specifically, use Limit Media Upload Size instead.
Understand the Scope of the Restriction
- Existing videos already stored in the Media Library are not deleted and remain available. The module also does not run as a general frontend firewall; it acts on WordPress media upload paths.
- Super Administrators are not given an automatic bypass simply because of their status. If a user's role is selected, that user is restricted. This keeps the policy explicit and predictable.
