Media Replace (Free vs Pro)
Media Replace is included in the Free version and CompressX Pro plans.
| Media Replace Features | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Replace images without changing URL | ✓ | ✓ |
| Regenerate thumbnails after replacement | ✓ | ✓ |
| Convert new thumbnails to WebP/AVIF (if enabled) (General Compression) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Convert new thumbnails to WebP/AVIF (if enabled) (Smart Compression) | — | ✓ |
| Replace zip and pdf without changing URL (since v 1.9.14) | — | ✓ |
| Keep temporary versions after replacement | — | ✓ |
Media Replace Interface Overview
The Media Replace screen is divided into five main sections, each designed to guide you through a safe and controlled replacement process.
1. Current Compression Settings
This section shows the compression configuration that will be applied after the media is replaced.
It includes:
- 1. The active compression mode (e.g. General or Smart).
- 2. Enabled output formats (WebP, AVIF).
- 3. Selected thumbnail sizes.
These settings determine how the newly uploaded image and its thumbnails will be optimized.
2. Replacement Options & Thumbnail Strategy
This section controls how the replacement is processed.
It includes:
- 1. Use current WordPress default sizes and fill missing ones (recommended).
- 2. Match the original image’s thumbnail sizes.
These options help ensure visual consistency and compatibility with your existing layout.
3. Temporary Version Retention (Pro)
This section is available in CompressX Pro.
It allows you to:
- 1. Keep temporary versions (1, 2 or 3 versions) of previously replaced images.
- 2. Configure how many versions are kept for a while.
- 3. Set how long they are retained (1 day, 3 days or 7 days).
Temporary versions provide a short-term rollback option and are automatically removed after expiration.
This is not a backup system.
4. Current Media Information
This section displays details of the existing media file, including:
- 1. Image preview
- 2. Dimensions
- 3. File format
- 4. File size
- 5. Optimization status
- 6. Number of generated thumbnails
The image preview may still show a cached version due to browser or CDN caching.
5. New Media Upload
This is where you upload the new image to replace the current one.
- 1. Click to upload or drag & drop a file.
- 2. The new file will replace the existing media without changing the URL.
- 3. For best results, upload an image with a similar width (or slightly wider) than the original.
When replacing a media file, the replacement image must use the same file format as the original media.
For example, if the current media is a JPG image, the replacement file must also be a JPG.
Using a different format (such as replacing a JPG with a PNG) may lead to unexpected issues, including incorrect metadata, broken optimization workflows, or inconsistent media handling.
Once uploaded, the replacement process will follow the settings defined above.
