---
title: Media
slug: cms-13/docs/media
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-30T20:22:08.991Z
---

Media in Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) includes images, documents (such as PDF or Word files), videos, and audio files. Store media files on the **Media** tab in the **Assets** panel to make them available across CMS.

Upload a file to the **Assets** panel and drag and drop it onto a page or block. Drag and drop a file from your computer directly onto a page or block as an alternative. CMS uploads the file automatically and stores it in the **For This Page** or **For This Block** folder. Go to [Folders](docId\:AZycWdJSZhq73yGxMf2Z9) for details on organizing files.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/0JVdbAT-ZkT1bDnI1PEat_4fcc2e1f31e58b8990ce971ec1ec7627b5e31f46a631a39ee3c7093375837fad-image.png)

## Search for media

Locate media files by searching or browsing the folder structure in the **Assets** panel.

Use the search field to [enter search criteria](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413205667597) and retrieve media files. Click a search result to expand the folder where the file is located. Click a folder to browse its subfolders and content.

## Upload media

Add media files to the library by uploading them to a folder in the **Assets** panel.

Drag and drop files from a file location to upload them. Click the upload area to add files. Select **Upload Files** from the context menu of the target folder.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
**Create** access rights are required for the folder under **For All Sites** or **For This Site** where you upload a media file. **Create** access rights to the current page are required when uploading to the local **For This Page** folder.
:::

## Publish media

Publishing controls when uploaded media files become visible to site visitors.

If your system does not publish media files on upload automatically, publish or schedule them for later publishing, as with other content types.

:::hint{type="danger"}
**Warning**
**Publishing media files**

- **Publish** access rights are required for the folder if media files publish automatically on upload.
- An automatically published media file is indexed by search engines and appears in search results immediately. Consider this before uploading sensitive information that should not be accessible until a specific date, such as an annual report.
- Media files are never published automatically when [a content approval sequence](docId\:oiktvLuAhv9J81XE_4WO4) is set on the media folder. The same applies when [a project is enabled](docId\:QXuTAlAKyMRB1W36ydiNd) during upload.
:::

## Insert media

Add links to uploaded media files or insert images and embedded media such as videos into your content. Go to [Add links](docId\:ZZdBLmc8eKL4nCUkejDGm) and [Add and edit images](docId:-o0gg-XGmAGQTjS2zdPc8) for details.

## Preview media

Thumbnail images represent media files in list views. CMS renders common image file formats for preview by default. Developers can add rendering support for other formats.

## Download media

Save a copy of a media file to your local machine through the context menu or the preview view.

Select the media file in the **Media** structure and select **Download** from the context menu. When previewing a media file, select **Download this file** from the **Options** menu.

## Edit metadata for media

Update metadata properties such as photographer, description, and copyright information for media files. Available metadata fields depend on the implementation.

1. Select the media file in the **Media** structure.
2. Select **Edit** from the context menu.
3. Switch to the **All Properties** view.
4. Edit the metadata properties.

## Rename media

Change the name and URL of a media file through the **All Properties** view. Renaming preserves internal links on the website. Incoming links from external websites break if they reference the original URL.

1. Select the media file in the **Media** structure.
2. Switch to the **All Properties** view.
3. Update the **Name** and **Name in URL** fields.

## Replace media

Overwrite an existing media file by uploading a file with the same name to the same folder. The replacement publishes immediately and affects every location on the website where the file is used.

If you change the **Name** property of a file, the database file name changes. For example, renaming *Button1.png* to *Button1* removes the file extension from the stored name. To overwrite the renamed file later, upload a file named *Button1* without the extension. Uploading *Button1.png* creates a separate file.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/a98cmyH4Su7omsQT7MHIQ_15f1a30830bf3be00dfbdd5f239a22b253a9cdfa2fd11a115a06cb5555856d95-image.png)

Website caching delays visibility of replaced images. Refresh the page to see the updated image.

## Manage media file versions

Track and restore previous versions of media files through the **Versions** gadget. CMS manages media file versions the same way as other content types. Go to [Publish versions of content](docId\:JgKRq3ZdvgGxD344n82R6) for details.