Troubleshooting Guide

Work down from the symptom. Most MediaFlow problems have one of three causes: a Pro feature on an unlicensed site, automatic organization not switched on, or a refresh that has not been run since a settings change.

A feature says it needs Pro

Manual folders are free. If MediaFlow refuses something, check whether it is one of the Pro features:

• Automatic folders and the refresh
• Used on and the No known usage list
• Duplicate detection
• Importing folders from another plugin
• Downloading a folder as a ZIP
• Folder colours and icons
• Per-role folder visibility

The refusal names the feature rather than saying “you need Pro” — for example “Automatic folders are part of MediaFlow Pro. Your own folders keep working.”

See Free vs Pro.

Creating or renaming a folder does nothing

This is not a licence problem — folders are free on every site.

Check, in this order:

1. Your capability. Managing folders needs the manage_categories capability by default. See Permissions and capabilities.
2. Per-attachment permission, if the failure is on moving media. MediaFlow checks edit_post on each attachment and reports what it skipped rather than failing silently.
3. A JavaScript error from another plugin on the same screen, which can stop the tree’s controls responding.

Dragging media onto a folder does nothing

Drag and drop works in grid and list view, and dropping onto a folder’s name works as well as onto the row.

• On plugin 1.3.2 and older, dragging silently did nothing in grid view. Update to 1.3.2 or newer.
• On 1.3.2 and older, WordPress’s own “Drop files to upload” overlay could intercept the drag and the media never reached a folder. Fixed in 1.3.3.

If a folder you want is below the fold, hold the drag near the bottom edge of the tree — it scrolls itself. Holding over a collapsed folder opens it.

The licence will not activate

Check, in this order:

1. The email address. It must be the one the licence was bought with.
2. Seats. Deactivate a site you no longer use — see License Activation.
3. The licence server version. A server older than LicenseFlow 1.30.2 does not serve MediaFlow’s namespace and will not activate a licence.

The License tab shows the transport error when the server could not be reached at all, and whether a grace window is running.

No automatic folders appeared

Three things must all be true:

1. Enable automatic organization is ticked.
2. At least one content type is selected.
3. A refresh has been run since you changed those settings.

Saving the settings does not build anything on its own. MediaFlow shows a notice asking for a refresh — press Refresh now.

A file is missing from a page’s folder

MediaFlow files a file under a page when it can see that the page uses it.

• The image may be embedded by URL with no attachment ID, on a page that is already past the 20-lookup cap.
• The content may live in a source with no provider — a custom block, or a builder other than Elementor.
• The post type may not be selected in Content types.
• The post may be a draft or another status that does not take part.

See What gets detected, and mediaflow_media_usage in Filters and hooks to teach MediaFlow about a custom source.

An empty folder is left behind

Emptied category and root folders are pruned automatically. If one persists, run a refresh — the cleanup pass removes automatic folders whose source is gone or whose post type has been deselected.

A “run a full refresh” notice appeared

You deleted a term that affected more than 200 posts. MediaFlow refiles up to 200 inline and asks for a full refresh above that, rather than doing half the work. Press Refresh now.

The refresh will not finish

If it stops with an error, run it again — it is idempotent, so a second run cannot make things worse. If it stops repeatedly, confirm the licence is still active: a refresh whose licence lapses mid-sweep is stopped deliberately.

I cannot rename or delete a folder

Check whether it carries the Auto badge. Automatic folders cannot be renamed, moved, deleted or dropped into — change the content they mirror instead. See Editing automatic folders.

Folders do not appear in the media picker

They should. Since plugin 1.3.0 the folder picker is in the media modal too, in Gutenberg, Elementor and the Classic editor — it hangs off WordPress’s own wp.media rather than any one editor.

If it is missing, you are most likely on an older build: check the version on Plugins, and see Automatic updates if the site is not offering the update.

Media I selected was not moved

MediaFlow checks edit_post on each attachment. Items you cannot edit are skipped and reported. See Permissions.