Understanding WordPress disk usage

A WordPress site grows quietly: every upload, plugin, cache file and old backup adds up. Knowing where the space goes makes backups smaller and faster, and tells you what is worth reviewing.

Where WordPress storage usually goes

• Uploads (wp-content/uploads). Usually the largest part. For every image you upload, WordPress also creates several resized copies, so one photo can become five or more files.
• Plugins and themes. Including inactive ones, which still take space and can still be a security risk if outdated.
• Caches. Page and asset caches from caching plugins. They are rebuilt automatically when removed.
• Old backups. Archives left behind by backup plugins, often several gigabytes each.
• Logs. Files like debug.log, which keep growing when debugging is left on.
• Temporary files. Leftovers from interrupted updates in wp-content/upgrade.
• The database. Post revisions, expired transients and log tables written by plugins.

See it with BackupScope

• BackupScope Free scans your site before every backup and shows each area and folder with its file count and size. A basic Storage Overview is planned for version 1.1.
• BackupScope Pro adds Storage Analytics: an overview chart of media, plugins, themes, WordPress core, the database, stored backups and other folders; tabs with horizontal bars per plugin, theme, folder, database table and file type; the largest files; the change since the previous analysis; and a Worth reviewing list with an estimate of the space that could be freed. Analysing changes nothing on your site.

What is usually safe to clean up

• Caches. Clear them from your caching plugin; they are rebuilt.
• Old backup archives from other plugins, after you have downloaded anything you still need.
• Inactive plugins and themes you no longer use. Keep your active theme, its parent theme, and one default theme as a fallback.
• Large log files, after turning off debug logging if you do not need it.
• Temporary update files when no update is running.

Be careful with media

A file that looks unused may still be in use: linked from a page builder layout, a form's confirmation email, a widget, a theme file or another site. Deleting media by guesswork is the most common cleanup mistake.

BackupScope Pro's Media review looks for references in post content, custom fields, page builder data (including Elementor), settings, widgets, every other database table and your theme files, and lists only items with no reference it can find. You can preview each file, and mark items Keep so they are never listed again.

Clean up with a safety net

BackupScope Pro's Cleanup never deletes straight away. Selected items are moved to the Cleanup Trash, where they can be restored to exactly where they were for 30 days, before they are removed automatically. Large log files are emptied rather than deleted, with a copy of the content kept in the trash.

Whatever tool you use, make a backup first. The Backup Guide shows how.

The database

BackupScope shows how much space each database table uses, but it does not change or clean database tables. For removing post revisions or expired transients, use a dedicated database tool, and make a backup before you do.