Media Library

Media Library is a core Drupal module that builds on the Media module. It gives the media list a Grid view next to the Table view, and it opens a pop-up where editors choose or upload media for a reference field or the text editor. The Media module still stores the items; Media Library changes how people find and pick them.

How it works in Drupal 11

The module lives in core and depends on Media, Views and User. In Drupal 11.4.10 each of core's media-type recipes (Image, Document, Audio, Local video and Remote video) installs it, so applying any of those recipes enables the module.

Three parts do the work. First, the administration screen at /admin/content/media gets Table and Grid tabs; the grid lives at /admin/content/media-grid. Second, the dialog titled Add or select media shows one vertical tab per allowed media type, and an Insert selected button. Third, a field widget with the ID media_library_widget and the label Media library works on reference fields that point to media. It adds an Add media button to the edit form.

The screens are ordinary Views. The grid shows each media type in its Media library view mode and uses the image style named Media Library thumbnail (220×220). The upload form in the dialog uses the Media library form mode. The settings page at /admin/config/media/media-library has one switch, Enable advanced UI, which ships turned off. With it on, people who add media in the dialog see a summary of their selection and can insert it directly.

For text, the CKEditor 5 plugin definition adds a Drupal media toolbar item. It only works when the text format enables the Embed media filter.

Example

You want every article to have a hero image. Go to Structure › Content types › Article › Manage fields and add a Media reference field that allows the Image type. Field UI selects the Media library widget for it. An editor now sees an Add media button, picks an image from the grid or uploads a new one, and chooses Insert selected. Next month, another article can reuse the same image without a second upload.

Common mistakes

• Leaving a field without allowed types. The widget then shows a message that no allowed media types are configured for the field. Edit the field settings and select at least one type.
• Customizing the wrong place. To change what the grid shows, edit the Media library view mode of the media type. To change thumbnail size, edit the image style.
• Skipping permissions. The picker requires the view media permission. The upload form for a media type appears only if the user may create media of that type.

For marketing and content teams

Treat the library as the one shelf for images, documents and videos. Upload an asset once, then pick it wherever a field or an editor asks for media. Use the Grid tab to browse by thumbnail and the Table tab for details such as names and dates. Before you replace an image, check where it is used, since the same item can appear on several pages. Developers decide which media types each field accepts, so ask them if a type is missing.

Page builders can depend on the library too. Drupal Canvas 1.12.0 lists Media Library as a dependency in its info file, so installing Canvas also installs Media Library.

Sources

• Drupal.org: Media Library module documentation
• Drupal core 11.4.10: Media Library module source
• Drupal core 11.4.10: Media module source
• Drupal core 11.4.10: CKEditor 5 plugin definitions
• Drupal core 11.4.10: Image media type recipe
• Drupal Canvas 1.12.0: module info file