Measured media folder · live and backup scenario
WordPress media-library storage inventory
Separate measured WordPress media-folder size, retained originals, and full backup copies in a local storage worksheet. No account access or provider quota is assumed.
Enter measured media storage from the same account scope. The worksheet separates the live media folder, separately retained originals, and the number of backup copies that include those files.
Enter all three values and calculate.
How the inventory works
- Live media storage: measured media folder + separately retained originals.
- Backup media storage: live media storage × the number of full backup copies entered.
- Combined scenario: live media storage + the estimated backup media storage.
For example, if the measured folder is 3 GB, separately retained originals are 1 GB, and two copies include both, the modeled live media is 4 GB, the copies total 8 GB, and the combined scenario is 12 GB. This example is arithmetic only, not a typical WordPress library or backup size.
Scope and limits
WordPress documentation describes uploaded images, video, recordings, and files as media and identifies the upload directory as their storage location. Measure the directory and separately retained originals from your own account, and avoid counting the same files twice.
This estimate assumes each entered full backup copy contains the measured live media at the same size. It does not include the database, themes, plugins, other site files, archive overhead, compression, incremental backups, generated image variants outside the measured folder, or provider-specific accounting. It does not inspect an account or determine a quota. Check what your backup actually includes and where each copy is stored.
Units are decimal: 1 GB = 1,000 MB. Use the same unit and storage scope for all measurements.
Sources
- WordPress.org: Media Library screen — describes uploaded media and the uploads directory; checked November 3, 2026.
- WordPress Developer Resources: Backups — explains that a typical complete site backup includes both files and the database, and discusses file backup scope; checked November 3, 2026.
- NIST Guide to the SI, Chapter 4 — decimal SI prefixes; checked November 3, 2026.
For repeated full copies of the entire measured site files and database, use the backup space estimator. The image storage planner models upload and transfer scenarios, while the hosting storage runway calculator uses account-level readings and a verified quota.
How it works
Enter the measured media-folder size and separately retained originals in decimal GB, plus the full backup copies that include those files. The worksheet calculates live media, modeled backup media, and the combined scenario from your entries only.
Good to know
Does this count all WordPress backup storage?
No. It models only the media-folder size and separately retained originals you enter. It excludes the database, themes, plugins, other site files, compression, incremental copies, and provider-specific accounting.
Should I include retained originals separately?
Only if those files are stored outside the measured media folder and are not already counted in its size. Use measurements from the same account scope and avoid double counting.
Does the tool recommend a number of backups?
No. Enter the full copies that your process stores and that include these media files. Follow your recovery needs and verify where each copy is stored.
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