Title: Import media files with VIP-CLI Author: WordPress VIP Documentation Published: December 12, 2025 Last modified: April 22, 2026 --- 1. [VIP File System](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/) 2. [Import media files](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/import-media-files/) 3. Import media files with VIP-CLI # Import media files with VIP-CLI Media files that are contained within a file archive (`.zip`, `.tar.gz`, or `.tgz`) can be imported to the VIP File System for a production environment with the VIP- CLI command: `[vip import media [options] [command]](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/import/media/)`. The file archive can be located at a publicly accessible remote URL or on a user’s local machine. **Prerequisites** * [VIP-CLI is installed](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/installing-vip-cli/) and has been updated to [the most current version](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@automattic/vip/v/latest). * A user must have at minimum either an  [Org member role](https://docs.wpvip.com/manage-user-access/vip-dashboard/app-role/) or an [App write role](https://docs.wpvip.com/manage-user-access/vip-dashboard/org-roles/) for that application. * Review all [limitations and requirements](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/import-media-files/limitations-and-requirements/) that apply to importing media files with VIP-CLI. #### VIP-CLI command examples For demonstration purposes, the `` value `example-app` and the `` value `production` are used in the VIP-CLI command examples below. Read more about [how to target environments in VIP-CLI commands](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/target-environments/). * Local path * Remote URL Example command for importing a file archive from the user’s local machine located at file path `/path/to/uploads.tgz`: ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media /path/to/uploads.tgz ``` Example command for importing a file archive from the publicly accessible URL `https:// www.example.com/uploads.tar.gz`: ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media "https://www.example.com/uploads.tar.gz" ``` **Note** File-sharing services such as [Dropbox](https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/share/force-download), [Box](https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043697094-Creating-Shared-Links), or WeTransfer can be used to host a file archive at a publicly accessible remote URL (e.g. `https://www.example.com/uploads.tar.gz`). If using a [downloadable](https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/share/force-download) Dropbox URL, it must include a `?dl=1` query parameter. Google Drive URLs are not supported. During the import process, the CLI will display the real-time progress of the import. The real-time progress of an import can be hidden by pressing the `Ctrl + C` key combination. When all files in the archive have been processed, a status report for the import will be created within the current working directory. The exact path to the status report will be output in the terminal. **Caution** **SVG files allow embedded JavaScript, which can pose a security risk**. If an SVG file exists in an `uploads/` directory for import, the contents of the SVG file should be scanned prior to import. Examine the contents of an SVG file with: * A local [PHPCS scan](https://docs.wpvip.com/php_codesniffer/) using the `WordPress- VIP-Go` standard * A file editor (e.g. [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/)) * Or a tool such as [the SVG Sanitizer Test](https://svg.enshrined.co.uk/) or [VIP’s SVG Sanitizer](https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-svg-sanitizer) ## Check the status of a media import VIP-CLI command: `[vip import media status [options]](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/import/media/status/)` Check the status of a currently running media file import or retrieve an error log of the most recent media import. * **If an import is currently running**, the output will be for the currently running import, and the `status` command will continually check and report back on the status of the import process until it is in a finished state (`COMPLETED`, `ABORTED`, or `FAILED`). * **If an import is _not_ currently running**, the output will be for the import that ran most recently. Example output of the `vip import media status` command: ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media status ============================================================= Checking the Media import status for your environment... Imported Files: 95/100 - 95% ✓ ============================================================= Status: COMPLETED ✓ : The imported files should be visible on your App App: mytestsite (PRODUCTION) ============================================================= ⚠️ 5 file error(s) have been extracted All errors have been exported to /Users/myuser/media-import-mytestsite-1642371503508.txt ``` The `Imported Files:` field in the output provides the number and percentage of files that were successfully imported. An included warning (⚠️) message in the output will report if any files failed to import. The associated errors will be exported to an error log for review. The `Status:` field will display the overall import status with the following possible states: | **Import** **status** | **Description** | | `INITIALIZING` | Contents of the archive file in the URL are downloading. | | `RUNNING` | Files are being imported to the File System. | | `COMPLETING` | The import is finishing up. | | `COMPLETED` | The import is completed. | | `ABORTING` | The import is responding to a `[vip import media abort](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/import/media/abort/)` request. | | `ABORTED` | The import is aborted. | | `FAILED`** | The import failed. | **The import can be in a `FAILED` status for a variety of reasons. Review `status` output, [error logs](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/import-media-files/with-vip-cli?output_format=md#format-error-logs), [limitations](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/import-media-files/#limitations), and the [import checklist](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/import-media-files/#h-prior-to-running-any-import-commands-confirm-all-items-in-this-checklist) before attempting another media import. ## Abort an import VIP-CLI command: `[vip import media abort [options]](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/import/media/abort/)` Abort an import process in progress. All files that were imported prior to executing the `abort` command cannot be deleted with a VIP-CLI command. Imported files that have attachment data in a site’s database can be deleted through the WordPress Media Library. ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media abort ``` ## Format error logs in JSON `--exportFileErrorsToJson` _Values not accepted._ When running the `vip import media` VIP-CLI command, if one or more files fail to import, an error log will be generated and can be retrieved at the end of an import. Error logs include a list of failed files and the reasons for their failure. By default, import error logs are created in `.txt` format. Add the `--exportFileErrorsToJson` option (or `-E`) to write the error logs to a `.json` file instead. ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media "https://www.example.com/uploads.tar.gz" -exportFileErrorsToJson ``` ## Import intermediate images `--importIntermediateImages` _Values not accepted._ Traditional installations of WordPress create [intermediate images](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/image-files/intermediate-images/); an array of smaller versions of each uploaded image. The generated intermediate files are unnecessary on VIP, as the VIP File System is able to [dynamically generate and cache any requested dimension](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/image-files/transformations/) of the originally uploaded image. This reduces the amount of storage a site requires and provides image size flexibility at no loss of speed. If needed, intermediate images can be imported by including the `--importIntermediateImages` option (or `-i`) when running the `vip import media` command. When including intermediate images for an import, the process will take a longer time to complete. ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media /path/to/uploads.tar -importIntermediateImages ``` **Note** **For site migrations to the VIP Platform**, importing a site’s intermediate files might be necessary to [prevent broken links (`404`s) where links to specific intermediate files exist](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/image-files/responsive-images/#h-troubleshooting) in the site’s imported database content. After the migration process, links to an image’s intermediate size array will be generated on the fly by the VIP File System. After a site has migrated to VIP, when an image is uploaded through WordPress the VIP File System will generate URLs on the fly for the intermediate size array. ## Overwrite existing files `--overwriteExistingFiles` _Values not accepted._ By default, media imports do not overwrite existing files that share the same name and file path. Include the `--overwriteExistingFiles` option (or `-o` ) when importing media files to override this behavior and force the silent [overwriting of an existing file](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-file-system/versioning-files/#Overwriting-with-VIP-CLI) that has an identical file name and path. ```lang-shell vip @example-app.production import media "https://www.example.com/uploads.zip" --overwriteExistingFiles ``` An error log file can also be downloaded within 15 minutes of the completion of the import process from a URL provided in message output in the terminal. The file can be accessed from a new URL by running the `vip import media status` command. The file will remain available for up to 7 days after the import or until a new media import is performed. Last updated: April 22, 2026