---
title: "Using the media library for your website and posts"
updated: 2026-03-25
---

# Using the media library for your website and posts

The media library is a centralized place to upload, organize, edit, and reuse images across your beehiiv account. It’s shared across your workspace and publications, making it easy to manage assets in one place and insert images into posts, automations, and website pages.

In this article, you’ll learn where to access the media library, what image sources are available depending on where you open it, how to upload, edit, organize, and reuse images, as well as find answers to common questions about media library behavior.

For more detail on how to use images on beehiiv, read our guide: [Adding thumbnails, images, and GIFs to your posts](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413248838423).

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## Accessing the media library from settings

The media library is housed in your workspace settings and shared across all of your publications.

To access it, click **Settings** in the bottom-left corner of your account, then select **Media** from the left panel.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759596567)

This view is designed for managing images you’ve uploaded to your account. From here, you can organize files, edit images, and manage folders across your workspace.

External image sources like Unsplash, Giphy, and Getty Images are not selectable from this location.

If you’ve previously used an image from one of those sources, it will still appear in your media library, but to browse or add new images from those providers, you’ll need to access the media library from a post editor, using the /image command.

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## From the post editors and website editor

You can also access the media library anywhere you add images to content, including:

-   **Post Editor:** When adding an image to a post, select **Use from library**.
-   **Automations:** When adding an image inside a **Send email** action in a workflow.
-   **Welcome Email:** When adding an image to your welcome email, select **Use from library**.
-   **Website Builder:** When inserting an **Image** block on a page.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353791510935)  
By default, your media library will be filtered by the publication you are currently on. To view all images across your workspace, click on the **clear filters button**.   
  
![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/39288699607319)

From the above options, you’ll have access to:

-   **Workspace:** Your uploaded images for all publications. 
-   **Unsplash:** Stock images from Unsplash.
-   **Giphy:** GIFs and images from Giphy.
-   **Getty Images**: Premium images available on Max (3 credits per billing cycle) and Enterprise (10 credits per billing cycle) plans per workspace.

> **Tech Note**
>
> These external image sources are only available when accessing the media library from the post editor, automations editor, welcome email editor, or Website Builder.

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## Viewing and organizing your media

### Grid and list views

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759598103)

Depending on your publication access, you can switch between:

-   **Grid view** to preview images visually.
-   **List view** to see file names, details, and usage references.

In the list view, you’ll also see where an image is used, with links to the associated post or website page.

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### Sorting and filtering images

The media library includes several tools to help you quickly locate images, including sorting and filtering by:

-   File type: Accepts png, gif, and jpg.
-   Publication: Filter by the precise publications in your workspace.
-   Web page: Filter to see which web page contains an image.
-   Post: Filter to see which post contains an image.
-   File dimensions: Enter the size of the image you’re looking for.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759598871)

Using file dimensions, you can filter images by specific size ranges to find assets that meet layout or design requirements.

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## Uploading images

You can upload images to the media library by:

-   Uploading directly from your computer
-   Adding an image via URL

Once uploaded, images will briefly display a loading state before becoming available for use.

After uploading, you can update image details such as:

-   File name
-   Alt text
-   Caption
-   Caption link

To update these details, open the image’s menu from the grid or list view, then select **Edit**. Click the **pencil icon** to make changes, then click **Save**.

These details help improve accessibility and ensure consistency when reusing images across your site and emails.

Once uploaded, you can then [add your uploaded images to your posts](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413248838423), automations, welcome emails, or to your website.

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## Editing and annotating images

The media library includes built-in image editing tools so you can make changes without leaving beehiiv.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759599255)

Available editing options include:

-   Cropping and resizing.
-   Adjusting color settings, such as brightness and intensity.
-   Annotating images with shapes, drawings, and text.

After making edits, click **Save as a copy** to preserve the original file and create a new version with your changes, or **Save (replace original)** to overwrite the original image.

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## Using AI to create an image

You can also generate images using AI directly from the media library. To do so, click on **Generate image** from your media library. 

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353791514007)

Enter a prompt describing the image you’d like to create and then click the arrow to submit it.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759600919)

After a brief processing period, the AI-generated image will appear for review.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353791515543)

From the AI module, you can:

-   Refine the prompt with additional direction.
-   Click **Cancel** to discard the image.
-   Click **Keep** to add the image to your media library.
-   Hover over the generated image to access options to rate or download it.

The prompt field displays your available daily AI credits and how many remain.

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## Using folders and bulk actions

Folders help you keep your media library organized, especially when managing images across multiple publications.

### Creating folders

Click the **\+ icon** to create a new folder.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353759601687)

Enter a name, then click **Create**. Once added, you can upload images directly into the folder from your device or via URL.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353791515927)

### Bulk actions

Bulk actions make it easier to manage large image libraries.

![](https://beehiivhelp.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/38353791516439)

After selecting multiple images, you can:

-   Move images into folders
-   Copy images
-   Delete image

These actions help streamline organization and cleanup across your workspace.

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## Frequently asked questions about the media library

**Is the media library shared across publications?**

Yes. The media library is shared across your workspace, meaning images uploaded once can be reused across all publications.

**When do my Getty Images credits reset?**

Getty Images credits are available on Max and Enterprise plans and reset monthly based on your billing cycle. This applies to both monthly and annual plans; credits renew each month according to your plan’s renewal date, not the start of a calendar month.

**Why don’t I see Unsplash, Giphy, or Getty Images in Settings > Media?**

External image sources are only available when accessing the media library from an editor, such as the post editor, or in the Website Builder. The workspace settings view is limited to managing uploaded images.

**Does editing an image affect where it’s already used?**

No. When you edit an image and save it as new, the changes are saved as a separate copy. Existing content using the original image will not be affected.

**Can I see where an image is used?**

Yes. In list view, you can see usage references and click through to view the post or page where an image is used.

**Are AI-generated images saved to my media library?**

Yes. When you click **Keep**, the AI-generated image is added to your media library and can be reused like any other image.