WordPress – Allow Contributors to Add / Upload Media

In WordPress by default the Add Media functionality (called Capability in wordpress terms) is disabled for users with Contributor role. If you are hosting multiuser wordpress site where users with contributor roles logs in and update their post, they would not be able to add images / medias. That’s quite annoying. The user who is editing a post must be able to add supported media for their post.

Check below screenshot. The current user has “Contributor” role. Hence she is not able to view Add media button.

Now to overcome this there is a simple trick. By using WordPress’s add_cap method we can add different capabilities to user. So we can add upload_files capability to a Contributor using this method.

Add following code in functions.php file of your current wordpress theme.

// Allow Contributors to Add Media
if ( current_user_can('contributor') && !current_user_can('upload_files') )
    add_action('admin_init', 'allow_contributor_uploads');
 
function allow_contributor_uploads() {
    $contributor = get_role('contributor');
    $contributor->add_cap('upload_files');
}
Code language: PHP (php)

Now logout and login again using a user with contributor role. Ta’da.. Add media button is visible now.

Use this simple trick to make Add media button visible for contributors on your wordpress site. I think this simple trick will help those who have contributors on their site.