Replace a PDF in WordPress: A Guide

Why Replace a PDF in WordPress?

If you have ever added a PDF file to your WordPress website, you may have realized that at some point you need to replace it with an updated version. Unlike other file formats like images, videos, and audio files, PDFs cannot be updated by simply replacing the old file with the new one. Fortunately, WordPress has some built-in features and plugins that make the process of replacing a PDF file hassle-free. In this article, we will guide you through how to effectively replace a PDF in WordPress.

Understanding How WordPress Handles File Uploading

Before we show you how to replace a PDF in WordPress, it is important to understand how WordPress handles file uploading.

When you upload a file to your WordPress site, it is saved to your server and is given a unique URL link. This URL link is used by the media library or any other plugin to display the file on your website.

However, when you replace a file, WordPress does not actually replace the old file with the new one. Instead, WordPress creates a new URL link for the new file, as it assumes that the new file is an entirely different file.

Therefore, to replace a PDF in WordPress, you need to ensure that the old file URL link is replaced by the new one.

Methods to Replace a PDF in WordPress

Here are two methods to replace a PDF on your WordPress website:

Option 1: Replace the PDF via the Media Library

This method is the easiest and most straightforward way of replacing a PDF in WordPress. However, it requires you to have FTP access to your server.

The first step is to delete the old PDF file from your media library. To do so, login to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to ‘Media’. Since the PDF file is already uploaded, you should be able to see it listed under the ‘Media’ section.

Click on the PDF file you want to delete to open it. This will show you the PDF file’s details such as the name, date, size, and the URL link. Click ‘Delete Permanently’ at the bottom of the page to delete the old PDF file.

The next step is to upload the new PDF file. The new PDF file needs to have the exact name as the old file since file names are used in the URL link. To upload the new file, simply drag and drop it into the ‘Media Library’ section of your WordPress dashboard, or click the ‘Add New’ button and select the file from your computer.

When you upload the new file, WordPress will assign a new URL link to the file. This new URL link needs to replace the old link on your website.

To do so, you can use any FTP client and connect to your server. Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation and go to the ‘wp-content/uploads’ folder. Then navigate to the subfolder that corresponds to the year and month of the file upload.

Once you have found the correct subfolder, locate the old PDF file and delete it. Then, upload the new PDF file which has the same filename as the old file. By doing this, you are replacing the old URL link that was pointing to the old PDF file with the new URL link that points to the new PDF file.

Option 2: Use a Plugin to Replace the PDF File

The first method may sound complex, especially for users who are not comfortable with FTP or making sure that they have the exact filename. The good news is that there are plugins you can install that automate the process of replacing a PDF file.

These plugins will help you replace a PDF file and make it easier for you to manage your files.

Overall, it is essential to keep your website’s content up-to-date, and this applies to PDF files too.