--- title: "Converter for Media" description: "Converter for Media: free WebP, AVIF in PRO, pricing, limitations, recommended settings and patched flaws, so you can decide and configure it well." language: "en" locale: "en-US" type: "plugin-sheet" canonical: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/features/camouflaged-plugins/converter-for-media/" published: "2026-11-04T08:00:00+00:00" modified: "2026-11-05T21:30:20+00:00" translations: en-US: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/features/camouflaged-plugins/converter-for-media/index.md" fr-FR: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/fr/fonctionnalites/extensions-camouflees/converter-for-media/index.md" es-ES: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/es/funcionalidades/plugins-camuflados/converter-for-media/index.md" de-DE: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/de/funktionen/getarnte-plugins/converter-for-media/index.md" it-IT: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/it/funzionalita/plugin-camuffati/converter-for-media/index.md" pt-BR: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/pt/recursos/plugins-wordpress-camuflados/converter-for-media/index.md" nl-NL: "https://www.wp-masquerade.com/nl/functies/gecamoufleerde-plugins/converter-for-media/index.md" --- # Converter for Media Converter for Media turns your Media Library images into WebP, plus AVIF with the PRO version, without touching the originals or the URLs. Our take on the free and PRO versions, the settings to check before bulk optimization and the patched vulnerabilities. ## The essentials - Best for free WebP with no outside service or quota, on a server that reads .htaccess files. - Main caveat: AVIF, remote conversion and image resizing are PRO-only. - Free; PRO starts at $5 a month (excl. tax) for 10,000 images, and one license covers all your sites. ## What Converter for Media does on your site Converter for Media creates a WebP copy (plus AVIF with the PRO version) of every JPEG and PNG in your Media Library, thumbnails included. The copies live in a separate folder, `/wp-content/uploads-webpc/`, so your original files are never modified. A “Start Bulk Optimization” button handles existing images, and each new upload is converted automatically. The plugin leaves image URLs in your pages untouched. Instead, it writes rewrite rules to [.htaccess](https://www.wp-masquerade.com/glossary/htaccess/) files (in `/wp-content`, `/uploads` and `/uploads-webpc`): when a browser requests `photo.jpg`, the server returns the AVIF or WebP version if the browser supports it, and the original otherwise. On Nginx, you have to add those rules to the server configuration yourself, or switch to a fallback loading mode that goes through PHP. Conversion runs on your own hosting, using PHP’s GD or Imagick library, which must support WebP. The plugin is developed by Mateusz Gbiorczyk under the matt plugins brand. The free version converts to WebP with no quota. PRO adds AVIF, conversion on the vendor’s servers (so your hosting does none of the work) and resizing of oversized images, on a subscription billed by the number of images converted. ![Diagram: Converter for Media works on visitors and bots, database and files, external services. Public traces: folder name (hidden with Pro); generated-file folders (hidden with Pro).](https://www.wp-masquerade.com/media/wpm-sheets/webp-converter/diagram-en.svg?v=f59f4c82) ## Which sites Converter for Media suits best Converter for Media does one specific job: serving lighter image formats without touching your files or your URLs. - **Sites on a server that reads .htaccess files and want WebP for free**: the free version needs no account and has no quota, and your images never leave your server. - **Sites working on their [Core Web Vitals](https://www.wp-masquerade.com/glossary/core-web-vitals/)**: lighter images help the largest element on the page, often a photo, render sooner. - **Cautious site owners**: since originals stay intact, deactivating the plugin puts the site back the way it was. - **Agencies**: one PRO license works on unlimited sites; only the number of images converted counts. It is the wrong pick if you also want to compress your original JPEGs and PNGs: the plugin only makes copies in other formats. [EWWW Image Optimizer](https://www.wp-masquerade.com/features/camouflaged-plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/) compresses and converts in one plugin. It is also a poor fit if your images are stored off the server (offloaded to external storage, or a CDN that hosts the files): the official FAQ requires WordPress and the Media Library to sit on the same server. ## Converter for Media strengths and limitations ### Strengths - **Originals untouched.** Copies live in a separate folder, and the vendor says uninstalling removes everything the plugin created. - **Same URLs.** No content is rewritten in the database: the server picks the format per browser, with a fallback to the original. - **Free WebP with no quota.** Local conversion has no cap on the number or size of images. - **Tools for advanced setups.** Excluded directories, WP-CLI commands (`wp converter-for-media regenerate`) and filters for non-standard folder layouts. ### Limitations - **AVIF costs extra.** AVIF, remote conversion and resizing of large images are PRO-only. - **Server-dependent.** You need GD or Imagick with WebP support, working rewrite rules and a responsive REST API; on Nginx, manual configuration. - **No compression of originals.** The JPEGs and PNGs served to older browsers keep their original weight. - **Disk space.** Every thumbnail size gets its own copy, two with WebP and AVIF, so the copies folder grows with your library. - **PRO quota drains fast.** One image in the quota means one conversion: every thumbnail counts, and converting to both WebP and AVIF uses two. ## Our recommended Converter for Media settings Settings live under Settings > Converter for Media (also reachable from the Media menu). Set them before running the bulk optimization, and save each tab. | Setting | Recommended value | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | **Next-gen image formats** Settings > Converter for Media > General Settings | WebP (default); add AVIF with PRO | Almost every browser reads WebP; AVIF falls back to WebP when a browser does not support it. | | **Conversion strategy** Same tab | Optimal (default) | Smaller files with no quality loss visible to the eye; pick “Lossless” for photography where every detail matters. | | **Supported directories** Same tab | uploads (default) | Add themes or plugins only if heavy images there appear on the front end, then check the result. | | **Conversion of new images** Same tab | On (default) | Each image uploaded to the Media Library is converted right away, with no need to rerun the bulk optimization. | | **Image loading mode** Settings > Converter for Media > Advanced Settings | via .htaccess / Nginx (recommended) | The other modes work around server issues; use them only if the Help Center tab reports an error. | | **Automatic removal of images in next-gen formats larger than the original ones** Same tab, Extra features | On (default) | An already heavily compressed image can grow as WebP; the original is then served instead. | | **Keep images metadata stored in EXIF or XMP formats** Same tab, Extra features | Off (default) | Metadata can include where a photo was taken; turn it on only to keep copyright notices (not available with GD). | | **Excluded directories** Same tab | Empty unless you have a specific need | Exclude a folder whose images must keep their format; copies already created have to be deleted by hand. | - Open the Help Center tab: no server configuration error should appear. - Click “Start Bulk Optimization” and let it finish before judging the result. - Open a page with your browser’s developer tools, Network tab: the image URL still ends in .jpg, but its type should be `webp` (or `avif`). - If you use a caching plugin or a CDN, purge its cache and test again. ## Converter for Media security: three medium-severity flaws The published vulnerabilities mainly involve the fallback loading mode that runs through PHP (Pass Thru) and the plugin’s REST API routes: - **CVE-2026-1356, fixed in 6.5.2**: in Pass Thru mode, an unauthenticated visitor could make your server send requests to other addresses ([SSRF](https://www.wp-masquerade.com/glossary/ssrf/), CVSS 4.8). - **CVE-2025-13750, fixed in 6.4.0**: a mere subscriber account could delete the WebP and AVIF copies of any image through a poorly protected REST route (CVSS 4.3). - **CVE-2021-25074, fixed in 4.0.3**: an unauthenticated open redirect through the `passthru.php` file of that era. Stick with the .htaccess mode when your server allows it, and turn on automatic updates for the plugin (see our guide to automatic plugin updates). WP Masquerade Pro hides the plugin’s folder name and the `/wp-content/uploads-webpc/` folder in your pages, which makes it harder for bots targeting these flaws to spot it, though it does not replace updating. ## Converter for Media FAQ **Do my image URLs change?** No. The URL stays the JPEG or PNG one, but the server returns the WebP or AVIF file to compatible browsers. Only the file type changes, which you can check in the Network tab of your developer tools. **Does Converter for Media work on Nginx?** Yes, but Nginx ignores .htaccess files: you need to add the rules from the vendor’s documentation to the server configuration. If you cannot edit that configuration, an alternative loading mode is available in the advanced settings. **What happens if I uninstall the plugin?** Because your original images were never modified, the site simply serves the JPEGs and PNGs again. The vendor says the plugin removes what it created on the way out, including the copies folder. **How much does the PRO version cost?** The vendor’s pricing page lists monthly plans from $5 (excluding tax) for 10,000 images a month and yearly plans from $50 (excluding tax) for 120,000 images a year. Every license covers unlimited sites, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. ## Key facts - Category: Images and sliders - Vendor: matt plugins - Price: Free; PRO from $5 per month (10,000 images) or $50 per year (120,000 images), excluding tax, unlimited sites - Active installations (wordpress.org): 500 000+ - Version: 6.7.1 - Official page: https://wordpress.org/plugins/webp-converter-for-media/ ## What WP Masquerade hides - Handled by WP Masquerade Pro only - With Pro: folder name, generated-file folders