Need a WordPress file upload form? Get the most powerful WordPress forms with file upload built-in. Accept all file extensions with this frontend uploader.
Want to accept file uploads on your WordPress website? With the right WordPress plugin, you can easily create custom forms that work as a frontend uploader.
So what's the best WordPress file upload plugin? There are many choices on the WordPress.org directory. There are a few different types of plugins to choose from. But assuming you want a simple way for users to upload any number of files to your site, we've got the perfect option right here.
Today we're going to show you why Formidable Forms is the ultimate WordPress file upload form builder. Formidable is a drag and drop WordPress forms builder - and the file upload option is just one of many slick features that make it great!
Why do you need a WordPress file upload form?
Before WordPress, HTML forms with an upload field were not easy. Adding a file upload form in WordPress to a plain HTML/CSS website took hours of coding... for a poorly designed upload form. The uploaded images were saved to the server without any confirmation for the uploader!
Thankfully, things have changed a lot since then. WordPress revolutionized websites, and form builders changed the face of online forms.
Today, creating an upload form in WordPress takes only a few moments. Plus, they do a lot more than just upload files. You can easily attach files to notification emails and display uploads in Posts, Pages, or Views and integrate with other services through Zapier.
What makes Formidable a great file upload tool?
Let's start with the obvious! Formidable Forms is a fully-loaded form builder. File uploads and multiple file uploads are just one of the features. That means you'll already be light years ahead of other plugins that just do one thing.
With Formidable, you won't be locked into one method of using a file upload field on your form either. If you want a contact form with file uploads, you can do that. You can add Formidable file upload fields to literally any form you choose.
That makes for a great custom user experience. What's more, Formidable has many integrations that can fit into your existing setup. For example, the ever-popular WooCommerce works with Formidable like a dream! Just install our WooCommerce add-on and you are set.
And if you want to take things beyond our built-in add-ons, we created a WordPress Zapier integration so you can send your files to Dropbox or Google Drive. The choice is yours.
Here are some of the main features to look for.
Limit uploaded file sizes
Have you ever been out and about with slow/patchy mobile internet, and a HUGE email starts coming in? So annoying! Especially if the message you really need is further down the queue and won't hit your inbox until this one is complete. Thankfully, sensible limits on file sizes uploaded from your forms will help eliminate this issue. This not only makes the emails arrive faster but saves space in your email inbox.
Restrict file types
Most file upload forms look for specific types of files. Job application forms may ask for a resume in .pdf or .docx format, music upload forms want .wav or .mp4 files, and photo upload forms need .gif, .jpeg or .png files. Save time and back and forth by selecting the allowed file types.
Resize images before uploading
This is one of my favorite new features of the upload field. In recent years, smartphone cameras have improved in quality to the point where they produce professional images. And since so much internet usage comes from mobile devices, mobile images are often uploaded directly to forms. The problem with high-quality images is the file sizes can be LARGE, often in the region of 10x the size needed for online use. This large size can cause very slow uploads.
Resizing the image in the browser BEFORE the upload begins is the answer! Just set the max-width or max-height in the field settings, and your file upload form does the rest.
Send uploaded files via email
Depending on your form, it may be handy to include a copy of uploaded files with the email notification. This is especially useful for files like resumes which will not be displayed on the website but need to be reviewed along with the rest of the employment application.
Use uploaded files in Views, posts, and pages
Once files have been uploaded to your WordPress site, they can be used on your website. Include files in photo galleries, custom Views, or even directly in user-submitted posts and pages.
Protect file uploads
When files uploaded in your WordPress forms aren't for the general public, protect them. Sensitive files need to be kept safe and definitely not indexed by Google. When you protect file uploads, they can only be accessed from a link on the site where they are uploaded. If there is no link, the file can't be accessed. But they will still be listed for administrators in the WordPress media library when desired.
Ready to make an amazing WordPress file upload form?
No matter how big or small your upload form needs to be, Formidable can help you build it. Thanks for stopping by!
Read more posts about file uploads
How to Upload Files to Dropbox from Your WordPress Forms
4 Ways to Protect WordPress Media Files
How to Require Email to Download Files in WordPressIf you're not already a Formidable Forms user, why not take advantage of our 14-day money-back guarantee today and see for yourself, 100% risk-free? Get started with the form maker plugin that does it all.
Does Formidable support converting data entered into a form into password-protected PDFs that are then automatically emailed to the site owner?
If so, what are the GDPR implications of this if the data content is a protected category in GDPR?
thanks
Hi Steve,
PDF creation is not currently something that Formidable can do. There is a 3rd party plugin which offers this functionality so you might want to reach out to their team for more info.
This is a great overview of possibilities that sparks a whole lot of ideas and possible uses. To be able to do this so simply and seamlessly in any form is impressive.
Hi,
Great Plugin. Just what I wanted... Just one thing, is it possible to rename the uploaded file as say, 'Name'-file-name. where name is the user's name.
Thanks.
- Manjusha
Renaming uploaded files isn't built into the plugin out of the box, but if you are a savvy developer, you may be able to modify this code example to fit your needs: https://formidableforms.com/knowledgebase/frm_after_create_entry/#kb-move-and-rename-files
Yes, I had seen this code... I'm not an expert, but trying to understand this code.
Didn't get this line:
// change the filename here
$file_name = sanitize_title( $_POST['item_meta'][ 41150 ] ) . '-' . $file_name; // Change 41150 to the id of your file name field. remove this line to leave the filename as is
Where do I find "id of your file name field (41150)"? If you could guide me?
Thanks.
- Manjusha
Unfortunately we can't provide support like this on our blog...You could reach out to our community here: https://formidableforms.com/join-the-slack-community/