Docs Managing Documents Uploading & Managing Files

Uploading & Managing Files

2 min read
Updated Mar 3, 2026

Uploading Files

From the ToolDocs → Dashboard, drag and drop files into the upload area or click to browse. Files are stored in wp-content/uploads/tooldocs/ by default (configurable in Settings) and added to the WordPress media library.

ToolDocs™ supports any file type your WordPress media library allows. Common types include PDF, DOCX, XLSX, DWG, ZIP, and images. Each file type automatically gets an appropriate icon when displayed via shortcodes.

Protecting your upload directory: By default, documents are stored in wp-content/uploads/tooldocs/ and added to the WordPress media library. While ToolDocs™ controls access through its hash-based permalink system, the files themselves are still accessible via direct URL if someone discovers the file path. If you’re gating sensitive documents, we recommend adding an .htaccess rule to your uploads directory to deny direct access. Add the following to wp-content/uploads/tooldocs/.htaccess: 
# Deny direct access to ToolDocs uploads
Order deny,allow
Deny from all

For Nginx servers, add an equivalent rule in your server block:

location ~* /wp-content/uploads/tooldocs/ {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}

This does not affect ToolDocs™ functionality — the plugin serves files through its own download handler, not via direct file URLs.

Adding External Links

Click Add External Link to create a tracked link to a document hosted elsewhere. External links get the same hash-based permalink system, download tracking, and gating capabilities as uploaded files.

File Details

Click any file name in the Dashboard to open the file details panel. You’ll see:

  • File Name and current version number
  • Direct Link status (true/false for external links)
  • Permalink — the ungated download URL
  • Gated Permalink — the registration-required URL
  • Shortcode — ready-to-copy shortcode with the file’s ID
  • Categories — assigned categories (editable)
  • Replace Document — drag and drop a new file to update
  • Version History — previous versions (if version history is enabled)
  • Document Usage — pages and posts where this file’s shortcode appears

Searching and Filtering

Use the search field above the file list to find documents by name. Use the category dropdown to filter by category. The file list is paginated for large libraries.

File Usage Detection

ToolDocs™ scans your site content to detect where each file’s shortcode or hash appears. This is shown in the “Document Usage” section of the file details panel, helping you track which pages reference which documents.

Related Articles

Categories & Organization Version History Document URLs & Permalinks
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