# Tidy Image Titles on Upload

> Turns file-name titles like "IMG_2041-sunset_beach-final" into readable ones like "Sunset beach final" when images are uploaded, so the Media Library is easier to search.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Media](https://wpide.com/library/category/media/)
- Tags: uploads, titles, images
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/clean-image-titles-on-upload/

## Code

```php
add_action( 'add_attachment', function ( $attachment_id ) {
    if ( ! wp_attachment_is_image( $attachment_id ) ) {
        return;
    }

    $title = (string) get_post_field( 'post_title', $attachment_id );

    if ( ! preg_match( '/[_\-]/', $title ) ) {
        return;
    }

    $clean = preg_replace( '/\b(img|dsc|dscn|dcim|pxl|image|photo|screenshot)[\s_\-]*\d+\b/i', '', $title );
    $clean = trim( preg_replace( '/[\s_\-]+/', ' ', $clean ) );

    if ( '' === $clean || $clean === $title ) {
        return;
    }

    wp_update_post( array(
        'ID'         => $attachment_id,
        'post_title' => ucfirst( $clean ),
    ) );
} );
```

## Notes

Only titles that contain dashes or underscores are changed; titles read from the photo's own metadata stay as they are.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Tidy Image Titles on Upload" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/