How to Configure Magento 2 Media Gallery Extension?

• What is the Magento 2 Media Gallery?

• Benefits of Magento 2 Media Gallery

• Steps to Install the Magento 2 Media Gallery Extension

• Steps to Configure the Magento Media Gallery Extension

• Key Features of the Magento Media Gallery Module

• Best Practices for Magento Media Gallery

• FAQ

• Summary

What is the Magento 2 Media Gallery?

The Magento 2 Media Gallery serves as a core component of the platform. It empowers store owners to manage and organize images, videos, and visual content. It is a centralized hub where users upload, categorize, and display media across the store. Enhancing websites with rich visuals simplifies media management.

The Media Gallery manages specific types of content:

1. CMS and category images: Displays category content uploaded via the WYSIWYG editor.

2. Content editor media: Shows images used in content, CMS blocks, or page content.

3. Excluded content: Product images added to the Images and Videos product section.

The system requires a specific setup for full functionality:

1. Queue consumers: Needs mediagallery.synchronization and media.content.synchronization. These queue consumers for initial sync.

2. Compatibility: Works with Magento 2.4 and later versions.

3. Performance optimization: Optimized for performance. It enhances the loading speed of media assets on the backend and storefront.

Benefits of Magento 2 Media Gallery

Benefit	Description
Improved Organization and Management	Enables efficient organization of media files (images, videos) with folders, tags, and metadata for easy management.
Advanced Search	Offers advanced search filters (file type, tags, metadata) for quick asset retrieval.
Performance and Speed	Optimized for fast loading of media in the backend and front end.
Bulk Upload and Edit Functions	Speeds up bulk uploading and editing for stores with large inventories.
Integration with Adobe Stock	Allows easy access and purchase of high-quality images via the Magento backend.
Permission Control	Provides control over media access, ensuring management by authorized personnel only.
Responsive and Mobile-Friendly	Media assets are optimized for responsive design, guaranteeing correct display across all devices.
Customizable and Extensible	Magento 2’s open-source nature allows for Magento gallery customization through extensions.

Steps to Install the Magento 2 Media Gallery Extension

Step 1: Upload Module Files

• Log in to your Magento 2 store backend.

• Extract the contents of the downloaded zip folder on your system.

• Locate the app folder inside the extracted folder.

• Transfer the app folder to the Magento root directory on your server.

Step 2: Run Commands

• Access your Magento 2 root directory using SSH or a terminal.

• Run the following commands in sequence:

  • php bin/magento setup:upgrade

  • php bin/magento setup:di:compile

  • php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy

Step 3: Flush Cache

• In your admin panel, navigate to System > Cache Management.

• Click on the option to flush the cache.

Steps to Configure the Magento Media Gallery Extension

Step 1: Enabling and Adding New Media in Magento 2

• Log in to Admin Panel in Magento.

• Go to ‘Store > Settings > Configuration’. Navigate to ‘System > Advanced’.

• Select ‘No’ to enable ‘Old Media Gallery.’

• On the admin sidebar, go to ‘System > Tool > Cache Management’ to refresh the cache.

• Navigate to Content > Media Gallery.

• To upload each file, select the ‘Upload Image’ button and then select the file.

• Mention the specific image details like name, size, etc.

• The supported image formats are JPEG, PNG, and GIF. The supported video formats are MP4, FLV, and AVI. The supported audio formats are MP3, WAV, and WMA.

Step 2: Managing Media Files in Magento 2

• To edit media files, locate the file in the media gallery. Click on the three-dot icon, and choose the "Edit" option.

• To delete a media file, select the file. Click on the three-dot icon, and choose the "Delete" option.

• Use the search function to find specific media files. Enter keywords related to the media file you are looking for in the search bar.

Step 3: Bulk Image Configuration

• Navigate to the Magento 2 Admin Panel and go to Stores > Settings > Configuration.

• Under the Configuration settings, navigate to Advanced > System. Expand the Image Upload Configuration tab.

• In the Quality field, insert your desired quality image (1-100%).

• Choose Yes to enable frontend resize. It will resize the image before uploading the file using JavaScript.

• Insert the maximum width (px) and height (px) for uploaded images.

• Once you have configured the settings, click Save Config to save the changes.

Key Features of the Magento Media Gallery Module

1. Performance Optimization

To enhance website performance, the extension includes:

1. Image Compression: Reduces file sizes without sacrificing quality.

2. Magento Lazy Loading: Loads images only when they enter the viewport, improving page speed.

3. WebP Image Conversion: Supports modern image formats for faster loading.

4. SEO Friendly Alt Text: Optimizes images for search engines.

2. Advanced Display Options

It offers several display enhancements:

1. Advanced Zoom: Allows customers to inspect product details.

2. Lightbox and Full-Screen Modes: Provide immersive viewing experiences.

3. Carousel and Slider Options: Displays many image angles.

3. Watermarking

• The Magento Media Gallery is on the open-source platform. This setup lets businesses customize the extension.

• They can tweak its functionality to fit their specific needs. Companies adjust the design or behavior as they see fit. This flexibility helps meet unique business demands.

• The extension also shines in extensibility. Businesses can expand it with new features.

4. Adobe Stock Integration

• The extension integrates with Adobe Stock. It gives users direct access to a vast library of high-quality images. This access happens right within the Magento backend.

• The integration simplifies content sourcing. Businesses can enhance their store’s visual appeal.

Best Practices for Magento Media Gallery

1. Organize Media Files Effectively

• Use Folders and Subfolders: Create a clear folder structure to categorize media by type. This improves navigation and file management.

• Consistent Naming Convention: Adopt a uniform naming system. It is to avoid confusion and enhance searchability.

• Tagging and Metadata: Add descriptive tags and metadata to files. It is for better organization and quicker retrieval using the search function.

2. Choose a Consistent Color Scheme

• Match the colors in your media gallery with your store’s color scheme. It includes the background color of the gallery, borders, and navigation elements.

• For example, a brand uses navy blue for the media gallery background and gold for image borders and buttons. It reinforces brand identity with color consistency.

3. Adjust Layout and Grid Style

• Decide how images and videos are arranged on the product page. Layouts like grids, slideshows, or masonry styles allow images of different sizes.

• An e-commerce store uses a masonry layout for product and Magento placeholder images and landscape shots for an aesthetic browsing experience.

4. Implement Brand Fonts

• Use your brand’s fonts for any text in the media gallery, such as captions or buttons. It keeps the style uniform across your website and reinforces your brand identity.

• For example, a site that uses its signature modern sans-serif font for all media gallery text shows uniformity across the website.

5. Customize Thumbnails

• Thumbnails are the small preview images customers see before clicking on the media. Make sure these are consistent in size and shape. You can also add effects like hover animations to make the gallery more interactive.

• A tech gadget store that uses square thumbnails with a shadow hover effect. It makes the gallery organized and interactive.

6. Enhance Accessibility and SEO

• Descriptive Alt Text: Add meaningful Magento alt text to images. It is to improve accessibility for screen readers and enhance SEO.

• SEO-Friendly File Names: Use descriptive, keyword-rich file names. It is instead of generic ones like image1.jpg to improve search engine rankings.

6. Incorporate Brand Elements

• If your brand uses specific icons, motifs, banner sliders, or patterns, incorporate these elements into your media storage. It could be in the form of background patterns, icons for navigation buttons, or decorative borders around images.

FAQ

1. Why don't my existing images appear in the Media Gallery after upgrading to Magento 2.4?

Run php bin/magento media-gallery:sync and php bin/magento media-content:sync. These queue consumers for initial sync. It is to display before the uploaded images.

2. What file formats and size limitations does the Media Gallery support?

Formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF images, MP4/FLV/AVI videos, and MP3/WAV/WMA audio files. Magento limits filenames to 90 characters. You may need to increase PHP file and post size limits for larger uploads.

3. Why does my Media Gallery fail to load or crash with large numbers of images?

The Media Gallery crashes with thousands of Magento images due to memory exhaustion. The directory tree fails to generate because it includes the all /media directory. It provides product images. Organize images into smaller subdirectories or remove unused files.

4. How do I fix "Disallowed File Type" errors when uploading images?

This error occurs when the PHP fileinfo extension isn't enabled. Or when uploading unsupported formats. Magento only accepts JPG/JPEG (image/jpeg), GIF (image/gif), and PNG (image/png) image formats. Contact your hosting provider to enable the fileinfo extension or verify file format compatibility.

5. Why can't I upload images to the Media Gallery, and how do I fix permission issues?

Set media folder permissions to 755 for directories and 644 for files. Ensure /pub/media has write permissions and public access. Check FTP quota limits and increase PHP memory if necessary. Wrong permissions cause "Cannot create directory pub/media/tmp" errors.

Summary

The Magento 2 media gallery is an essential tool to attract visitors and grow sales. This article explains the features, benefits, and best practices. Here is a recap:

• Magento Media Gallery centralizes image and video content management.

• Installation requires uploading module files and running setup commands.

• Advanced search filters and Adobe Stock integration enhance functionality.

• Configuration involves enabling the new gallery and managing uploaded files.

• Best practices include consistent branding and optimization techniques.

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