# Using Files from Your AWS S3

**The "External Files in the Media Library" plugin allows you to use files from various external sources, including AWS S3 and several other compatible platforms. The steps to do this are described below.**

## Preparation

Due to licensing restrictions, support for AWS is included in the "**External Files in the Media Library**" plugin. To use this feature, you’ll need to install an additional plugin once, which contains the necessary libraries for the connection:

1. Go to Media Library > Add External Files.
2. Under "AWS S3-compatible," click "Install Plugin."
3. You will now be notified that the plugin will be downloaded from GitHub, installed, and activated. Agree to this.
4. The plugin will then be downloaded, installed, and activated.
5. You’ll then be redirected directly to the form for establishing the connection.

## Establish Connection

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to Media Library > Add External Files > AWS S3-Compatible.
2. Enter the connection details in the form. These are: 
 - Access Key
    - Secret Key
    - Bucket
3. You can find this information in your AWS S3 Console. Amazon provides documentation on this here: <https:>
4. Establish the connection. The plugin will then list the files from the bucket you specified.

If you want to connect to a platform other than AWS S3, you’ll find the following options listed under Media Library &gt; Add External Files:

- Backplaze S3
- DigitalOcean Spaces

## Connect and View Files

Once you’ve established the connection as described above, you can view the files in your selected bucket and select them to import into your media library.

## Import and Use Files

You can also import the listed files into the media library. If the plugin detects from the selected platform’s information that the files are publicly accessible, they will actually be linked externally. Otherwise, they are imported locally but are still treated as external files due to their external source.

Synchronizing and Exporting

The AWS S3-compatible platforms can also be used for synchronization and export. This allows you, for example, to store files in your bucket, and WordPress will automatically retrieve them. Alternatively, newly added files in WordPress can be automatically exported to your bucket. The approach here is entirely up to you.