Direct Cloud Upload (Pro)
Direct Cloud Upload lets files travel from your visitor's browser straight to your connected cloud storage, without passing through your WordPress server first. It's a per-form setting you turn on for the forms that need it.
By default, every form uses the standard upload route. Direct Cloud Upload is a Pro feature that changes how the file gets to the cloud — the folder, file name, and visibility settings you've configured still apply exactly the same way.
A per-form setting, not a global switch
Direct Cloud Upload is turned on per form — there is no site-wide switch. You decide which forms use it: enable it on the forms that need it (for example one that collects large videos) and leave your other forms on the standard upload route. Both can run side by side on the same site.
What is Direct Cloud Upload?
When someone submits a form with a file, that file has to get from their browser to your cloud storage. Cloud Storage Manager can do this in one of two ways:
- Standard upload — the file is first uploaded to your WordPress server, and then Cloud Storage Manager sends it on to your cloud storage in the background.
- Direct Cloud Upload (Pro) — the browser sends the file to your cloud storage directly. Your WordPress server never handles the file itself.
How Direct Cloud Upload works
| Standard upload | Direct Cloud Upload (Pro) | |
|---|---|---|
| Path the file takes | Browser → your WordPress server → cloud storage | Browser → cloud storage |
| Uses your server's resources | Yes — the file is received and held by your server | No — your server never handles the file bytes |
| Best for | Everyday form uploads | Large files and shared or limited hosting |
| Large files split into chunks | ✕ | ✓ Automatic |
With the standard route, your server accepts the upload and then passes it along to the cloud. This is reliable for typical files, but very large files can run into your host's upload size, memory, or timeout limits.
With Direct Cloud Upload, the file goes straight to the cloud provider from the browser. Your server is freed from moving the bytes, so large uploads no longer depend on your hosting limits — and large files are split into smaller chunks and uploaded piece by piece automatically, with nothing to configure.
What you get
- Handle much larger files — uploads aren't capped by your server's PHP upload size, memory, or execution-time limits.
- Lighter on shared hosting — the file never occupies your server, so busy forms won't strain limited hosting.
- Faster for big uploads — the file makes one trip to the cloud instead of two.
- Nothing else to relearn — your folder structure, file naming, and public/private visibility all work just as they do on the standard route.
One thing to keep in mind
Email file attachments aren't available
Attaching an uploaded file to a notification email needs a copy of that file on your server. Because Direct Cloud Upload sends files straight to the cloud, there is no server copy to attach — notification emails include a link to the file in your cloud storage instead of the file itself.
If a form needs the uploaded file delivered as an email attachment, leave that form on the standard upload route.
Supported connections
Direct Cloud Upload works with every cloud service Cloud Storage Manager supports:
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Amazon S3
- Cloudflare R2
- Microsoft OneDrive
The only thing you need is an active Pro license — set the toggle on any form connected to one of these services.
TIP
Ready to switch it on? Head to Configuration for where to find the setting and how to enable it for each cloud service.