Documentation
Complete guide to using Pic Pilot Meta — the AI-powered image management suite for WordPress. Learn about features, troubleshooting, and best practices.
Getting Started
What is Pic Pilot Meta?
Pic Pilot Meta is an AI-powered image management suite that transforms how WordPress sites handle images, accessibility, and SEO. Using advanced AI models from OpenAI (GPT-4o) and Google (Gemini Pro Vision), it automatically generates:
- Alt Text — Accessibility-focused descriptions for screen readers
- Titles — SEO-friendly image titles
- Filenames — Clean, descriptive, URL-friendly filenames
Initial Setup
- Install and activate the plugin
- Navigate to Pic Pilot Meta → Settings
- Choose your AI provider (OpenAI or Google Gemini)
- Enter your API key
- Configure your preferred settings
- Start generating metadata!
You need your own API key from OpenAI or Google. The plugin does not include API credits — you pay your AI provider directly based on your usage.
Features Overview
AI Metadata Generation
Automatically generate alt text, titles, and filenames using GPT-4o or Gemini Pro Vision.
- One-click generation
- Bulk processing support
- Customizable AI prompts
- Keyword context enhancement
Accessibility Dashboard
Scan your entire site for accessibility issues with priority-based reporting.
- Full site scanning
- Priority categorization
- One-click fixes
- CSV export for audits
Note: Export only — no backup/restore functionality
Broken Image Finder
Detect broken images across your site including missing files and broken links.
- Media Library scanning
- Content image checks
- Featured image verification
- External URL testing
- CSV export for reports
Media Library Tools
Enhanced Media Library with quick access to AI tools and bulk operations.
- Custom tools column
- Advanced filtering
- Image tagging system
- Hover metadata preview
Image Duplication
Duplicate images with AI-generated metadata for creating variations.
- Smart filename generation
- Origin tracking
- Manual or AI metadata
- One-click duplication
Auto-Generation
Automatically generate metadata when images are uploaded.
- Upload-triggered generation
- Configurable per metadata type
- Immediate processing
- Skip if fields exist
Known Issues & Limitations
We believe in transparency. Here are the current limitations and known issues you should be aware of.
Media Modal Integration
Some media libraries from page builders (Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, etc.) may not properly display the PicPilot popup tools inside their custom media modals.
Filename Renaming — Incomplete Replacement
When an image file has been renamed through PicPilot, the plugin cannot guarantee 100% replacement across all locations. This limitation affects:
- Images hardcoded in theme template files
- Images referenced in custom CSS
- Images in serialized data (some page builders store data this way)
- External references to the image URL
SVG Files — No Alt Text or Title Support
The AI cannot add alt text and title attributes to SVG files. SVGs are XML-based vector files, not raster images, and AI vision models may not properly interpret SVG content.
Large Image Files
Images over 10MB may cause memory exhaustion during base64 encoding, API timeout during upload to the AI provider, or significantly slower processing times.
Virtual Images
Some images detected by the accessibility scanner may be "virtual" — they exist as URLs in your content but don't have a corresponding WordPress Media Library attachment.
AI Refusal for Faces / People
AI providers (OpenAI and Google) may refuse to generate detailed metadata for images containing identifiable faces or people due to their privacy policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Pic Pilot Meta currently supports OpenAI GPT-4o and Google Gemini Pro Vision. You can choose your preferred provider in the settings and switch between them at any time. Note: The plugin uses only the selected provider — it does not automatically fall back to the other provider if one fails.
Yes, you need to provide your own API key from OpenAI or Google. The plugin does not include API credits — you pay your AI provider directly based on your usage.
The AI generation will fail and display an error message. You'll need to add more credits to your API account to continue. The plugin will clearly indicate when API calls fail.
Yes! We offer a 7-day free trial that gives you access to all premium features. A payment method is required to start the trial.
No refunds are accepted. Please use the 7-day trial to fully evaluate the plugin before purchasing.
Technical Questions
Some page builders use custom media modal implementations. Go to Settings and disable "Enable Media Modal Tools", then use the main WordPress Media Library grid view for AI generation.
WordPress doesn't track all image references. The plugin updates the database and post content, but cannot modify theme files, custom CSS, or serialized data. Use filename generation on new uploads for best results.
Yes! Enable "Optimization Compatibility Mode" in settings for better compatibility with ShortPixel, Smush, and Imagify.
Currently Pic Pilot Meta only supports exporting scan results to CSV. There is no backup/restore or import functionality.
For best results, keep images under 10MB. Larger files may cause timeout or memory issues during processing.
Pricing & Licensing
Starter ($49.99): 1 site license. Professional ($149.99): 5 site licenses. Agency ($299.99): 25 site licenses. All plans include the same features.
Yes, you can upgrade your plan at any time through your Freemius account dashboard. You'll only pay the difference between plans.
Licenses are managed through Freemius. You can activate/deactivate licenses, transfer between sites, and manage subscriptions through your Freemius account or from WordPress admin under Pic Pilot Meta → Account.
Technical Specifications
System Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | 5.6+ | 6.0+ |
| PHP Version | 7.4+ | 8.0+ |
| MySQL Version | 5.6+ | 8.0+ |
| PHP Memory | 128MB | 256MB+ |
| Internet | Required for AI API calls | |
Supported Image Formats
- Full JPEG / JPG
- Full PNG
- Full GIF
- Full WebP
- Limited SVG (manual only)
API Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Default Timeout | 20s per image |
| URL Check Timeout | 10s per URL |
| Max Tokens (Alt/Title) | 150 tokens |
| Max Tokens (Filename) | 50 tokens |
Database Tables
Pic Pilot Meta creates two custom database tables:
wp_picpilot_scan_history— Scan sessions and progresswp_picpilot_scan_results— Individual image scan results
If you enable "Remove settings on uninstall" in the settings, all plugin data including database tables will be removed when you uninstall the plugin.
Getting Help
Troubleshooting Steps
- Verify API Key: Ensure your API key is correct and has available credits
- Check Image File: Verify the image file exists and is accessible
- Disable Media Modal: If using page builders, try disabling "Enable Media Modal Tools"
- Check Logs: Go to Settings → Logs tab for detailed error messages
- Increase Memory: Ensure PHP memory limit is at least 256MB for large batches
Enable Debug Mode
For advanced troubleshooting, enable logging in Settings to capture detailed information about API calls, errors, and processing steps.
Need More Help?
Contact our support team. Please include your log output when reporting issues.
Email Support →Include your log output and WordPress version when reporting issues.