The media upload button is not disabled when no image has been uploaded

[karinchristen]

This issue only occurs when the "old image uploader" is used e.q. Browser upload and not with the multi-file uploader. See attached screenshot.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63561

Before	After

This PR was created during an internal contributor day @wearerequired.

UX is much better now!

I agree, UX is definitely improved 👍

[dhrumilk]

Absolutely, the UX has definitely improved! 👍

[rollybueno]

Reproduction Report

Description

This report validates whether the issue described in the ticket can be reproduced.

Specifically, when using the browser uploader in the Media Library (via Media → Add New → browser uploader), the Upload button remains active even if no file has been selected.

Environment

• WordPress: 6.9-alpha-60093-src
• PHP: 8.2.28
• Server: nginx/1.27.5
• Database: mysqli (Server: 8.4.5 / Client: mysqlnd 8.2.28)
• Browser: Chrome 137.0.0.0
• OS: Linux
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five 1.2
• MU Plugins: None activated
• Plugins:
  • Query Monitor 3.18.0
  • Test Reports 1.2.0
  • Transients Manager 2.0.7

Actual Results

1. ✅ Error condition occurs (reproduced).
   • Navigated to Media → Add New.
   • Switched to browser uploader.
   • Clicked the Upload button without selecting a file.
   • Result: Redirected to a wp_die() error page due to missing upload file.

Additional Notes

• The Upload button is not disabled when no file is selected.
• Clicking it without selecting a file results in a server-side error instead of being blocked on the client side.
• This could be confusing for users expecting a disabled button until a file is chosen.

Supplemental Artifacts

Classic browser uploader for single file. You can see in this screenshot on where you can find it.

The single file upload page. You can see that the button is not disable by default, or when the file filed is empty.

If you clicked that without file uploaded, you get this old classic wp_die().

[rollybueno]

Test Report

Description

This report validates whether the indicated patch works as expected.

Patch tested: ​https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/8966

Environment

• WordPress: 6.9-alpha-60093-src
• PHP: 8.2.28
• Server: nginx/1.27.5
• Database: mysqli (Server: 8.4.5 / Client: mysqlnd 8.2.28)
• Browser: Chrome 137.0.0.0
• OS: Linux
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five 1.2
• MU Plugins: None activated
• Plugins:
  • Query Monitor 3.18.0
  • Test Reports 1.2.0
  • Transients Manager 2.0.7

Actual Results

1. ✅ Issue resolved with patch.
   • Navigated to Media → Add New → browser uploader.
   • Confirmed that the Upload button is now correctly disabled when no file is selected.
   • Also confirmed that if a file is selected and then upload is canceled, the Upload button reverts back to the disabled state.
   • Attempting to click the button without selecting a file no longer triggers a wp_die() error because.. ..well you can't click it 👍 😅.

Additional Notes

• To test the patch, I fetched the pull request locally using: git fetch upstream pull/8966/head:pr-8966 && git checkout pr-8966
• The UI behavior now aligns with expected usability and accessibility.
• No regressions observed in standard media uploading or drag-and-drop functionality.

Supplemental Artifacts

Before the patch:

After the patch: You can't click it by default

After the patch: Conditional logic is working. You can only click if you have selected a file. If you remove that, it reverts back to disabled.

[rollybueno]

Tested the patch and it's working. This has my 👍

Working fine for me

[mukesh27]

Mark ready for commit.

[ocean90]

In 60449:

Media: Disable upload button in browser's built-in file uploader if no file is selected.

Props karinchristen, krokodok, stefanvelthuys, hubersen, joedolson, mukesh27, rollybueno, ocean90.
Fixes #63561.