Commons:File redirects

See also: Help:File redirect.

File redirects behave as expected from redirects: they are an alternative name for a given file.

Redirects left after a file renaming

After a File renaming, a redirect from the old name is automatically created (always for filemovers, though admins may prevent it).

These redirects should almost never be deleted. (Commons:File renaming#Leaving redirects allows redirects to be removed for cases of an "obvious error in the file name where that error would not be a reasonable redirect" (such as an entirely misidentified object), file name swaps and where the original filename was vandalism.)

Removing redirects:

• breaks old references to the work when viewing older revisions in eg Wikipedia articles (before the passage of the Delinker) ;
• breaks external references (external websites, books, etc.) including attribution links ;
• breaks hotlinks ;

Overall, remember that redirects do not cost anything.

Redirects directly created

Redirects may be used to provide a permanent to a media expected to change − see Commons:Overwriting existing files#Using redirects

See also

• Help:File redirect
• Commons:File renaming (policy)