File

ACF

file

The File field is native to ACF (free) and allows for an image to be uploaded and selected by using the native WordPress media modal.

Resolve Type

The “file” field type resolves as a “AcfMediaItemConnectionEdge” Type in the GraphQL Schema.

This allows for the file to be queried as a node of the MediaItem Type, where the client can ask for any property of the File.

Field Settings

Setting	Description	Impact on WPGraphQL
acfe_field_group_condition	Enable Global Conditional Logic for a specific field, which can then be used in an another Field Group as condition, both as Field Group Condition and Field Condition.	This is a presentational field in the WordPress admin and has no impact on the GraphQL Schema or GraphQL resolvers.
width	HTML elements applied to the wrapper of the field in the WordPress admin.	This is a presentational field in the WordPress admin and has no impact on the GraphQL Schema or GraphQL resolvers.
return_format	Specify the returned value on front end	The Return Value / Return Format setting does not impact WPGraphQL resolution. WPGraphQL will return as rich of objects as possible, and the client can chose which fields should be asked for. For example, an Image Field can return an ID, an Object or an Array, but in WPGraphQL the image field will always return a connection to a MediaItem and the client can chose to ask for just the ID or any other properties.
show_in_graphql	Whether the field should be queryable via GraphQL. NOTE: Changing this to false for existing field can cause a breaking change to the GraphQL Schema. Proceed with caution.	Checking this will expose the field to the GraphQL Schema. NOTE: If a field is added to the GraphQL Schema, then later removed from the Schema, this is considered a breaking change as client applications that were querying for the field would be breaking once it’s been removed from the Schema.
graphql_description	The description of the field, shown in the GraphQL Schema. Should not include any special characters.	The description of the field that is returned when using Schema Introspection queries, used by tools such as the GraphiQL IDE.
graphql_field_name	The name of the field in the GraphQL Schema. Should only contain numbers and letters. Must start with a letter. Recommended format is “snakeCase”.	The name of the field in the GraphQL Schema. The name must be unique to the Field Group (i.e. there cannot be 2 fields in one ACF Field Group with the same “GraphQL Field Name”, including when using Clone Fields).
name	Single word, no spaces. Underscores and dashes allowed	This is the name that is used to store field data in meta tables. The name will not affect the GraphQL Schema, but if the name is changed after data is already saved, it might impact resolution of the previously stored data. Changing the field name could negatively impact the GraphQL experience.
label	This is the name which will appear on the EDIT page.	This field is presentational for the WordPress admin and will not impact the GraphQL Schema.
required	Whether the field should be required when inputting new data	The “required” setting on an ACF Field does not directly impact the WPGraphQL Schema. While it might seem like setting an ACF Field to “required” should enforce the field to be a “Non Null” field in the GraphQL Schema, we believe this would be a mistake. Setting a field in the GraphQL Schema as “NonNull” will return errors if no data is present to be returned. Since the “required” setting can be toggled “on” on an ACF Field long after content already exists with no data for the field, this would cause errors to be returned for older content, and we believe this to be unexpected behavior. Instead of tying “GraphQL Non Null” to the ACF “Required” setting, we’ve provided a “GraphQL: NonNull” setting where you can explicitly opt-in to a field being “Non Null” in the Schema.
instructions	Instructions for authors. Shown when submitting data	This field is used to tell people in the WordPress admin how to use the field. If a “GraphQL Description” is not provided for a field, the “instructions” will be used as a fallback in GraphQL Introspection queries, used in tools such as the GraphiQL IDE.
conditional_logic	Allow the field to be displayed conditionally in the Admin based on dynamic conditions.	Conditional Logic should not impact the GraphQL Schema. Fields that are conditionally available in the admin should always be available in the Schema. The data that is resolved for a field might be impacted by conditional logic.

Field Configuration

An example of registering a field group with a file field in PHP (the same can be configured in the ACF admin UI, or via ACF JSON):

<?php
add_action( 'acf/include_fields', function() {
	if ( ! function_exists( 'acf_add_local_field_group' ) ) {
		return;
	}
	acf_add_local_field_group( [
		'key'                              => 'my_field_group_file',
		'title'                            => 'My Field Group with file',
		'show_in_graphql'                  => 1,
		'graphql_field_name'               => 'myFieldGroupWithFile',
		'map_graphql_types_from_location_rules' => 0,
		'graphql_types'                    => [ 'Page' ],
		'fields'                           => [
			[
				'key'                => 'my_field_file',
				'label'              => 'My Field',
				'name'               => 'my_field',
				'type'               => 'file',
				'show_in_graphql'    => 1,
				'graphql_field_name' => 'myFieldWithFile',
			],
		],
		'location'                         => [
			[
				[
					'param'    => 'post_type',
					'operator' => '==',
					'value'    => 'page',
				],
			],
		],
	] );
} );

Querying the Image field

query FileField($uri: String! = "kitchen-sink") {
  nodeByUri(uri: $uri) {
    id
    uri
    ...WithAcfFreeKitchenSink
  }
}

fragment WithAcfFreeKitchenSink on WithAcfAcfFreeKitchenSink {
  acfFreeKitchenSink {
    file {
      node {
        ...MediaItem
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment MediaItem on MediaItem {
  __typename
  id
  mediaItemUrl
}

Example response:

{
  "data": {
    "nodeByUri": {
      "id": "cG9zdDozNTI=",
      "uri": "/kitchen-sink/",
      "acfFreeKitchenSink": {
        "file": {
          "node": {
            "__typename": "MediaItem",
            "id": "cG9zdDoyNTQ=",
            "mediaItemUrl": "https://bpacfwpgraphql.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/acf-export-2023-05-24.json"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}