Recover website images without CMS access.

Start with ownership and permission

Before collecting anything, confirm that the client owns the site or has permission to reuse its imagery. The fact that files are visible online does not remove copyright restrictions. Record the client’s approval as part of the project handover.

Why “save image as” is not enough

A typical marketing site can spread images across dozens or hundreds of pages. The version visible on screen may be only one candidate from a responsive set. Other assets can sit in CSS backgrounds, lazy-loading attributes, metadata and pages that are not in the main navigation.

Manual saving also produces inconsistent filenames and makes it easy to miss duplicates. A site-level scan creates a more reliable inventory before design work begins.

If you are deciding between an extension, wget and a site crawler, this website image scraping guide explains what each method can and cannot find.

A practical recovery workflow

1. Keep the old website online until the new asset audit is complete.
2. Record the public domain, any useful sitemap URL and the pages that matter most.
3. Run a free Gather scan to estimate the number and size of available images.
4. Export the files in original format if archival quality matters, or WebP for a faster rebuild.
5. Review the report and manually check high-value pages for anything loaded by scripts.
6. Store the recovered ZIP inside the new project’s controlled asset library.

What to ask the client for as well

Recovered website files are useful, but they are not always the originals. Ask for brand photography, logos, product shots, staff portraits and licensed stock files separately. The live site may contain cropped or compressed versions that are unsuitable for large new layouts.

Also confirm whether any imagery is seasonal, out of date or tied to an expired licence. Recovery should produce a working asset library, not copy every historical problem into the new website.

Build a better handover this time

For the new site, keep source imagery in a client-owned folder, document the CMS and hosting owner, and include a final export in the handover. A simple asset register with filename, usage and rights information can save the next team hours.