diff --git a/src/webui.js b/src/webui.js
index 2d578cd..1bb7ecb 100644
--- a/src/webui.js
+++ b/src/webui.js
@@ -339,6 +339,108 @@ function createUploadMiddleware(uploadDir) {
   return multer({ storage });
 }
 
+function normalizeUploadReference(uploadPath) {
+  const value = String(uploadPath || '').trim();
+  if (!value || !value.startsWith('/uploads/')) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
+function collectUploadReferencesFromValue(value, refs) {
+  if (!value) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  const stack = [value];
+  while (stack.length) {
+    const current = stack.pop();
+    if (Array.isArray(current)) {
+      current.forEach(function (item) {
+        stack.push(item);
+      });
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (current && typeof current === 'object') {
+      Object.keys(current).forEach(function (key) {
+        stack.push(current[key]);
+      });
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (typeof current === 'string') {
+      const reference = normalizeUploadReference(current);
+      if (reference) {
+        refs.add(reference);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return refs;
+}
+
+function collectUploadReferencesFromSlide(slide) {
+  const refs = new Set();
+  if (!slide) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(slide.media_path, refs);
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(common.parseJsonSafe(slide.content_json), refs);
+  return refs;
+}
+
+function collectUploadReferencesFromTemplate(template) {
+  const refs = new Set();
+  if (!template) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(template.background_image_path, refs);
+  return refs;
+}
+
+function collectUploadReferencesFromPayload(payload) {
+  const refs = new Set();
+  if (!payload) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(payload.mediaPath, refs);
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(common.parseJsonSafe(payload.contentJson), refs);
+  collectUploadReferencesFromValue(payload.backgroundImagePath, refs);
+  return refs;
+}
+
+async function countUploadReferences(pool, uploadPath) {
+  const [slideRows] = await pool.query(
+    `SELECT COUNT(*) AS ref_count
+     FROM slides
+     WHERE media_path = ?
+       OR JSON_SEARCH(COALESCE(content_json, JSON_OBJECT()), 'one', ?) IS NOT NULL`,
+    [uploadPath, uploadPath]
+  );
+  const [templateRows] = await pool.query(
+    'SELECT COUNT(*) AS ref_count FROM slide_templates WHERE background_image_path = ?',
+    [uploadPath]
+  );
+  return Number(slideRows[0].ref_count || 0) + Number(templateRows[0].ref_count || 0);
+}
+
+async function removeUnusedUploadFiles(pool, uploadDir, uploadPaths) {
+  const uniquePaths = Array.from(new Set((uploadPaths || []).map(normalizeUploadReference).filter(Boolean)));
+  for (let i = 0; i < uniquePaths.length; i += 1) {
+    const uploadPath = uniquePaths[i];
+    const referenceCount = await countUploadReferences(pool, uploadPath);
+    if (referenceCount > 0) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const filePath = path.join(uploadDir, path.basename(uploadPath));
+    try {
+      await fs.promises.unlink(filePath);
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (error && error.code !== 'ENOENT') {
+        console.warn('Unable to remove unused upload file:', filePath, error);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 function parseCookies(cookieHeader) {
   return String(cookieHeader || '').split(/;\s*/).reduce(function (cookies, pair) {
     if (!pair) {
@@ -1448,12 +1550,17 @@ async function start() {
         return res.status(404).send('Slide not found');
       }
       const affectedScreens = await fetchScreensBySlideId(pool, slide.id);
+      const existingUploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromSlide(slide);
       const payload = await common.buildSlidePayload(pool, req, slide);
+      const nextUploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromPayload(payload);
       const actorId = getAuditUserId(req);
       await pool.query(
         'UPDATE slides SET title = ?, body = ?, template_id = ?, content_json = ?, media_path = ?, media_type = ?, modified_by = ? WHERE id = ?',
         [payload.title, payload.body, payload.templateId, payload.contentJson, payload.mediaPath, payload.mediaType, actorId, slide.id]
       );
+      await removeUnusedUploadFiles(pool, UPLOAD_DIR, Array.from(existingUploadRefs).filter(function (reference) {
+        return !nextUploadRefs.has(reference);
+      }));
       await notifyPlayerScreens(affectedScreens, 'refresh');
       await broadcastDashboardState();
       res.redirect('/admin/slides/' + slide.id + '/edit?message=' + encodeURIComponent('Slide updated.'));
@@ -1469,7 +1576,9 @@ async function start() {
         return res.status(404).send('Slide not found');
       }
       const affectedScreens = await fetchScreensBySlideId(pool, slide.id);
+      const uploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromSlide(slide);
       await pool.query('DELETE FROM slides WHERE id = ?', [slide.id]);
+      await removeUnusedUploadFiles(pool, UPLOAD_DIR, Array.from(uploadRefs));
       await notifyPlayerScreens(affectedScreens, 'refresh');
       await broadcastDashboardState();
       res.redirect('/admin/slides?message=' + encodeURIComponent('Slide deleted.'));
@@ -1536,12 +1645,17 @@ async function start() {
       if (!template) {
         return res.status(404).send('Template not found');
       }
+      const existingUploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromTemplate(template);
       const payload = await common.buildTemplatePayload(pool, req, template);
+      const nextUploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromPayload(payload);
       const actorId = getAuditUserId(req);
       await pool.query(
         'UPDATE slide_templates SET name = ?, canvas_size_id = ?, background_image_path = ?, modified_by = ? WHERE id = ?',
         [payload.name, payload.canvasSizeId, payload.backgroundImagePath, actorId, template.id]
       );
+      await removeUnusedUploadFiles(pool, UPLOAD_DIR, Array.from(existingUploadRefs).filter(function (reference) {
+        return !nextUploadRefs.has(reference);
+      }));
       await pool.query('DELETE FROM slide_template_regions WHERE template_id = ?', [template.id]);
       for (let i = 0; i < payload.regions.length; i += 1) {
         const region = payload.regions[i];
@@ -1562,9 +1676,11 @@ async function start() {
       if (!template) {
         return res.status(404).send('Template not found');
       }
+      const uploadRefs = collectUploadReferencesFromTemplate(template);
       await pool.query('UPDATE slides SET template_id = NULL, modified_by = ? WHERE template_id = ?', [getAuditUserId(req), template.id]);
       await pool.query('DELETE FROM slide_template_regions WHERE template_id = ?', [template.id]);
       await pool.query('DELETE FROM slide_templates WHERE id = ?', [template.id]);
+      await removeUnusedUploadFiles(pool, UPLOAD_DIR, Array.from(uploadRefs));
       res.redirect('/admin/templates?message=' + encodeURIComponent('Template deleted.'));
     } catch (error) {
       next(error);