A depression WordPress upload size limit stops yous from uploading large files, plugins, and themes. If you're building a media-heavy website, that can be a considerable obstruction. It'southward necessary to increase the max upload size in WordPress or your server (or both) in such cases.

Depending on your hosting provider and server, there are many ways to get about solving this consequence. Nosotros'll cover them all in this article and testify you how to increase the maximum upload size in WordPress quickly.

Permit's dive in!

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What Is the Maximum Upload Size in WordPress?

Uploading large files to a server consumes a lot of the server's resources. To foreclose users from causing server timeouts, the default maximum upload size in WordPress typically ranges from iv MB to 128 MB. Usually, the hosting provider sets this limit at the server level.

WordPress also includes constants that define this limit, merely they cannot override the server-level settings in most cases.

To verify this, go to your WordPress site's Media Library. Here, try to upload a file that crosses this maximum upload file size limit. You'll run into an error bulletin that looks something like this:

Error while uploading a large file in WordPress
Error while uploading a big file in WordPress

The "exceeds the maximum upload size for this site" mistake can exist frustrating, but it exists for 2 primary reasons: security and efficiency. It hinders site owners and other users, including malicious actors, from uploading huge files (due east.g. high-resolution images, large videos).

Otherwise, information technology can result in incapacitating your website's server, making your site come to a crawl. Or worse, it can bring your site down altogether!

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How to Check the Current Maximum Upload Size in WordPress

In that location are many ways to bank check your WordPress site's current max upload size. Let's go through all of them.

In the Media Library

The quickest mode to check your site'southward current maximum upload size is to go to your WordPress dashboard, and from there, go to Media > Library. Here, click on the Add New button to activate the media uploader tool.

The "Maximum upload size limit" in WordPress
The "Maximum upload size limit" in WordPress

As Kinsta hosts this site, the Maximum upload file size: 128 MB. message displays below the Select Files button. If you're using a dissimilar web hosting provider, you may come across a unlike limit listed here.

You can also go to Media > Add New direct and see the aforementioned bulletin displayed at the lesser.

The
The "Maximum upload file size" in WordPress' Media Library

Again, you lot can run into the 128 MB max upload file size here.

In the Site Health Info

WordPress five.2 added the Site Health Info tool to assist y'all debug your WordPress site improve. Hither, you tin can discover nearly all the data about your server and WordPress configuration.

As both the server and WordPress handle the max upload file size, at that place are two ways to find its value on this screen.

Outset, yous can find information technology listed under the Media Handling dropdown. Hither, look for the value of Max size of an uploaded file constant.

'Media Handling' settings in the 'Site Health Info' panel
'Media Handling' settings in the 'Site Health Info' panel

The 2nd method is to look under the Server dropdown. You'll find many options related to your webserver's setup under here. Please search for the value for Upload max filesize constant to meet what it is. On this site, the max upload file size limit is 128 MB.

'Server' settings in the 'Site Health Info' panel
'Server' settings in the 'Site Health Info' panel

You can also see other PHP constants and their values, such every bit:

  • PHP postal service max size: Defines the maximum upload limit for POST requests.
  • PHP memory limit: Defines the retention allocated for PHP. Information technology should exist set up equal to or higher than the Upload max filesize limit. Or else the upload will fail.

Your spider web host sets these options. Ordinarily, starter hosting plans will have a bottom upload size limit than enterprise hosting plans. Some hosts may let you to override these limits. But in most cases, you lot may need your hosting provider's assist (and perhaps a plan upgrade) to increase them.

Why Increase the Maximum Upload File Size in WordPress?

At that place are many reasons why you may need to increase your WordPress site's maximum upload file size. Here are the most common ones:

  • Yous want to install a big theme or plugin straight through the WordPress admin dashboard.
  • Updating your WordPress site regularly is a great way to keep your readers engaged and return for more. And that includes uploading new images, videos, audios, and other media regularly. However, that's non e'er feasible when there's a file size limit for your uploads.
  • Y'all want to upload a large video or image as your site'southward background or header.
  • You lot plan to sell digital files such equally ebooks, photographs, videos, themes, and plugins directly from your site. Sometimes, these files tin sew together to hundreds of megabytes (or more).

At present that we've covered the basics of max upload file size in WordPress, allow's acquire how to increase it.

10 Ways to Increase the Max Upload File Size in WordPress

There are many ways you can fix the WordPress maximum upload size issue. We'll start with the easiest ones starting time, and and then we'll move on to the intermediate-level tutorials.

Contact Your Hosting Provider for Help

If you're facing issues with uploading files and file size limits, reaching out to your hosting provider for assist is one of the quickest solutions. Increasing the upload limit is a petty task for tech back up, so most hosting companies tin can assistance y'all fix this issue rapidly.

Tinkering with your server or site configuration files can always exist a challenge. Hence, nosotros e'er recommend you try this method beginning.

If you're hosting your site with Kinsta, our knowledgeable support team is just a click away and bachelor 24/7. To get started, get to your MyKinsta dashboard and click the chat icon in the bottom right corner.

Contact Kinsta support easily through MyKinsta
Contact Kinsta support easily through MyKinsta

We have representatives to assist you in many languages, including English, Spanish, French, High german, Italian, and Portuguese.

Increment the Max Upload File Size in WordPress Multisite

If yous're running a WordPress Multisite network, so y'all can alter the max upload file size for your network.

Outset, caput to your Network Admin dashboard, so go to Settings > Network Settings screen. Here, ringlet down till you lot discover the Upload Settings department. You'll observe the Max upload file size field in this area.

The 'Max upload file size' in 'Network Settings'
The 'Max upload file size' field in 'Network Settings'

The default value of Max upload file size in a WordPress Multisite is 1500 KB (~i.v MB). You tin can change this to a higher value and click the Save Changes button.

Annotation: Yous cannot circumvent the server-level max upload size limit from here. If the limit you set here is higher than the server's max upload size limit, the server will ignore it. You can use the methods described above to observe your webserver'due south configuration.

The new 'Max upload file size' field in 'Network Settings'
The new 'Max upload file size' in 'Network Settings'

Here, we've set the new max upload file size to 131072 KB (~128 MB).

You tin can besides limit the total size of files uploaded to an individual site in the Multisite network. All the same, information technology'southward disabled past default.

Update Your '.htaccess' File

If your webserver runs on Apache, you tin can update your site'southward .htaccess file to increase the max upload size in WordPress. You tin find your .htaccess file in the WordPress site's root directory.

As per PHP documentation, iii PHP directives are responsible for how WordPress handles uploads. They are:

  • upload_max_filesize
  • post_max_size
  • memory_limit

Nosotros've already discussed them in the Site Wellness Info section to a higher place. It would help if you lot modified these three directives' values to admit your file sizes. For instance, if the largest file you're planning to upload is 32 MB, we recommend the following settings:

  • upload_max_filesize = 32M
  • post_max_size = 64M
  • memory_limit = 128M

Discover, all the values apply 1000 instead of MB. That's how PHP handles its directives.

Uploads can incorporate extra information in addition to the file itself. Then, giving all other upload-related directives some breathing space is a good idea. Yous can read our in-depth tutorial on how to ameliorate PHP memory limit in WordPress for more information.

Access your .htaccess file via FTP/SFTP or your hosting provider's File Manager.

Finding the '.htaccess' file
Finding the '.htaccess' file

Open the.htaccess file with a text editor or lawmaking editor, and then add together the following code:

          php_value upload_max_filesize 32M php_value post_max_size 64M php_value memory_limit 128M php_value max_execution_time 300 php_value max_input_time 300        

Yous can detect two other PHP directives in the higher up code: max_execution_time and max_input_time . They ascertain how long a server spends on a unmarried PHP task. The bigger your uploads, the bigger the time spent volition be. You lot need to ready their values to a number that's appropriate for your use case.

Notation: Yous may get a 500 Internal Server Error after using the method above. Most likely, it's because your server is running PHP in CGI mode. In such cases, you lot cannot use the above commands in your .htaccess file.

Create or Modify the 'php.ini' File

The php.ini file is where you ascertain changes to your default PHP settings. Typically, it contains directives that define file timeouts, max upload size, and resource limits.

Using SSH or FTP, you can detect the php.ini file in your WordPress root directory. In some cases, you may not locate it there. Fret non! Y'all can create a new file with the same name in your site's root directory.

How to create a new php.ini file
How to create a new php.ini file

With a code or text editor, add the post-obit code to your existing or new php.ini file:

          upload_max_filesize = 32M post_max_size = 64M memory_limit = 128M        

Don't forget to save your file after making the changes. Some hosts don't allow you to modify PHP settings via this method. In such a case, you can proceed to try the post-obit solution instead.

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Create or Modify the '.user.ini' File

If your hosting provider has locked down the global PHP settings, they may take configured the server to work with .user.ini files instead of php.ini files.

Like php.ini and .htaccess files, you can find the .user.ini in your site's root directory. If you lot can't find it, then you can create a new .user.ini file in the same location. Follow the same procedure described in the previous method to create a newphp.ini file.

Next, add the following code to your .user.ini file:

          upload_max_filesize = 32M post_max_size = 64M memory_limit = 128M        

You lot'll find that it'southward a echo of the previous method, except with a unlike filename.

Modify PHP Options via cPanel

If your hosting provider uses the cPanel dashboard to help you manage your server and site configuration, you can change the max upload file size through its interface.

To go started, get to your cPanel dashboard, and select the Select PHP Version under the Software department.

Click 'Select PHP Version' in cPanel dashboard
Click 'Select PHP Version' in the cPanel dashboard

Here, you can alter your server's electric current PHP version and enable/disable many PHP extensions. Click on the Options link in the navigation bill of fare to become to the PHP Options panel.

Go to the 'PHP Options' settings in cPanel
Go to the 'PHP Options' settings in cPanel

Scroll down here to modify the values of PHP directives such as upload_max_filesize , post_max_size , memory_limit , max_execution_time , and max_input_time . The max values you can ready here depend on your electric current hosting programme.

The 'PHP Options' screen in cPanel
The 'PHP Options' screen in cPanel

If y'all take any doubts about these values, nosotros propose y'all contact your hosting provider. The latest cPanel dashboard saves changes automatically, then yous don't have to click anything. But if yous're using an older cPanel version, brand sure to click the Salve Changes button.

Increase the Max Upload File Size in Nginx

Nginx is another webserver like Apache, but it's besides a lot more. Typically, Nginx can handle more than concurrent requests than Apache, making information technology a lot faster. Kinsta uses Nginx to power its functioning-optimized hosting solutions for WordPress.

If you're running your WordPress site on Nginx, you lot'll need to change both your php.ini and nginx.conf files. Nosotros've dealt with the quondam file before. The latter 1 is called an Nginx config file.

On an Nginx server, you can discover the php.ini file at /etc/php/seven.four/fpm/php.ini . Depending on which PHP version you've installed, the exact path may vary slightly.

          upload_max_filesize = 64M post_max_size = 128M        

You don't accept to ready the memory_limit in the above file every bit Nginx handles it differently. For more, you can check out this Stack Overflow thread. After saving your php.ini file, enable the changes past restarting PHP-FPM using the below code in your final:

          sudo service php7.four-fpm restart        

Once more, the verbal lawmaking may vary slightly depending on the PHP version installed on your server.

Next, utilise Nginx'due south client_max_body_size directive to set the new max upload size limit. You lot need to declare this directive in the nginx.conf file, which you tin can detect at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf .

You tin can declare this directive inside the http {...} block, the server {...} block, or the location {...} block.

Setting information technology in the http block volition bear upon all the sites/apps hosted on this server.

          http {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

Defining it in the server block will only touch a specific site/app hosted by this server.

          server {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

The location block only affects the specified directory (e.g. files, uploads) inside a site/app.

          location /files {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

Don't forget to save the file and restart Nginx to apply the changes. To exercise that, y'all can use the following command in your terminal:

          sudo service nginx reload        

If yous're a Kinsta client, you can't access your Nginx config directly. Nevertheless, yous tin accomplish out to our support squad, and they can apace brand the changes for you.

Employ the WordPress 'upload_size_limit' Filter

WordPress 2.5 introduced the upload_size_limit filter, which filters the maximum upload size allowed in php.ini. Fifty-fifty WordPress uses this filter to show you the max upload size immune, like in the Media Library and Site Health Info screens.

Below is an example of this filter in action from WordPress contributor Drew Jaynes. Information technology defines the upload size limit for all non-admin roles.

          /** * Filter the upload size limit for non-administrators. * * @param string $size Upload size limit (in bytes). * @return int (perchance) Filtered size limit. */ function filter_site_upload_size_limit( $size ) { // Ready the upload size limit to 10 MB for users lacking the 'manage_options' adequacy. if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) { // x MB. $size = 1024 * 10000; } render $size; } add_filter( 'upload_size_limit', 'filter_site_upload_size_limit', xx );        

The above lawmaking uses WordPress' manage_options capability to fix this limit only for not-admins. Y'all can modify the code to target specific user roles or user ids. Read our in-depth WordPress roles and capabilities article for more information.

Apply a WordPress Plugin

Messing with code using SSH or FTP/SFTP is not for everyone. If y'all're non comfy with writing or editing code, you can employ a WordPress plugin instead.

WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin
WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin

We'll exist using the WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin hither. As of writing this, information technology'due south the but upward-to-date plugin on the WordPress plugin repository that helps you go this done.

To become started, install and activate the WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin. Next, go to its settings screen in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you tin see the maximum upload file size set by both your hosting provider and WordPress.

WP Maximum Upload File Size settings screen
WP Maximum Upload File Size settings screen

Here, you tin see that the maximum upload file size set up by WordPress is bottom than that set by your hosting provider. Hence, you lot tin crank it up by choosing the Maximum Upload File Size with the dropdown presented.

Note: If you want to set a max upload file size limit that'due south larger than the one set up by your hosting provider, information technology's not possible to exercise it via this plugin. For that, yous need to contact your hosting provider.

Upload Files via FTP/SFTP

Are yous still struggling with all the to a higher place methods? Or with your hosting provider to have them raise the upload file size limit? Yous can always upload large files via FTP/SFTP.

FileZilla window with a site connected
Drag and drop files to and for your server and estimator with SFTP

If you have a lot of large files to upload, this is the fastest method. Yous can read our in-depth tutorial on how to majority upload files to the WordPress media library for more information.

Sometimes, WordPress doesn't recognize files uploaded via FTP/SFTP. If that's the case, you can utilize the gratuitous Add From Server plugin to import the uploaded files into WordPress.

Alternatively, you can practise the same straight from the command line by importing images using WP-CLI. The wp media import command allows you to create attachments from local files or URLs.

Don't Edit the 'wp-config.php' File

Editing the wp-config.php file doesn't work anymore. We're calculation information technology hither because we've plant many web tutorials that listing it equally a legitimate way to increase the max upload size in WordPress.

It involves going to your site's root directory via FTP/SFTP or SSH and then editing the wp-config.php file.

Finding the 'wp-config.php' file
Finding the 'wp-config.php' file

You're suggested to add the following code to the wp-config.php file:

          @ini_set( 'upload_max_size' , '64M' ); @ini_set( 'post_max_size', '128M'); @ini_set( 'memory_limit', '256M' );        

It fails to piece of work because you tin only use the ini_set() part to set PHP directives that belong to the PHP_INI_ALL changeable style.

As upload_max_size and post_max_size belong to the PHP_INI_PERDIR child-bearing way. You lot tin just set up them via php.ini, .htaccess, http.conf, or .user.ini.

If you've tried this method before without seeing any results, now y'all know why information technology fails.

Verify Your WordPress Site's New Max Upload File Size

Finally, information technology's fourth dimension to verify whether the new max upload file size limit is implemented in your WordPress site. To do this, follow the same procedure nosotros discussed above to check the max upload file size in WordPress.

Go to your Media Library in the WordPress dashboard and check whether the max upload file size limit has changed.

Verifying the new max upload file size limit
Verifying the new max upload file size in 'Media Library'

Yes, it has changed. That's a success!

You can also go to the Site Health Info panel and check for the aforementioned under Media Handling and Server dropdowns.

Verifying the new max upload file size limit in 'Site Health Info'
Verifying the new max upload file size in 'Site Health Info > Media Library'
Verifying the new max upload file size limit in 'Site Health Info'
Verifying the new max upload file size in 'Site Wellness Info > Server'

Don't let the maximum upload size in WordPress hold y'all back! 🙅‍♂️ This guide volition bear witness you how you can easily increase the limit to suit your larger files 👇 Click to Tweet

Summary

As you've seen, increasing the maximum upload file size in WordPress isn't too complex. Whether you're edifice a media-heavy portfolio site or installing a large theme, information technology's simply a matter of knowing where to look for and what commands or tools to use.

In most cases, reaching out to your hosting provider should be plenty. Still, if yous're stuck with a troublesome host, we've shown you some alternative methods yous tin can try before migrating to ameliorate hosting.

Go uploading!

Did nosotros cover it all? If you've experienced a stubborn case of upload file size limits, let the states know how yous managed to fix it.


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