A low WordPress upload size limit stops you from uploading large files, plugins, and themes. If you're building a media-heavy website, that tin can be a considerable obstacle. It's necessary to increment 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 upshot. We'll encompass them all in this article and testify you lot how to increase the maximum upload size in WordPress quickly.

Permit'south 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'south resources. To preclude users from causing server timeouts, the default maximum upload size in WordPress typically ranges from 4 MB to 128 MB. Ordinarily, the hosting provider sets this limit at the server level.

WordPress besides includes constants that ascertain this limit, but they cannot override the server-level settings in most cases.

To verify this, get to your WordPress site's Media Library. Here, try to upload a file that crosses this maximum upload file size limit. Yous'll run into an fault message that looks something like this:

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

The "exceeds the maximum upload size for this site" fault can be frustrating, but it exists for two main reasons: security and efficiency. It hinders site owners and other users, including malicious actors, from uploading huge files (e.k. high-resolution images, large videos).

Otherwise, it can issue in incapacitating your website'due south server, making your site come to a crawl. Or worse, it tin can bring your site down altogether!

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How to Check the Current Maximum Upload Size in WordPress

At that place are many ways to check your WordPress site's electric current max upload size. Let'due south go through all of them.

In the Media Library

The quickest way to check your site's current maximum upload size is to go to your WordPress dashboard, and from there, go to Media > Library. Hither, click on the Add New button to actuate 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 lot're using a different web hosting provider, you lot may see a different limit listed here.

Yous tin likewise get to Media > Add together New directly and see the same message displayed at the bottom.

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

Again, yous tin come across the 128 MB max upload file size here.

In the Site Health Info

WordPress five.two added the Site Health Info tool to assist you debug your WordPress site better. Here, you can observe almost all the information near your server and WordPress configuration.

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

First, you tin can observe information technology listed under the Media Treatment dropdown. Here, 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 2d method is to look under the Server dropdown. You'll detect many options related to your webserver's setup under here. Please search for the value for Upload max filesize constant to see what information technology 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

Y'all can also run into other PHP constants and their values, such equally:

  • PHP mail service max size: Defines the maximum upload limit for Mail service requests.
  • PHP retention limit: Defines the memory allocated for PHP. It should be set up equal to or college than the Upload max filesize limit. Or else the upload volition neglect.

Your web host sets these options. Usually, starter hosting plans will take a lesser upload size limit than enterprise hosting plans. Some hosts may allow you to override these limits. But in most cases, you lot may need your hosting provider'due south assistance (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. Hither are the nearly common ones:

  • You want to install a large theme or plugin directly through the WordPress admin dashboard.
  • Updating your WordPress site regularly is a peachy way to keep your readers engaged and return for more. And that includes uploading new images, videos, audios, and other media regularly. All the same, that's non always feasible when there's a file size limit for your uploads.
  • Y'all want to upload a large video or image as your site'due south background or header.
  • You plan to sell digital files such as ebooks, photographs, videos, themes, and plugins direct from your site. Sometimes, these files can stitch to hundreds of megabytes (or more).

Now that nosotros've covered the basics of max upload file size in WordPress, let's learn how to increase information technology.

10 Ways to Increase the Max Upload File Size in WordPress

There are many means you can set the WordPress maximum upload size result. We'll start with the easiest ones first, and so we'll move on to the intermediate-level tutorials.

Contact Your Hosting Provider for Help

If y'all're facing bug with uploading files and file size limits, reaching out to your hosting provider for assistance is one of the quickest solutions. Increasing the upload limit is a trivial task for tech back up, and then about hosting companies can aid you gear up this consequence chop-chop.

Tinkering with your server or site configuration files can always exist a challenge. Hence, we ever recommend you endeavour this method beginning.

If you lot're hosting your site with Kinsta, our knowledgeable back up squad is merely a click away and available 24/seven. To get started, go to your MyKinsta dashboard and click the chat icon in the lesser right corner.

Contact Kinsta support easily through MyKinsta
Contact Kinsta back up easily through MyKinsta

Nosotros have representatives to help you in many languages, including English language, Spanish, French, German language, Italian, and Portuguese.

Increase the Max Upload File Size in WordPress Multisite

If you lot're running a WordPress Multisite network, and then yous can change the max upload file size for your network.

Get-go, head to your Network Admin dashboard, so get to Settings > Network Settings screen. Here, curl down till you find the Upload Settings section. You'll notice 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 (~1.v MB). You tin modify this to a higher value and click the Save Changes push.

Notation: You cannot circumvent the server-level max upload size limit from hither. If the limit you set here is higher than the server'south max upload size limit, the server will ignore information technology. You tin can utilise the methods described above to notice your webserver'southward configuration.

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

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

You tin can also limit the total size of files uploaded to an individual site in the Multisite network. However, information technology's disabled by default.

Update Your '.htaccess' File

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

As per PHP documentation, three 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 Health Info section above. It would help if you lot modified these iii directives' values to admit your file sizes. For example, if the largest file y'all're planning to upload is 32 MB, we recommend the following settings:

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

Observe, all the values use Thou instead of MB. That's how PHP handles its directives.

Uploads can contain actress data in addition to the file itself. Then, giving all other upload-related directives some breathing space is a proficient idea. Y'all can read our in-depth tutorial on how to improve 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 and so add 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        

You tin notice 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 single PHP job. The bigger your uploads, the bigger the fourth dimension spent volition be. Yous demand to set their values to a number that's appropriate for your use case.

Annotation: You may become a 500 Internal Server Error later on using the method above. Most likely, it's because your server is running PHP in CGI mode. In such cases, you cannot use the above commands in your .htaccess file.

Create or Alter the 'php.ini' File

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

Using SSH or FTP, you can discover the php.ini file in your WordPress root directory. In some cases, you may not locate information technology there. Fret not! You tin can create a new file with the same proper noun in your site's root directory.

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

With a lawmaking or text editor, add the following 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 let you to modify PHP settings via this method. In such a instance, you can proceed to effort the following solution instead.

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Create or Change the '.user.ini' File

If your hosting provider has locked down the global PHP settings, they may have 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'south root directory. If yous tin't find it, then you tin create a new .user.ini file in the same location. Follow the aforementioned procedure described in the previous method to create a newphp.ini file.

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

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

Y'all'll notice that it's a echo of the previous method, except with a different filename.

Change PHP Options via cPanel

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

To get started, go 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, yous can modify your server's current PHP version and enable/disable many PHP extensions. Click on the Options link in the navigation menu to go to the PHP Options panel.

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

Gyre downwards here to alter 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 tin can set here depend on your current hosting programme.

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

If you have any doubts about these values, we propose you contact your hosting provider. The latest cPanel dashboard saves changes automatically, so y'all don't take to click anything. Just if you're using an older cPanel version, brand certain to click the Save Changes push.

Increase the Max Upload File Size in Nginx

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

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

On an Nginx server, you can discover the php.ini file at /etc/php/7.iv/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 set the memory_limit in the to a higher place file equally Nginx handles it differently. For more than, you tin can cheque out this Stack Overflow thread. After saving your php.ini file, enable the changes by restarting PHP-FPM using the beneath code in your last:

          sudo service php7.4-fpm restart        

Once again, the exact code may vary slightly depending on the PHP version installed on your server.

Next, use Nginx's client_max_body_size directive to fix the new max upload size limit. You need to declare this directive in the nginx.conf file, which you can observe at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf .

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

Setting it in the http block will affect all the sites/apps hosted on this server.

          http {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

Defining it in the server cake will only affect a specific site/app hosted past this server.

          server {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

The location block simply 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 do that, you can use the following command in your final:

          sudo service nginx reload        

If you're a Kinsta client, you tin can't access your Nginx config straight. Withal, you can reach out to our support team, and they can quickly make the changes for you.

Utilize the WordPress 'upload_size_limit' Filter

WordPress 2.v introduced the upload_size_limit filter, which filters the maximum upload size allowed in php.ini. Even WordPress uses this filter to show you the max upload size allowed, like in the Media Library and Site Health Info screens.

Below is an example of this filter in action from WordPress correspondent Drew Jaynes. It defines the upload size limit for all not-admin roles.

          /** * Filter the upload size limit for non-administrators. * * @param string $size Upload size limit (in bytes). * @render int (maybe) Filtered size limit. */ function filter_site_upload_size_limit( $size ) { // Set the upload size limit to x MB for users lacking the 'manage_options' capability. if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) { // 10 MB. $size = 1024 * 10000; } return $size; } add_filter( 'upload_size_limit', 'filter_site_upload_size_limit', 20 );        

The above code uses WordPress' manage_options capability to set this limit but for non-admins. You tin can alter the code to target specific user roles or user ids. Read our in-depth WordPress roles and capabilities article for more information.

Use a WordPress Plugin

Messing with code using SSH or FTP/SFTP is non for everyone. If you're non comfortable with writing or editing code, you can use a WordPress plugin instead.

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

We'll be using the WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin here. Every bit of writing this, it'due south the merely upwards-to-engagement plugin on the WordPress plugin repository that helps you get this done.

To go started, install and actuate the WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin. Side by side, go to its settings screen in your WordPress dashboard. Hither, yous can see the maximum upload file size ready by both your hosting provider and WordPress.

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

Hither, you lot can meet that the maximum upload file size set by WordPress is lesser than that prepare past your hosting provider. Hence, you lot can crank it upward past choosing the Maximum Upload File Size with the dropdown presented.

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

Upload Files via FTP/SFTP

Are you still struggling with all the above methods? Or with your hosting provider to have them raise the upload file size limit? You tin can e'er 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. Y'all can read our in-depth tutorial on how to bulk upload files to the WordPress media library for more data.

Sometimes, WordPress doesn't recognize files uploaded via FTP/SFTP. If that's the instance, you can use the free Add together From Server plugin to import the uploaded files into WordPress.

Alternatively, yous can exercise the same directly from the command line by importing images using WP-CLI. The wp media import control allows you lot 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 adding it here because we've found many web tutorials that list it every bit a legitimate way to increase the max upload size in WordPress.

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

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

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

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

Information technology fails to work because you tin can only use the ini_set() function to ready PHP directives that belong to the PHP_INI_ALL changeable mode.

As upload_max_size and post_max_size belong to the PHP_INI_PERDIR changeable fashion. Y'all can but set them via php.ini, .htaccess, http.conf, or .user.ini.

If you've tried this method before without seeing any results, now you know why it fails.

Verify Your WordPress Site's New Max Upload File Size

Finally, information technology'southward time to verify whether the new max upload file size limit is implemented in your WordPress site. To practise this, follow the same process we discussed above to check the max upload file size in WordPress.

Get 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 inverse. That's a success!

You tin can as well go to the Site Health Info panel and bank check for the same nether 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 Wellness Info > Media Library'
Verifying the new max upload file size limit in 'Site Health Info'
Verifying the new max upload file size in 'Site Health Info > Server'

Don't let the maximum upload size in WordPress hold you lot dorsum! 🙅‍♂️ This guide volition show you how you lot can easily increase the limit to conform your larger files 👇 Click to Tweet

Summary

Every bit y'all've seen, increasing the maximum upload file size in WordPress isn't too circuitous. Whether you're edifice a media-heavy portfolio site or installing a large theme, it's just a matter of knowing where to look for and what commands or tools to use.

In nearly cases, reaching out to your hosting provider should exist enough. However, if y'all're stuck with a troublesome host, we've shown you lot some alternative methods you can try before migrating to better hosting.

Get uploading!

Did we cover it all? If y'all've experienced a stubborn case of upload file size limits, let us know how you managed to fix it.


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