A depression WordPress upload size limit stops you from uploading large files, plugins, and themes. If you lot're building a media-heavy website, that can exist a considerable obstruction. 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 become about solving this issue. We'll encompass them all in this article and bear witness you lot how to increase the maximum upload size in WordPress quickly.

Let'south swoop in!

Prefer to watch the video version?

What Is the Maximum Upload Size in WordPress?

Uploading large files to a server consumes a lot of the server'due south resources. To foreclose users from causing server timeouts, the default maximum upload size in WordPress typically ranges from 4 MB to 128 MB. Unremarkably, the hosting provider sets this limit at the server level.

WordPress as well 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 see an error 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" error tin 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.g. high-resolution images, large videos).

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

Want to upload a large file, plugin, or theme... but express by the max upload size?🗂 Learn how to resolve this common issue quickly & easily right hither ⬇️ Click to Tweet

How to Bank check the Electric current Maximum Upload Size in WordPress

There are many means to bank check your WordPress site's current max upload size. Let'southward become through all of them.

In the Media Library

The quickest fashion to check your site's 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 see a different limit listed here.

You lot can also go to Media > Add New direct and see the same message displayed at the lesser.

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

Once more, you tin can run across the 128 MB max upload file size here.

In the Site Health Info

WordPress 5.2 added the Site Health Info tool to help you debug your WordPress site better. Here, you can find almost all the data almost your server and WordPress configuration.

Every bit both the server and WordPress handle the max upload file size, there are 2 means to detect its value on this screen.

First, you tin detect it listed under the Media Handling 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 Wellness Info' panel

The second method is to look under the Server dropdown. You'll observe many options related to your webserver's setup under here. Please search for the value for Upload max filesize constant to see 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' console

You tin likewise see other PHP constants and their values, such as:

  • PHP post max size: Defines the maximum upload limit for Postal service requests.
  • PHP memory limit: Defines the memory allocated for PHP. It should exist ready equal to or higher than the Upload max filesize limit. Or else the upload will fail.

Your web host sets these options. Normally, starter hosting plans will have a lesser upload size limit than enterprise hosting plans. Some hosts may allow you to override these limits. But in well-nigh cases, you may need your hosting provider's assistance (and possibly a programme upgrade) to increase them.

Why Increase the Maximum Upload File Size in WordPress?

There are many reasons why y'all may need to increment your WordPress site's maximum upload file size. Here are the most common ones:

  • You desire to install a big theme or plugin direct through the WordPress admin dashboard.
  • Updating your WordPress site regularly is a great way to keep your readers engaged and render for more. And that includes uploading new images, videos, audios, and other media regularly. All the same, that'southward not always viable when there'south a file size limit for your uploads.
  • Yous want to upload a large video or image as your site's groundwork or header.
  • You plan to sell digital files such as ebooks, photographs, videos, themes, and plugins directly from your site. Sometimes, these files tin can sew together to hundreds of megabytes (or more).

Now that we've covered the basics of max upload file size in WordPress, permit's learn how to increase it.

x Ways to Increment the Max Upload File Size in WordPress

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

Contact Your Hosting Provider for Assist

If yous're facing issues with uploading files and file size limits, reaching out to your hosting provider for assist is ane of the quickest solutions. Increasing the upload limit is a lilliputian chore for tech support, so about hosting companies can help you ready this consequence quickly.

Tinkering with your server or site configuration files tin always be a claiming. Hence, we e'er recommend you try this method first.

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

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

Nosotros have representatives to assist you in many languages, including English, Castilian, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

Increase the Max Upload File Size in WordPress Multisite

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

First, head to your Network Admin dashboard, and and then become to Settings > Network Settings screen. Hither, roll downward till yous observe the Upload Settings section. 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 (~ane.five MB). You can change this to a higher value and click the Salve Changes button.

Note: You cannot circumvent the server-level max upload size limit from here. If the limit yous gear up here is higher than the server'south max upload size limit, the server will ignore it. You can employ the methods described above to find your webserver's configuration.

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

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

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

Update Your '.htaccess' File

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

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

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

Notice, all the values apply Thou 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 adept idea. You can read our in-depth tutorial on how to meliorate PHP memory limit in WordPress for more information.

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

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

Open the.htaccess file with a text editor or code editor, and then add the post-obit 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 to a higher place code: max_execution_time and max_input_time . They define how long a server spends on a single PHP task. The bigger your uploads, the bigger the time spent will exist. You need to set their values to a number that'due south appropriate for your employ case.

Note: You may go a 500 Internal Server Error after using the method to a higher place. Most likely, information technology's because your server is running PHP in CGI way. In such cases, you cannot use the in a higher place 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, it contains directives that define file timeouts, max upload size, and resource limits.

Using SSH or FTP, you can observe the php.ini file in your WordPress root directory. In some cases, you may not locate it in that location. Fret non! You lot can create a new file with the same proper 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 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 allow y'all to modify PHP settings via this method. In such a case, yous can go along to effort the following solution instead.

Subscribe Now

Create or Change the '.user.ini' File

If your hosting provider has locked downwards 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, yous can notice the .user.ini in your site's root directory. If you lot can't discover it, and so y'all 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'll notice that it's a repeat of the previous method, except with a dissimilar filename.

Change PHP Options via cPanel

If your hosting provider uses the cPanel dashboard to help y'all manage your server and site configuration, yous can alter 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, you can change your server's current PHP version and enable/disable many PHP extensions. Click on the Options link in the navigation menu to get to the PHP Options panel.

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

Scroll down hither 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 yous tin set hither depend on your current hosting plan.

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

If you lot have whatsoever doubts nigh these values, we advise you contact your hosting provider. The latest cPanel dashboard saves changes automatically, and then you don't have to click anything. But if you'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, simply it's too a lot more. Typically, Nginx tin can handle more concurrent requests than Apache, making information technology a lot faster. Kinsta uses Nginx to ability its performance-optimized hosting solutions for WordPress.

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

On an Nginx server, you can find the php.ini file at /etc/php/7.4/fpm/php.ini . Depending on which PHP version y'all've installed, the verbal path may vary slightly.

          upload_max_filesize = 64M post_max_size = 128M        

You don't have to set the memory_limit in the to a higher place file as Nginx handles information technology differently. For more, y'all tin check out this Stack Overflow thread. After saving your php.ini file, enable the changes by restarting PHP-FPM using the below code in your terminal:

          sudo service php7.4-fpm restart        

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

Side by side, employ Nginx's client_max_body_size directive to prepare the new max upload size limit. You demand to declare this directive in the nginx.conf file, which you tin find at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf .

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

Setting information technology in the http cake volition affect all the sites/apps hosted on this server.

          http {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

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

          server {     ...     client_max_body_size 128M; }        

The location block but 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 tin use the following command in your final:

          sudo service nginx reload        

If you're a Kinsta client, you can't access your Nginx config directly. Notwithstanding, you lot can reach out to our back up team, and they tin quickly make the changes for you.

Use 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. Even WordPress uses this filter to show yous the max upload size allowed, like in the Media Library and Site Health Info screens.

Below is an instance of this filter in activity from WordPress contributor Drew Jaynes. It 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). * @render int (possibly) Filtered size limit. */ office filter_site_upload_size_limit( $size ) { // Set the upload size limit to 10 MB for users lacking the 'manage_options' capability. if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) { // 10 MB. $size = 1024 * 10000; } render $size; } add_filter( 'upload_size_limit', 'filter_site_upload_size_limit', 20 );        

The above code uses WordPress' manage_options capability to gear up this limit only for non-admins. You can change the lawmaking to target specific user roles or user ids. Read our in-depth WordPress roles and capabilities article for more information.

Employ a WordPress Plugin

Messing with lawmaking using SSH or FTP/SFTP is not for everyone. If you're not comfortable with writing or editing lawmaking, you can use a WordPress plugin instead.

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

Nosotros'll be using the WP Maximum Upload File Size plugin here. Every bit of writing this, information technology'southward the simply up-to-engagement plugin on the WordPress plugin repository that helps you get this washed.

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

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

Here, you can see that the maximum upload file size set by WordPress is lesser than that set by your hosting provider. Hence, you can 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'south larger than the 1 fix by your hosting provider, it'southward not possible to do information technology via this plugin. For that, you need to contact your hosting provider.

Upload Files via FTP/SFTP

Are you all the same struggling with all the above methods? Or with your hosting provider to accept them raise the upload file size limit? You can always upload large files via FTP/SFTP.

FileZilla window with a site connected
Elevate and driblet files to and for your server and computer 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 majority upload files to the WordPress media library for more than data.

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

Alternatively, you tin exercise the aforementioned straight from the control 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 piece of work anymore. We're adding it here considering we've found many spider web tutorials that listing it as a legitimate way to increase the max upload size in WordPress.

It involves going to your site'southward 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 can only utilise the ini_set() function to set PHP directives that vest to the PHP_INI_ALL changeable manner.

Equally upload_max_size and post_max_size belong to the PHP_INI_PERDIR changeable mode. You can but set them via php.ini, .htaccess, http.conf, or .user.ini.

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

Verify Your WordPress Site'southward New Max Upload File Size

Finally, it's time to verify whether the new max upload file size limit is implemented in your WordPress site. To practise 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 likewise go to the Site Health Info panel and check for the same 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 Health Info > Server'

Don't permit the maximum upload size in WordPress hold you dorsum! 🙅‍♂️ This guide volition bear witness you how yous tin easily increase the limit to accommodate your larger files 👇 Click to Tweet

Summary

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

In about cases, reaching out to your hosting provider should be enough. Even so, if you're stuck with a troublesome host, we've shown you some culling methods you can try earlier migrating to amend hosting.

Go uploading!

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


Salve time, costs and maximize site performance with:

  • Instant assistance from WordPress hosting experts, 24/7.
  • Cloudflare Enterprise integration.
  • Global audience attain with 32 information centers worldwide.
  • Optimization with our congenital-in Application Performance Monitoring.

All of that and much more than, in ane plan with no long-term contracts, assisted migrations, and a 30-day-money-back-guarantee. Cheque out our plans or talk to sales to discover the plan that'south right for you lot.