How To Increase Maximum Upload File Size In WordPress

When you upload a file to WordPress, you may notice a limit on the size of the file. This limit depends on your web hosting provider and WordPress settings. In most cases, the maximum upload size is between 2MB and 500MB or higher.

If you try to upload a large file, WordPress will stop you and show an error. This can be frustrating, especially if you need to add large images, videos, or other files to your site.

A low upload limit can make managing your WordPress website difficult. For example, if you want to upload high-quality media, install a big plugin, or restore a backup, a small file size limit will slow you down. Instead of simply uploading what you need, you may have to compress files, split them into parts, or find alternative methods which take time and effort.

This is where you need to increase WordPress maximum upload file size, to avoid these issues and upload files smoothly. Whether you’re a blogger, an online store owner, or a developer, having a higher upload limit will give you more flexibility in managing your website.

In this tutorial, we explain 4 different ways to increase the WordPress upload limit so you can pick the best method based on your hosting setup.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• WordPress has a default file upload limit, which can be too low for large media files, themes, or plugins.
• Before you increase maximum upload file size in WordPress, ensure you check your current upload limit.
• Increasing the upload file size helps you upload large images, videos, themes, and backups without errors. It also helps manage your WordPress site efficiently.
• Always back up your site before making any changes to configuration files.
• You can increase the upload size by using the MaxUploader plugin or editing the .htaccess, php.ini, or functions.php files.
• After making changes, verify the new limit.
• If the changes don’t appear, clear your cache, restart your server, or check for syntax errors.
• Some hosting providers block changes, so you may need to contact support for help.
• Choosing the correct method depends on your hosting environment and file access permissions.

Why Increase Maximum Upload File Size in WordPress?

WordPress sets a default file upload limit, but many website owners find this limit too low. When you try to upload a file that exceeds the limit, WordPress blocks it. This can be inconvenient, especially when you want to upload important files to your website.

If you increase the maximum upload size, you gain more control over your site and make your work easier. Here are some key reasons why you might need to increase it:

Upload Large Media Files

When your website includes high-quality images, videos, or audio files, you can reach the upload limit. Large media files are essential for photography sites, online courses, and business websites that showcase professional content.

For example, a high-resolution image can be 5MB or more, while a video file can be hundreds of megabytes. If your upload limit is too low, you won’t be able to add these files directly to your media library. Increasing the limit allows you to upload and manage large media files without relying on external tools or extra steps.

Install Large Themes or Plugins

Many WordPress themes and plugins come packed with features; this makes their file sizes quite large. If you’re trying to install a premium theme or a feature-rich plugin, you may run into the upload size limit.

For instance, a full-featured multipurpose theme can be 20MB or more, and some backup or security plugins also have large file sizes. Without increasing the upload limit, you won’t be able to install them directly from your WordPress dashboard.

In this example, raising the limit ensures you can easily install any theme or plugin required to improve your site’s design and functionality.

Improve Site Management

Managing a WordPress site is much easier when file size limits aren’t restricted. Whether importing a database, restoring a backup, or uploading a PDF for your visitors, having a higher upload limit saves time and effort.

Instead of splitting files into smaller parts or using complex workarounds, upload everything immediately. This is especially useful for ecommerce sites, membership sites, and content-heavy blogs, where uploading large files is a regular task.

Raising the upload file size to maximum lets you avoid errors and keep your WordPress website running smoothly. In the following section, you will discover different ways to check your current upload file size limit.

Check Your Current WordPress Maximum Upload File Size 

Before you increase maximum upload file size in WordPress, you need to check the current limit. This will tell you how much you can upload and whether you need to make changes. Luckily, you can check this limit in 3 different ways. Here’s how you can do it:

Use WordPress Media Library

WordPress has a built-in media uploader that allows you to upload files easily without needing an FTP client (FileZilla) or your hosting provider’s File Manager. However, this uploader is controlled by PHP, which sets a check on the maximum file size you can upload.

As mentioned, the exact limit varies based on your hosting provider and WordPress settings. To find your current upload limit, check it through the WordPress Media Library.

Here’s the steps:

Go to WordPress Dashboard → Media → Add New Media File. The maximum file size allowed will be displayed below the upload area. This number tells you the largest file size you can upload. If you need to upload bigger files, you must increase this limit.

Check Site Health Info

WordPress also has a built-in Site Health tool that provides more technical details about your site. You can use it to check your upload size limit and other server settings. Here’s how:

Go to your WordPress Admin Dashboard. Click Tools → Site Health from the left menu.

Click Info at the top.

Scroll down and expand the Media Handling section. Look for Max size of an uploaded file and check its value to find out maximum upload file size.

This method gives you a deeper look at how your site is configured. If the number is too low, you need to adjust your server settings to increase it.

Use the phpinfo Function

If you wish to see all your server’s PHP settings, you can create a phpinfo.php file. This method is useful for checking more than just the upload limit. Here’s how to do it:

Open a text editor (e.g., Notepad) on your computer. Paste the following code into the file:

<?php
    phpinfo();
?>

Next, save the file as phpinfo.php.

Now, upload this file to your website’s root folder using FTP or your hosting File Manager. To make it easier, we’ve already written about uploading a file using FTP or File Manager. Check out these guides:

– How To Upload a File Using FTP Client FileZilla

– How To Upload A Document To A Website Using WordPress And File Manager

After that, open your browser and go to:

yourwebsite.com/phpinfo.php

Ensure you replace yourwebsite.com with your domain name. Look for upload_max_filesize and check its value in the PHP settings list.

This method gives you full details about your PHP configuration. If your upload limit is low, you can change these values in your php.ini file or ask your hosting provider to update them.

Note: All three locations ideally show the same value unless a different limit is enforced at the WordPress or server level. Additionally, 256M in PHP settings equals 256MB in WordPress. It’s just a different way of displaying the same value.

How to Increase Maximum Upload File Size in WordPress?

Once you know your WordPress site has a low file upload limit, you may increase it with a few simple changes. Depending on your hosting setup, there are different ways to do this. Before you change anything, back up your site to avoid any unexpected issues. If you have a backup, you can safely proceed and increase maximum upload file size in WordPress.

Modify the .htaccess File

One of the easiest ways to increase the upload file size is by editing the .htaccess file. This file controls how your server handles requests, and you can change it to increase the file size limit. To update the .htaccess file, access your WordPress root directory, usually called public_html. Do this using:

1. File Transfer Protocol (FTP): Connect to your website using an FTP client like FileZilla.
2. File Manager: Sign in to your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or any other) and open the File Manager.

For this section, we use the Hosted.com File Manager; however, if you’re using a different hosting provider, open your File Manager and follow the next steps:

Log in to the Hosted cPanel and go to Files → File Manager.

Navigate to the public_html folder. Right-click on the .htaccess file and choose Edit to open this file in cPanel’s built-in editor. If you don’t see this file, enable Show Hidden Files (dotfiles) in your file manager’s Settings.

Once the .htaccess file opens with a text editor, scroll to the bottom. Now, add the following lines of code:

php_value upload_max_filesize 512M
php_value post_max_size 512M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300

This code tells the server to allow files up to 512MB, increase the post size limit, and extend the execution time to prevent upload failures. You can adjust the 512M to a higher value if required.

Additionally, if you encounter timeouts during uploads, consider increasing the execution time (e.g., from 300 to 600 or more). After adding the code, click Save Changes to save the file (or upload it back to the server if you’re using FTP).

Configure the php.ini File

If editing the .htaccess file didn’t work, another way to increase maximum upload file size in WordPress is by modifying the php.ini file. This file controls various settings for your server, including file upload limits. Some web hosting providers allow access to this file, while others do not, especially if you use shared hosting. If you don’t see this file, contact your hosting provider or try another method.

Here’s how you can revise the php.ini file using File Manager:

Log in to your hosting account and open File Manager. In File Manager, click public_html, the root directory. Select the php.ini file, right-click on it and choose Edit.

Then, add or modify the following lines:

upload_max_filesize = 512M
post_max_size = 512M
max_execution_time = 300

In the above code, the upload_max_filesize sets the maximum file size you can upload.

In this example, it’s set to 512MB. The post_max_size controls the maximum size of a post request, which should be the same as or larger than upload_max_filesize. Also, max_execution_time sets how long the server will allow a script to run before stopping. Increasing it helps prevent timeouts when uploading large files.

Remember, if your hosting allows larger file uploads, you can increase the 512M value to a higher number. After adding the new settings, save the php.ini file and ensure it is inside the public_html folder.

IMPORTANT:

If the php.ini file is not in the root directory, you can create it manually.

If you’re a Hosted user, you’ll get a user-friendly cPanel interface, with built-in tools to edit the php.ini file. Here’s how:

Go to Hosted’s cPanel → Software → MultiPHPI NI Editor.

Under Basic Mode, choose your domain name and update the value for the following entries:

upload_max_filesize
post_max_size
max_execution_time

Then, click Apply to save settings.

TIP: Another option is to navigate to Editor Mode, where you can directly adjust the maximum file upload size within the editor interface.

Edit the functions.php File

If the .htaccess or php.ini method doesn’t work, increase maximum upload file size in WordPress by modifying the functions.php file of your active theme. This method works well if your hosting provider doesn’t allow changes to server configuration files.

However, note that editing functions.php only applies to the current theme. If you switch to a different theme or your current active theme gets updated, you may need to add the code again.

Here’s how you can edit the functions.php file:

Go to WordPress Dashboard → Appearance → Theme File Editor. On the right-hand side, look for functions.php under the Theme Files section. Click functions.php to open the file for editing.

Once the file is open, scroll to the bottom and add the following code:

@ini_set( 'upload_max_size', '512M' );
@ini_set( 'post_max_size', '512M');
@ini_set( 'max_execution_time', '300' );

After adding the code, scroll down and click Update File to save the changes.

TIP: If you prefer, or if you use a block theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty Two), you can access this file through FTP or your hosting File Manager. Go to wp-content/themes/your-active-theme/ and open the functions.php file.

Use a WordPress Plugin

If you’re uncomfortable editing files or adding code, you can use a plugin to increase maximum upload file size in WordPress. This method is simple, beginner-friendly, and allows you to adjust the upload limit without modifying your WordPress website’s core settings.

One of the best plugins for this purpose is MaxUploader – Increase Media Upload File Size | Increase Execution Time. This tool lets you set a new upload limit directly from your WordPress dashboard. Here’s how to use it:

Head over to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New Plugin. In the search bar, type MaxUploader. Once it appears, click Install Now, then click Activate.

Once the plugin is activated, go to Media → Increase Upload Limit. This will take you to the plugin’s settings page.

You’ll see a drop-down menu on the settings page called Choose Maximum Upload File Size. Select your desired file size from the available options. You may also set the Maximum Execution Time option. After making your choice, click Save Changes to apply the new limit.

Note: Your hosting provider controls the maximum file upload size. If the drop-down menu doesn’t offer the file size limit you need, contact your hosting provider and request an increase in the server’s upload limit. This ensures your website can handle larger files as required.

Verifying the Changes

After increasing maximum upload file size in WordPress, you need to check whether the changes worked. If the current limit is applied correctly, you can upload larger files. Here’s how you can verify it in just a few steps:

Go to WordPress Dashboard → Media → Add New Media File. This will open the upload area, where you can drag and drop files or select them manually. At the bottom of the upload box, WordPress will display the maximum file size allowed. You should see a message like:

Maximum upload file size: 512MB

The changes were successful if this number matches the value you set in .htaccess, php.ini, functions.php or MaxUploader plugin. To confirm everything works correctly, try uploading a file larger than the previous limit but within your new limit.

For example, if your old limit was 256MB and you increased it to 512MB, try uploading a 300MB or 450MB document. If the upload completes without an error, the changes were successful.

If you still get an upload limit error, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

Troubleshoot Upload Limit Error

If you’ve tried increasing your file upload size but aren’t seeing the changes, don’t worry; it’s a common issue with simple fixes. Start by clearing your browser cache and WordPress cache. Sometimes, old data stored in the cache can prevent updates from showing up.

If you’re using a caching plugin like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache, go to the plugin settings and clear the cache.

You should also try refreshing your browser or using an incognito window to check if the changes are visible.

If that doesn’t work and you have access to your web server, try restarting it. This can help apply the changes properly. However, if you don’t have access to restart the server, wait for a few minutes and check again.

Another common issue is insufficient permissions. Some hosting providers block direct modifications to .htaccess, php.ini, or functions.php files. If your changes aren’t being applied, your host may have set a limit you can’t override.

In this case, the best option is to contact your WordPress hosting provider and ask if they can increase the upload file size. Many hosting companies, including Hosted.com, have customer support to help with these requests.

Sometimes, after making changes, you may encounter errors on your site. This can happen if there’s a mistake in the code you edited. If you backed up before making any changes (which is always a good idea), you can restore it to fix the issue. If you didn’t create a backup, double-check the files you edited for any syntax errors. Even a small typo can cause problems, so take your time to review the changes carefully.

If you follow these steps, you can troubleshoot most issues related to increasing file upload size. Remember, patience is key. If you’re unsure, your hosting provider will assist.

FAQS

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