How to Increase the Maximum Upload File Size for a WordPress Website

The maximum size of files that can can be uploaded to a WordPress website is determined by a PHP directive that prevents large uploads from overloading the server which may cause performance issues or potential security vulnerabilities.

There are however, occasions when you need to upload files that exceed the default file size restrictions. The maximum file upload size is set at server level by your hosting provider and cannot be increased in WordPress. If you attempt to upload a file that is larger than the maximum upload size, you will see a notification similar to this:

In this article we’ll explain more on why the file size limit exists and how to increase the upload file size. If you need to upload large files, it is advisable to consult your hosting provider or you can use one of the methods that follow in this article.

How to Check Your Maximum File Upload Size Limit

You can easily check the upload size limit set by your hosting provider with one of the following methods.

Check via the Media Library

In your WordPress Admin Dashboard, navigate to Media > Library, and click the “Add New Media File” button. Here you will see the maximum file upload size displayed bellow the “Select Files” button.

Check via Site Health Info

You can also check the maximum file upload size by going to Tools > Site Health > Info and expand the “Media Handling” section. Here, you will see the “Max size of an uploaded file” limit for your website.

Why is There a Limit on the File Upload Size?

Upload restrictions exist for both security and efficiency. If users were allowed to upload large files without any restrictions, it could slow down the server and cause performance issues or even crash the website. This means that the upload size limit is basically there to ensure that the hosting server remains stable and continues to work efficiently.

Limiting the file upload size also helps to prevent attackers from attempting denial-of-service (DoS) attacks or uploading malicious files that could compromise the website.

Why You May Need to Increase the Maximum File Upload Size

There are a number of reasons why you may need to increase the maximum file upload size.

• If you need to upload high-resolution images or videos.
• For larger themes, plugins and custom elements.
• To restore backups.

Make a Backup of Your Website

In the processes that follow we will be making changes to some of the website core files, so it is crucial to do a complete backup of your website before proceeding. You can use a plugin like All-In-One-Migration or Duplicator for the backup. You can also do a manual backup via your hosting control panel.

How to Increase the Maximum File Upload Size

Now that we know why there is a restriction on the size of files that you can upload to your WordPress website, let’s look at how you can increase the upload file size limit.

1. Contact Your Hosting Provider

The safest and easiest way to increase the maximum file upload size is to ask your hosting provider. They should be able to quickly and easily adjust this setting for you.

This is by far the best method if you are not familiar with or are uncomfortable making manual code changes.

2. Increase the Upload Size with a Plugin

Using a plugin like EasyMedia – Increase Media Upload File Size is also a safe and easy method to increase your maximum file upload size limit.

1. Start by installing and activating the plugin.
2. Navigate to Media > Library > Easy Media.
3. Set the upload limit to the new value.
4. Increase the Execution Time if necessary. Execution time sets the maximum number of seconds a script is allowed to run before it is terminated. Setting the value to 300 (5 minutes) should be sufficient in most cases.
5. Set the Memory Limit to a value that is equal to, or greater than your upload size.
6. Save your changes.

A useful feature of this plugin is that you can set a limit for all users or use the “Role-Based Limit” to set different upload limits for specific user roles.

3. Modify the .htaccess File to Increase Your Upload Size

The .htaccess file controls your server configuration. You can increase the upload limit by by adding a few lines of code to this file.

1. Connect to your website using an FTP client or your hosting account File Manager.
2. Locate the .htaccess file in your website’s root directory which is normally public_html.
3. Add the code below at the end of the .htaccess file.
4. Save your changes.

php_value upload_max_filesize 256M
php_value post_max_size 256M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300
php_value memory_limit 256M

The code above will change the maximum file upload size to 256 MB. You can set this to a higher value if you need to. Remember to also set the post_max_size and memory_limit to values that are greater than the the files you need to upload

Wrapping Up

The maximum file upload restriction is there to maintain security and server performance. You can increase the the limit if you need to by using one of the methods in this article. Reach out to your hosting company or other web professional if you have any doubts.

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