{"id":8078,"date":"2019-11-27T08:26:30","date_gmt":"2019-11-27T08:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=8078"},"modified":"2025-05-18T07:25:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T07:25:31","slug":"fix-the-uploaded-file-exceeds-the-upload-max-filesize-directive-in-php-ini-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/tutorials\/fix-the-uploaded-file-exceeds-the-upload-max-filesize-directive-in-php-ini-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"Upload_max_filesize Error: how to fix the file size limit in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"

The “the uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini” <\/strong>error happens when you try to upload a file larger than the maximum file size set in your server’s php.ini file. To fix it, you need to increase the upload_max_filesize<\/code> value using one of the following: the .htaccess<\/code> file, wp-config.php<\/code>, or by editing the php.ini<\/code> file directly.<\/p>

As scary as this error may seem, the solutions are pretty straightforward. In this tutorial, you will learn how to debug this WordPress error by increasing the default limit of upload_max_filesize <\/strong>through a few methods.<\/p>

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How to Fix the upload_max_filesize Error<\/h2>

The solution, as you might have guessed, involves increasing the default limit of upload_max_filesize<\/strong>. Let’s dive into it and see what steps we can take to fix this WordPress error.<\/p>

Method 1. Editing the .htaccess File<\/h3>

The quickest fix for the uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini <\/strong>error is increasing your PHP resource limits by tweaking the .htaccess<\/strong> file. Here’s how to do it:<\/p>

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  1. Login to hPanel and navigate to File Manager<\/strong> in the Dashboard <\/strong>section.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
    \"hPanel<\/a><\/figure>

    2. Locate the <\/span>.htaccess<\/strong> file inside the public_html<\/strong> directory and right-click to <\/span>Edit<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>

    File Manager with the .htaccess file selected via right-click and the \"Edit\" option highlighted.<\/a><\/figure>

    3. Add the following line at the bottom of the file:<\/span><\/p>

    php_value upload_max_filesize 256M<\/pre>
    Then Save<\/strong> the changes. <\/p>
    That’s it! Increasing the upload_max_filesize <\/strong>value should automatically fix the error.<\/p>
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    \n                \n                    \n                <\/svg>\n                
    \n                    Pro Tip                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            
     Adjust the PHP limits to any desired values as long as your web hosting providers support it. You can also locate the maximum available limits by checking the PHP info<\/a> of your website. <\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n        \n\n\n\n<\/p>
    Method 2. Editing the wp-config.php File<\/h3>
    Another way to get rid of the uploaded file exceeding the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini error<\/strong> is by tweaking the wp-config.php<\/strong> file<\/a> located in your root directory.<\/p>
    All you need to do is log in to the hPanel and access public_html <\/strong>to edit the wp_config.php <\/strong>file. Add the following line before the “That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing” line:<\/p>
    @ini_set('upload_max_size' , '256M' );<\/pre>
    Now Save<\/strong> the file, refresh your web browser, and try uploading again!<\/p>
    Method 3. Updating php.ini to Fix the upload_max_filesize Error<\/h3>
    If you look closer at the uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini<\/strong> error message, we can safely assume that it has something to do with php.ini,<\/strong> a file that holds all of the PHP related variables.<\/p>
    If you’re using shared web hosting by Hostinger, including WordPress site hosting<\/a>, all limits are already at the maximum value for user convenience. As a result, it’s not possible to alter php.ini<\/a>.<\/p>
    However, you can always modify your PHP settings through the PHP Configuration<\/strong> tool on hPanel if you wish.<\/p>
    If you’re using VPS or a different platform, you can try updating php.ini<\/strong> to fix the error. Here’s what you need to do:<\/p>
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    1. Navigate to your php.ini <\/strong>file and edit it. If you can’t find it, ask for assistance from your hosting providers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Locate the upload_max_filesize and increase it by changing its number. You can also boost a few other limitations, as shown below: 
      upload_max_filesize = 256M 
      post_max_size = 256M 
      memory_limit = 512M 
      max_execution_time = 180 <\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Save the file, and that’s it. The error should no longer occur.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
      Method 4. Making Changes to PHP Configurations on hPanel<\/h3>
      For Hostinger clients, modifying PHP configurations can’t get any easier. Hostinger offers a custom-built tool to edit and adjust the PHP settings of your hosting account.<\/p>
      Log in to hPanel and head to PHP Configuration<\/strong> under Advanced<\/strong>.<\/p>
      \n
      \"hPanel's<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>
      Then, switch to the PHP Options<\/strong> menu and scroll down to find uploadMaxFilesize<\/strong> row and make changes as needed.<\/p>
      \"uploadMaxFilesize<\/a><\/figure>
      Method 5. Contacting Customer Support to Fix the upload_max_filesize Error<\/h3>
      If none of the options above fixed the error, try contacting your web hosting support team.<\/p>
      Explain the situation and let them know what steps you took to fix the WordPress error, and hopefully, they’ll resolve the problem for you.<\/p>
      If you’re a Hostinger client, our customer success agents are ready to help you out 24\/7<\/strong> through our live chat feature. Log in to the hPanel and access the chat feature at the bottom right of your dashboard.<\/p>
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>
      Conclusion<\/h2>
      In this tutorial, you have learned five different ways to fix the uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini<\/strong> error in WordPress. Here’s a quick recap:<\/p>