To upload a large image to WordPress, first check the maximum size shown at Media > Add New. If the image exceeds that byte limit, adjust the PHP upload limits through your host or reduce the file size. If the upload completes but image processing fails, check the server’s image tools, supported format, and uploads-directory permissions.
Check the limit and diagnose the issue
- In your WordPress dashboard, open Media > Add New and note the maximum upload size displayed by the uploader. The limit depends on your hosting configuration.
- For more detail, open Tools > Site Health > Info. Review the maximum uploaded file size, maximum POST size, effective file size, file-upload status, and supported media formats. WordPress documents these checks in its Site Health screen guide.
Separate a byte-limit problem from a dimension or processing problem. A message that the file exceeds the maximum size points to upload limits. An upload that reaches the server but fails while WordPress creates image sizes may instead involve image-processing support, format compatibility, or file permissions.
Increase the PHP upload limit when the file is blocked
WordPress’s effective upload limit is the smaller of PHP’s upload_max_filesize and post_max_size values. The WordPress wp_max_upload_size() reference describes this limit and notes that it can be modified by the upload_size_limit filter.
In your hosting control panel, look for PHP settings or contact your host to change them. On a server you manage, the values may be set in php.ini. WordPress’s PHP Optimization handbook says post_max_size must be greater than or equal to upload_max_filesize. Set both high enough for the file you need to upload, with post_max_size at least as large as upload_max_filesize, then recheck the displayed limit in WordPress. Hosts may restrict these values or control request timeouts, so a setting you cannot change in the dashboard may require host support.
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Reduce image dimensions before uploading
If an image’s pixel dimensions are much larger than its intended display size, resize it before uploading. WordPress’s documented default big-image threshold is 2560 pixels: images above that dimension are scaled down during processing unless the threshold is changed. This automatic scaling is not the same as increasing the file-upload limit; WordPress must first accept the original file.
For a site image, choose dimensions suitable for its use rather than uploading an unnecessarily huge original. Smaller dimensions can also reduce the chance that image processing will fail on a resource-limited server.
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Choose a supported image format
Use a format accepted by the current server configuration. If WordPress rejects a file or cannot process it, re-export it as JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, or another format that Site Health lists as supported, then try again. WordPress has supported WebP since version 5.8. In a 2022 comparison, WordPress Core reported an average file-size reduction of approximately 30% for WebP at similar visual quality; actual results vary with the image and encoding settings. See the WordPress Core developer update.
Check image processing and permissions if upload still fails
If the configured size limit is adequate but WordPress reports that it could not process the image, inspect the diagnostics in Tools > Site Health > Info. Check whether GD or Imagick is available, whether the format is supported, whether file uploads are enabled, and whether the wp-content/uploads directory is writable. If PHP settings or timeouts are host-managed, ask your hosting provider to investigate rather than changing unrelated WordPress settings.
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Use the right generated size on the page
After uploading, insert an image size suited to the page layout instead of using the full-size original by default. WordPress’s image attachment documentation explains how generated sub-sizes are used with responsive image attributes such as srcset and sizes, so browsers can select an appropriate file for the viewport. Thumbnail, medium, and large dimensions are configured under Settings > Media; those settings govern generated sizes, not the maximum file size accepted by the uploader.
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Which approach should you use?
| Situation | Best next step |
|---|---|
| The file is over the displayed byte limit | Ask the host or change PHP’s upload_max_filesize and post_max_size; WordPress uses the smaller value. |
| The image is far larger in pixels than needed | Resize it before upload, or allow WordPress’s default 2560-pixel threshold to scale it during processing. |
| The image format is rejected or processing fails | Check supported formats and GD/Imagick in Site Health; re-export in a supported format if needed. |
| You routinely prepare many images | A manual resize-and-export workflow gives direct control. An image-optimization plugin or service may automate compression, resizing, or WebP conversion; compare compatibility and output settings before relying on it. |
| The PHP limit is unavailable or changes do not take effect | Contact the hosting provider. Some hosts manage PHP limits and request timeouts at the server level. |
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