Increase WordPress Upload Size Limits

If WordPress says a file "exceeds the maximum upload size for this site," the default limits are too small for what you are uploading. You can raise them by adding a few lines to your site's .htaccess file.

Know the ceiling

The .htaccess method works reliably up to 300 MB. You may see a larger number in the Media Library if you enter one, but uploads above 300 MB will still fail. Larger files need a server-level change, which you can request from support.

Steps

1. Open the WordPress admin area and go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Install and activate a file manager plugin such as WP File Manager.
3. Open it and go to the root folder of your site (often named public_html).
4. Find .htaccess. If it is hidden, turn on Show Hidden Files in the plugin settings.
5. Right-click it and choose Code Editor.
6. Scroll to the very bottom and add:

php_value upload_max_filesize 128M
php_value post_max_size 128M
php_value memory_limit 2048M
php_value max_execution_time 600
php_value max_input_vars 10000

7. Change 128M to the size you need, up to 300M, then click Save.

Check that it worked

Go to Media > Add New. Beneath the upload box you should see "Maximum upload file size" with your new number.

Troubleshooting

• Still the old limit: clear your browser cache, caching plugins, and any delivery-layer cache, then reload.
• Upload still fails: WordPress blocks some file types for security, so check that the format is allowed.
• Needs more than 300 MB: contact support.

Make a backup of .htaccess before editing, because a typo can make the whole site return an error.

Good to know: Set post_max_size at least as high as upload_max_filesize, or the lower of the two becomes your real limit.