Are you seeing the HTTP error while uploading media in WordPress? This error usually occurs when you are uploading an image or other files to WordPress using the built-in media uploader. In this article, we will show you how to easily fix the HTTP image upload error in WordPress.
What Causes HTTP Error During Media Upload in WordPress?
There are a number of things that could lead to a HTTP error when you are trying to upload files using the WordPress media uploader. Basically, WordPress is unable to figure out the cause and that’s why it displays the generic ‘HTTP error’ message.
The frustrating part is that this error message doesn’t give you any clue as to what may have caused it. This means that you will have to try different solutions to find the cause and fix the error.
That being said, let’s take a look at how to troubleshoot and fix the HTTP error during media upload in WordPress.
1. Make Sure The HTTP Error is Not Temporary
First, you should wait a few minutes and then try uploading your image file again. This error is sometimes caused by unusual traffic and low server resources, which are automatically fixed on most WordPress hosting servers.
If that doesn’t work, then you may want to try uploading a different image file. If the other file uploads successfully, then try saving your original image file to a smaller size and retry uploading.
Lastly, you may want to try saving the file to a different format. For example, change jpeg to png using an image editing software. After that, retry uploading the file.
If all these steps result in the HTTP error, then this means that the error is not caused by a temporary glitch and definitely needs your immediate attention.
2. Increase WordPress Memory Limit
The most common cause of this error is lack of memory available for WordPress to use. To fix this, you need to increase the amount of memory PHP can use on your server.
You can do this by adding the following code to your wp-config.php file.
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
This code increases the WordPress memory limit to 256MB, which would be enough to fix any memory limit issues.
3. Change Image Editor Library Used by WordPress
WordPress runs on PHP which uses two modules to handle images. These modules are called GD Library and Imagick. WordPress may use either one of them depending on which one is available.
However, Imagick is known to often run into memory issues causing the http error during image uploads. To fix this, you can make the GD Library your default image editor.
You can do this by simply adding this code to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin.
function wpb_image_editor_default_to_gd( $editors ) {
$gd_editor = 'WP_Image_Editor_GD';
$editors = array_diff( $editors, array( $gd_editor ) );
array_unshift( $editors, $gd_editor );
return $editors;
}
add_filter( 'wp_image_editors', 'wpb_image_editor_default_to_gd' );
After adding this code, you can retry uploading files using the media uploader. If this doesn’t solve the issue, then you can remove this code and try other methods described in this article.
4. Using The .htaccess Method
This method allows you to control how Imagick uses server resources. Many shared hosting providers limit Imagick’s ability to use multiple threads for faster image processing. However, this would result in you seeing the http error when uploading images.
An easy fix is be to add the following code in your .htaccess file:
SetEnv MAGICK_THREAD_LIMIT 1
This code simply limits Imagick to use a single thread to process images.
We hope this article helped you fix the HTTP error during media upload in WordPress. You may also want to see our WordPress troubleshooting guide as well as the ultimate list of most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
FANTASTIC!!! Every other search I did yielded nothing.
Godaddy hosting with wordpress installed. Killing imagick did the trick. My lightroom plugin is functioning like a trooper now.
Thank you so much, just had to share with you.
Glad our guide was able to help
Solution #3 works for me like a charm!
Glad our recommendation worked for you
Hi,
I started having this HTTP uploading error for images that are larger than 600x900px . The size in KB doesn’t matter – 100KB or 300KB – they are uploading just fine if they are less then 600×900.
I have tried all the methods you described without success.
Do you think that changing the theme can help?
You would first want to reach out to your hosting provider to ensure you are not running into a safety measure from their end that would cause the error.
Thanks!
I called them before posting my question – they told me to contact WP support. To me, it also looks like they installed something on their server but are not willing to admit it.
I’ll call again.
#3 worked for me too
Glad our recommendation worked for you
The Option No.3 is giving perfect result. Thanks Bro !
Glad our recommendation was helpful
Instruction #3 worked for me. Thank you a bunch for this helpful documentation
You’re welcome, glad our guide could help
Solution number 3 worked for me
Glad our recommendation was able to help
The functions.php method worked for me. I’ve been trying to fix that for months! You saved me a lot of time. Thank you!!!
Glad our article could help
I have tried all the methods and none worked.
You would likely need to reach out to your hosting provider and they should be able to help solve the issue
The functions.php method worked for me. Thank you for solving a months old problem!
Glad our recommendation could help you solve the issue
Thank you!! This was driving me crazy! #2 didn’t work but #4 did.
Glad our recommendation could help
Solution #3 work like a charm! <3
Glad our guide could help
Tried all the above and no luck. My issue is only mp3 files, I get the http error. Contacted my hosting provider and they could find nothing wrong. Images upload fine. What am I missing?
For MP3 files you may need to increase the memory limit to 512 in case it is due to how large the files are
Number 3 worked for me! Thank-you so much, that was so frustrating before. You’re site is always so helpful
Glad our guide could be helpful
Thank you so much, I went through all four steps but nothing worked. I went back to step 1 and increased it from 256mb to 512mb which solved the problem.
Glad our guide could help be a part of the solution and you were able to get it resolved
Option #3 worked for me to resolve the HTTP error.
I installed the code snippets plugin and copied the code from here. It worked perfectly the first attempt.
Thank you!
Glad our guide could help you
Also just check the name of your image you want to upload.
Make it simple as this has done the trick for me on multiple occasions.
Thanks for sharing what worked for you
@Yoeri – Thank you, for me it was just the image name as you suggested, I simplified the name, (it had spaces)
can cloudflare cause this problem?????????????
While possible, it is not likely the root of the problem.
Thanks. No 3 works for me. great tutorial man
Glad our guide could be helpful
The .htaccess addition worked for me:
SetEnv MAGICK_THREAD_LIMIT 1
Thanks for sharing the solution that worked for you
Another issue can be an apostrophe in the title i.e. dove’s it should be doves.
Thanks for sharing that recommendation to check
None of the methods is working. Please help!
Have you reached out to your hosting provider to see if there are any errors on their end?
No 3 worked for me. thanks so much
Glad our guide could help
None worked above and then we realize our dev site needed to change the Home and Site URL in General Settings in WP Admin from http:// to https:// then it worked!
Glad you were able to find the cause of the problem for your site
Thank you! #3 worked for me
Glad our recommendation could help
great!!! it worked well. Thank you
Glad our guide could help
None of these worked in my case. Mod security was the cause. I had to temporarily disable mod security on my web server.
Thanks for sharing what worked for you if other users run into this problem. For most users, they will need to reach our to their hosting provider for assistance in editing mod security
#3 WORKED!!!!! THank you so much for your help!! Stupid go daddy…
Glad our recommendations could help
SOLVED: my pdf files that would not upload into the Word Press media library with HTTP Error had file names with a semi-colon in them. I deleted the semi-colon and it uploaded just fine. Semi-colons are legal characters in Word docs and pdf files, but apparently won’t upload to Word Press for reasons beyond my knowledge. ; ; ; ;
Thanks for sharing that solution for anyone else running into that problem
You’re a lifesaver! #3 worked on an old Godaddy Legacy server. Thanks so much.
Glad our recommendation was helpful
the third one worked for me. thank you so much. ♥
Glad our recommendations could help
Thank you!!! it worked!!!
Glad our tutorial could help
None of these work for me. please help
If none of these methods worked, have you tried reaching out to your hosting provider to see if they can see an error on their end?
A combined 2 and 3 worked for me, thank you!
Awesome! Glad our solutions could help fix the problem
Setting GD as my preferred upload method worked for me.
Thanks for sharing which solution Worked for you
Method #4 worked for me. It seems my host was limiting the plugins processing power. Thanks for sharing these solutions.
Glad our guide could help
Another common problem for this is that you used an apostrophe in the file name. I just encountered this problem
Thanks for sharing what solved the problem for you
Thank you! This was the simple fix I needed!
Thanks a lot, it worked!
Glad our tutorial worked for you
Hi,
Thanks a million for this. Method 3 worked for me.
Glad our article could help
#3 is super
Thank you
I have tried all the methods as mentioned above but none of these worked for me. So I contacted the service provider. They resolve the issue.
They have refreshed and whitelist another IP for me and it works.
Hope this may help for you too.
Thanks for sharing what worked for you
Go into Jetpack and disable the CDN option was how I fixed mine.
Thanks for sharing your solution to this problem
i have try all the methods above but still not working with me
Have you reached out to your hosting provider to ensure they don’t see any errors on their end?
Thanks guys, it worked. Fantastic solution.
You’re welcome, glad our guide could help
don’t need to follow all step you just need to re-login your website and clear your temp files, that ok
For some people maybe, for others, they do require all of the steps in the article.
#3 works perfectly. Thank you wpbeginner team.
Glad our article could help
OMG, I can’t believe! #3 works perfectly. Thank you for this tutorial!
Glad our article could help
not worked with any method
If none of the methods in this article worked, you may want to reach out to your hosting provider to try the general troubleshooting steps in our article: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/
I tried Option 3. Now my entire home page is blank. Individual pages are still there. The Sidebar is still visible, but the rest of the home page is blank.
Please help if possible.
Thank you,
Sandy
You may want to ensure you didn’t change your homepage settings while troubleshooting and have you removed the code to see if that solved the missing content?
Worked like charm Option 3.
While My wordpress admin panel is slow.. Working on it. Any guide?
You may want to try disabling your plugins to see if one of your plugins could be slowing the admin area.