How To Fix HTTP Error WordPress Media Upload Easily? Is it not just the worst part of your day when you spend about an hour editing a photo to upload, only to find out that there is an HTTP error in WordPress media upload? If you are someone who does not have much insight into what these errors are and how they are caused, the thought of breaking your computer must have popped up in your head at least once.
Having had to face these over and over, this article was written to finally put an end to these obstructive predicaments in hopes that they will help you out as well. Keep reading to learn the step-by-step guidebook to solving WordPress HTTP error media upload.
Contents
- What is the WordPress HTTP Error?
- What Causes an HTTP Error Media Upload?
- 1. Refresh
- 2. File Resize
- 3. Disable Themes and Plugins
- 4. Rename the File
- 5. Increase PHP Memory Limit
- 6. Check Folder Permissions
- 7. Update to the Latest Version Of PHP
- 8. Solve Performance Issues
- 9. Restore Media Library Path
- 10. Check The Mod Security
- 12. Contact your Host Provider
- Conclusion
What is the WordPress HTTP Error?
The most common WordPress conundrum, HTTP error WordPress media upload arises from your website when it does not let you upload your media files due to some technical occurrence. Now, what are these “occurrences”? Honestly, it is challenging to find out.
What is the reason for the issue or where is it even located is something WordPress sites fail to express so they slap an HTTP error on it. It is rather vague and frustrating to figure out what went wrong.
What Causes an HTTP Error Media Upload?
Several reasons bring forth these WordPress upload media HTTP errors. The two prevailing ones could be due to the hosting provider releasing new updates or you may have faulty plugins or scripts running that may not be compatible with your WordPress uploads.
Keep in mind that WordPress has released some updates as well which might hinder the way your media is uploaded to your site. If that is the case, this should resolve soon. Otherwise, here are some ways you can fix these WordPress media upload HTTP errors.
Keeping in mind the causes that lead to a frustrating string of events, here are some recommendations that are surefire HTTP error WordPress media upload fixes. so follow the next steps:
1. Refresh
The easiest trick in the bag, simply refreshing the page can help restore it. There are two underlying reasons why this works:
- Your login session may expire. If you are working on a new tab or have left the website for a while, inactivity on it may eject you out of the system. You will have to log back in to resume what you were doing.
- The site may be temporarily disconnected. This is a common event where the website may lose connection and become unable to process data for a brief period. Usually, a quick refresh does the trick.
If none of these works, one of the methods outlined below will.
2. File Resize
You might encounter WordPress media upload HTTP error because the media you are trying to upload is too big to process. It might meet the file size upload cap but still, it may exhibit processing issues due to the behemoth file size.
This is nothing that has no quick fix to it. Countless plugins allow you to reduce the file size before uploading without compressing too many details. You could even do it through free online compressors. Use image optimization to retain quality while maintaining a smaller file size.
3. Disable Themes and Plugins
Speaking of using plugins to optimize your media, some limiting plugins bottleneck the way processing is done on your website. Try disabling these to ensure smooth operations. While image optimization plugins come in handy to reduce file size, they are equally detrimental to the site’s progress.
Another way is to set your WordPress site to default themes. Customized themes will perhaps be difficult to adapt to and processes will, again, be backed up. Delete it or set it to default settings to see if this resolves the issue.
If you want to avoid your live website being affected over and over again, you can copy everything to a staging site. If you see the same issues acting up, you should try disabling plugins one by one to try and decipher where this is coming from.
4. Rename the File
Silly as it may sound, this is very helpful. If you encounter an HTTP error while uploading an image, try renaming it to upload it again. Uploaded files cannot be renamed which is why you need to rename them on your PC or cloud before uploading them again.
There is a certain way you can rename your files to avoid being struck by the SEO gods. Try using dashes and avoid symbols or foreign symbols. This way, Google will not be able to recognize this as one word and let you upload the file without any hitches.
5. Increase PHP Memory Limit
Before we dive right into why you should alter the PHP memory limit, it is important to understand what it does. PHP is a scripting language that is used to administer session tracking, dynamic and static content, databases, etc. Each script is allowed a certain amount of memory preoccupy.
PHP memory limit starts by allocating 128 megabytes of memory. However, ideally, you should allow 256 megabytes of memory to be set as the PHP memory limit for effective utilization since you would likely be on a shared hosting server. This way content will process faster on your end.
By adding a single line of code to the wp-config.php file, you can proceed to increase your PHP memory limit. Here is what you need to script:
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
For more detailed options, you may read this article about increasing memory limits in WordPress.
6. Check Folder Permissions
Sometimes WordPress folder permission errors keep you from writing into the directory. Moreover, your WordPress site can be exposed to threats like hacking, malware, plugin issues, etc., that are messing with the permissions to accessibility.
To resolve this, simply navigate to the “/wp-content/uploads” file. Access the folder permission via an FTP client. You could also reach out to your WordPress host to ask them to check if everything is set up properly.
7. Update to the Latest Version Of PHP
The latest PHP updates include PHP 7.3 and higher. PHP 7.3 is now the bare minimum requirement and if you do not have that yet, it is high time you had a major upgrade.
The latest versions of PHP are far better at handling security breaches and produce overall great performance compared to the older versions. There are improved bug fixes and functions brought up to date.
8. Solve Performance Issues
If you have image processing modules like Imagick or GD Library installed on your server, chances are that they will be a bit buggy for too many users trying to use the same single resource in the shared hosting platform. Hosts will restrict the capability to make use of multiple threads and thus, the HTTP error in WordPress media upload will arise.
Again, a single code can be a quick fix to this. Access the .htaccess file and type in the following in Imagick:
MAGICK_THREAD_LIMIT 1
9. Restore Media Library Path
One possible reason why it probably is not working for you is perhaps that the media library path is not set up properly. This usually happens when the local development site is moved to production. Try going to “Media” and under “Settings,” you should see a file path value. Delete it and save the changes. This should restore it to default settings. If you do not see any library path whatsoever, then you have nothing to worry about.
10. Check The Mod Security
ModSecurity is an open-source firewall application designed to secure web applications from different cyber-attacks. Since it is open-source, this might cause some HTTP errors in WordPress media upload. Access the “mod_security” file and add the following code at the very top.
<IfModule mod_security.c>
SecFilterEngine Off
SecFilterScanPOST Off
</IfModule>
For all the cPanel users:
- Navigate to the “Security” section
- Find the “ModSecurity” option.
- Locate the “On” / “Off” toggle switch to turn it off and disable it.
12. Contact your Host Provider
Host providers work with these things all the time. These are trivial 2-minute tasks for them that they could solve for perhaps no charge at all. Try reaching out to your host provider and ask them to help you out. Even if you can add the codes yourself, you might encounter unexpected troubleshooting problems. These are best left to the host providers to solve if you are not a professional.
See also:
1- How To Fix Errors Images in WordPress?
2- Best Way To Fix: Some of Your Media Failed To Upload Error in WordPress
3- How To Fix: The Page Cannot Be Displayed Because an Internal Server Error Has Occurred?
Conclusion
WordPress is a platform that you love to bits but all the complicated puzzles make it difficult to want to come back to it. However, there are no two ways to do it: you either have to migrate to a better and more efficient WordPress host or stop using WordPress altogether.
It is highly recommended that in case you have scarce knowledge of WordPress technicalities and coding in general, do not attempt this on your own. This way you leave your live website prone to attacks that could perhaps be the end of your website at the end of the day.
If you are wondering whether asking a professional would cost a hefty amount, the simple answer is no. Most often, hosting providers do not ask for service charges at all. Some do; however, it is nothing that will leave a dent in your finances. Sure, it is difficult to manage if you are just starting, but this will be an investment for the future. It will be far more expensive to try to resuscitate a dead website than it would be to pay the one-time bills.
If you do attempt it on your own, make sure you research well enough to know what goes where and what the different roles are of each function. This way you have enough knowledge to at least describe what went wrong. We hope this gives you the much-needed solutions to HTTP errors in WordPress media upload. Now you can easily fix them by following the aforementioned methods!