As with whatever platform, at that place are always those abrasive errors or bug you take to learn how to piece of work through. Trust us, we've pretty much seen them all! From the white screen of death to database connection errors, WordPress definitely has its quirks. 😉 Only we yet love it! Today we're going to swoop into ane of the more common ones, theHTTP error. Users typically come across this when trying to upload images or videos to the WordPress media library.

While the HTTP mistake is unremarkably easy to fix it tin can be rather frustrating as it usually interrupts your workflow. Nix is worse than spending 20 minutes trying to find that perfect prototype for your blog post, you get to upload it, and bam, you're suddenly met with a very vague fault.

Beneath we'll explore why this error happens and what you tin do to quickly resolve information technology so you tin can get back to uploading your media.

What is the WordPress HTTP Error?

The WordPress HTTP error occurs when something goes incorrect while attempting to upload images or videos using the built-in media library tool. Unfortunately, unlike browser errors where nosotros can usually reference an HTTP status code, WordPress errors are sometimes a picayune harder to troubleshoot (especially if you don't know how to enable WordPress debugging style).

The very vague "HTTP error" definitely doesn't help you determine what might be wrong or even where to start looking. But that is considering there could be a few causes for the failure and WordPress simply doesn't know why, so it spits out a generic error bulletin (equally seen beneath).

WordPress HTTP error when uploading images
WordPress HTTP error when uploading images

How to Fix the WordPress HTTP Error

From our feel, the WordPress HTTP error typically originates from two things: the get-go is aclient-side or user mistake (your login session, bad characters in the file name, etc.), and the 2nd is atrouble or setting on your WordPress host(server upshot, retentiveness listing, tertiary-party plugin, shared hosting throttling resources, etc.). And so we'll dive into a footling of both.

Here are some recommendations and things to check to ready the error (sorted in order by virtually common reasons we see):

  1. Refresh the Page
  2. Shrink or Resize the File
  3. Rename the Prototype File
  4. Temporarily Deactivate Plugins and Theme
  5. Ask Your WordPress Host
  6. Increase PHP Memory Limit
  7. Cheque Uploads Folder Permissions
  8. Move to the Latest Version of PHP
  9. Prepare Performance Problems with Imagick and Shared Hosts
  10. Remove Custom Media Library Path
  11. Disable mod_security
  12. Install the Add together To Server Plugin

1. Refresh the Page

The very commencement thing you should do when encountering the WordPress HTTP error is to but refresh the folio in your browser. Sounds likewise easy correct? 😉 Well, actually this is the almost common fix nosotros've seen for it. Hither's why:

Commencement, for whatsoever reason, your browser might have lost connection temporarily with WordPress and the process just failed to consummate. This could be due to your Isp, a temporary hiccup with your WordPress host, etc. If yous refresh the page and try uploading again it the error sometimes will resolve itself.

Second, we've likewise seen that sometimes after refreshing the page, or coming dorsum to the WordPress editor from another tab, that it of a sudden kicks you lot out. This is almost likely an indicator that your WordPress login session has expired. You should see the following message:

Your session has expired. Delight log in to proceed where y'all left off.

Your session has expired
Your session has expired

So naturally, y'all log back in and attempt to upload your media again. However, the HTTP error occurs. This is kind of a quirk with WordPress. Once y'all log dorsum in, you need to actually manually refresh the page you're on. Then uploading media will work again.

2. Shrink or Resize the File

You might demand to edit your image file, which could entail reducing the file size (KB or MB) or decreasing the width/summit (pixels). Nosotros recommend checking out our in-depth post on how to optimize images for the web. At that place are a lot of tertiary-party image optimization plugins you can employ to automatically practice this for yous (both reducing and resizing) when your image is uploaded to the media library.

We take used Imagify on our Kinsta site for years without a unmarried upshot. But there are a lot of other dandy ones out there also. But make sure whichever plugin you utilize, that they are optimizing images on their ain servers, non locally. If you're bulk optimizing images locally this tin drastically harm your site'south operation.

Imagify WordPress plugin
Imagify WordPress plugin

It's OK to upload high-resolution images equally WordPress supports responsive images out of the box. In fact, y'all will probably want to and then that the epitome looks well-baked on retina displays. Merely unless your a photographer or business that needs high-resolution images a practiced dominion of thumb though is to keep your final paradigm size under 100 KB and no more than double the size of your website'south content div width.

Also, you might take to play with the PNG and JPG file types. Sometimes one can be much larger than the other depending on what type of image information technology is.

Depending on the configuration of your WordPress host, you might too want to look into increasing the WordPress maximum upload file size.

3. Rename the Image File

Information technology can never injure to attempt and rename the paradigm file. WordPress should automatically suspend a number on the end if you endeavor to upload a duplicate file proper noun, but in example that doesn't work, endeavor renaming your file. Unfortunately, WordPress doesn't let you rename the file of an already uploaded image file, then you will need to rename information technology locally and re-upload it.

When we are uploading images that already be we typically add a -1 or -2 on the end (example: image-file-1.png, image-file-2.png). Brand sure to add together the dash otherwise Google volition read information technology as ane word and it could hurt your SEO.

Too, to be prophylactic, stay clear of uploading an image with file names that incorporate special characters. This includes international language symbols and characters such as apostrophes. Dashes are OK. Yous can see in this example below on the Kinsta Japanese site, we are using English for the file names, not the special characters. While WordPress tin can technically back up these, there are a lot of other issues that can pop up.

Rename image file with no special characters
Rename image file with no special characters

iv. Temporarily Deactivate Plugins and Themes

It's always a good idea if you're having HTTP errors to effort deactivating your plugins and even switch your WordPress theme to the default to see if this resolves the trouble. A few plugins that are are typical culprits include image optimization plugins (they tie directly into the media library) and security plugins such as WordFence (these plugins are sometimes too restrictive). Or you lot can simply delete your WordPress theme.

If you don't desire to bear on your live site, only clone your live site to a staging surround. If the WordPress HTTP mistake is also happening on staging, then you lot can chop-chop deactivate all your plugins to starting time narrowing it down.

Remember, you won't lose any data if you simply conciliate a plugin. If you tin can still access your admin, a quick mode to practise this is to browse to "Plugins" and select "Deactivate" from the bulk actions menu. This will disable all of your plugins.

Deactivate all plugins
Deactivate all plugins

If this fixes the event you'll need to find the culprit. Start activating them ane past one, and effort uploading an image again in the media library. When you see the HTTP error return, you lot've found the misbehaving plugin. You tin then reach out to the plugin developer for help or postal service a support ticket in the WordPress repository.

If you lot can't access WordPress admin y'all can FTP into your server and rename your plugins folder to something like plugins_old. Then check your site again. If it works, and so you lot will need to exam each plugin one by one. Rename your plugin binder back to plugins and then rename each plugin folder inside of if it, i by one, until you find it. You could likewise try to replicate this on a staging site first.

Rename plugin folder
Rename plugin folder

The same goes for your WordPress theme. Typically themes don't tie into the media library, only we've seen some weird setups. It never hurts to attempt switching your theme over to the default 20 Seventeen theme to see if it fixes information technology. Only like with plugins, y'all don't take to worry about losing your current theme settings. All of that is stored in the WordPress database.

v. Ask Your WordPress Host

If yous've tried the steps in a higher place already and are still getting the WordPress HTTP mistake, we recommend reaching out to your WordPress host for assistance before proceeding. Many of the additional troubleshooting steps are a little more advanced and a lot of times you can ask your host to practise or check on this for you.

Kinsta's support team is available 24×vii from the bottom right-manus side of the MyKinsta dashboard.

Kinsta WordPress hosting support
Kinsta WordPress hosting support

vi. Increase PHP Memory Limit

Some other crusade for the WordPress HTTP error is that your server lacks the available retentivity for the background upload process to complete successfully. This is a very common problem with shared WordPress hosting. To fix information technology y'all need to increment the amount of memory PHP can use.256 MB is recommended.

The default retentivity limit for Kinsta clients is already gear up to 256 MB. If you host your WordPress site at Kinsta y'all shouldn't accept any issues with a lack of memory. 👍

Increment PHP Memory Limit with wp-config.php

You lot tin increase the PHP memory limit past adding the following code to your wp-config.php file. Note: this may exist overwritten by a server-level rule in place by your WordPress host.

          define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );        

Increase PHP Memory Limit in cPanel

If your host is using cPanel, you can increase the PHP retentivity limit in ii different areas.

The starting time is under the software section. Click on "Select PHP Version." Click on "Switch to PHP Options." You lot tin then click on "memory_limit" to change its value.

The second surface area is also under the software section. Click on the "MultiPHP INI Editor" tool. This allows you to modify the php.ini file. Simply scroll down to where it says "memory_limit" and input a higher value.

Increase PHP memory limit in cPanel
Increment PHP retentivity limit in cPanel

Increase PHP Memory Limit with php.ini

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If you aren't using cPanel, you lot can also edit the php.ini file straight if yous have admission. To practice this, login to your site via FTP or SSH, become to your site'due south root directory and open up or create a php.ini file.

Tin't connect via SSH? Learn how to fix the SSH "Connection Refused" error.

If the file was already there, search for the "memory_limit" setting and change information technology every bit necessary.

Some shared hosts might as well require that you add the suPHP directive in your .htaccess file for the in a higher place php.ini file settings to work. To do this, edit your .htaccess file, likewise located at the root of your site, and add the following code towards the top of the file:

          <IfModule mod_suphp.c>  suPHP_ConfigPath /dwelling/yourusername/public_html </IfModule>        

Increase PHP Memory Limit with .htaccess

The .htaccess file is a special hidden file that contains various settings y'all can use to change the server beliefs, right down to a directory specific level. If you don't have admission to php.ini, we suggest you endeavour this next. First, login to your site via FTP or SSH, take a wait at your root directory and see if there is a .htaccess file in that location.

If there is you lot can edit that file to and modify the "php_value memory_limit" value.

7. Cheque Uploads Binder Permissions

Typically when there is a folder permissions error you should become a message in WordPress about it non being able to write to the directory. Nonetheless, this might non e'er exist the case. If a WordPress site has been hacked or infected with malware, at that place could be a lot of issues going on with the permissions. 

Tip: Kinsta offers free hack fixes for all clients. 😄

The main folder you're concerned with is your /wp-content/uploads folder, every bit this is where files are stored when uploaded via the media library.

According to the WordPress Codex, all directories should exist 755 (drwxr-xr-ten) or 750.

You tin can hands meet your folder permissions with an FTP customer (every bit seen beneath). You could besides reach out to your WordPress host support team and ask them to chop-chop GREP file permissions on your folders and files to ensure they're fix upwardly properly.

Make sure that if you lot manually update the permissions on this binder that you cheque both the "Recurse into subdirectories" option equally well equally the "Use to directories simply."

WordPress uploads directory permissions
WordPress uploads directory permissions

8. Motility to the Latest Version of PHP

WordPress officially recommends PHP 7.3 or higher. If you're not running on that, you're beneath the minimum requirements set past the developers of the CMS. 😮

We always recommend running the latest and supported versions of PHP due to the fact information technology offers better security and performance, including bug fixes and functions that need to exist deprecated.

We have seen older versions of PHP contribute to all sorts of errors, including the infamous WordPress HTTP mistake. At Kinsta yous can easily modify to PHP vii.4 with a single click in the MyKinsta dashboard.

Change to PHP 7.4
Change to PHP 7.iv

If your host uses cPanel they might already have an option available to you lot to modify your version of PHP. Just log in to cPanel and under the "Software" category click on "Select PHP Version."

Select PHP version
Select PHP version

You can then select the PHP versions available to you that your host supports.

php 7 cpanel
PHP 7 in cPanel

nine. Set up Performance Issues with Imagick and Shared Hosts

There are two different PHP modules WordPress uses for epitome processing: GD Library and Imagick (ImageMagick). Depending on what is installed on your server, WordPress may use either one.

The trouble is that shared WordPress hosts have a lot of subconscious resources throttling behind the scenes. That is the merely way they can cram so many users on the same machine. A common issue people run into is that there are as well few resource allocated to Imagick (ImageMagick). Hosts will limit the ability to use multiple threads, hence resulting in the WordPress HTTP error.

You can add together the following lawmaking to the acme of your .htaccess file, changing the thread limit value to something higher.

MAGICK_THREAD_LIMIT 1

Another option y'all have is to tell WordPress to apply the GD library instead of Imagick. You can exercise this past only calculation the following code to your theme'due south functions.php file.

          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' );        

Nosotros'll exist blunt. If you lot're having to tweak things similar this it's fourth dimension to motility to a new WordPress host. Kinsta doesn't take crazy limits like this in place and for the nearly part, you're only limited by PHP workers. You shouldn't have to worry about these types of things every bit a website owner.

We employ LXD managed hosts and orchestrated LXC software containers for each site. What this means is that every WordPress site is housed in its own isolated container, which has all of the software resource required to run it (Linux, Nginx, PHP, MySQL). The resources are 100% private and are not shared between anyone else or even your own sites.

Read more well-nigh how Kinsta is different than any other host you've tried.

10. Remove Custom Media Library Path

Information technology very well could be that your media library path isn't setup correctly. Nosotros typically come across this when users migrate their local development site over to production. If you look in "Media" under "Settings" in your WordPress dashboard and see a file path value listed, go alee and delete it and click "Relieve Changes." Yous desire your media to be stored in the default /wp-content/uploads folder.

Beneath is what information technology typically looks like. If yous don't see a library path, so yous're all good here.

WordPress media settings
WordPress media settings

11. Disable mod_security

Mod_security is an open source firewall that sometimes might cause the WordPress HTTP error to occur. You can disable mod_security by calculation the post-obit lawmaking to the meridian of your .htaccess file.

<IfModule mod_security.c> SecFilterEngine Off SecFilterScanPOST Off </IfModule>

If you're using cPanel, you can also disable it by clicking into "ModSecurity" in the "Security" section.

cPanel ModSecurity
cPanel ModSecurity

And then toggle the status from "On" to "Off" next to the domain you want to disable it on.

Disable mod_security
Disable mod_security

We e'er recommend using an enterprise-grade and all the same affordable WAF like Sucuri or Cloudflare instead. Y'all tin read our recommendation for the best WAF settings here.

12. Install the Add From Server Plugin

Terminal only not least, if you're actually in a demark and zippo else seems to exist working, you can install the free Add together From Server plugin. Perchance you're waiting for a response from your WordPress host or a programmer on how to become the WordPress HTTP error resolved.

Add From Server WordPress plugin
Add From Server WordPress plugin

The Add to Server plugin will commonly get yous around the fault and could be a good temporarily gear up, specially if you're correct in the middle of something important. It was originally developed to allow you to add together very large files via SFTP.Important: this plugin is no longer maintained or supported. Apply at your ain risk.

Summary

As you lot can see there are quite a few different ways to fix the WordPress HTTP error. Hopefully one of the solutions above worked for you and y'all're already back on track and uploading your media. If you keep to receive this error time and fourth dimension again, it might be time to consider upgrading to a improve WordPress host. Many of the solutions above are things y'all don't have to worry virtually at Kinsta.

If you lot constitute a solution that isn't in our list, please leave a comment a below and nosotros'll get it added.


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