How to Fix Images Not Uploading in WordPress
WordPress Troubleshooting & Fixes
How to Fix Images Not Uploading in WordPress
Are your images not uploading to the WordPress media library? Do you see errors like “HTTP error”, “File could not be uploaded”, “Sorry, this file type is not permitted”, or images uploading as blank thumbnails? This guide covers every cause and every fix to solve WordPress image upload problems permanently.
1
Common Reasons Why Image Upload Fails
Uploads usually fail due to permission, size, or server issues.
Most common causes include:
- Wrong folder permissions (most common)
- PHP memory limit too low
- Wrong file permissions
- Incorrect upload path in database
- Security or firewall blocking uploads
- Image too large (size or resolution)
- File type not allowed
- Corrupted .htaccess file
- ModSecurity blocking requests
- Cache or CDN conflicts
Let’s fix each one step-by-step.
2
Step 1: Fix Upload Folder Permissions (Most Common Fix)
Uploads fail if WordPress cannot write to upload directories.
Go to:
- public_html/wp-content/uploads
Set permissions:
- Folders: 755
- Files: 644
Apply recursive permissions to all subfolders inside /uploads.
This alone fixes image upload issues in most cases.
3
Step 2: Increase WordPress Max Upload Size
Large images may fail with “HTTP error”.
Add this to .htaccess:
php_value upload_max_filesize 256M
php_value post_max_size 256M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300
Or add in wp-config.php:
@ini_set( 'upload_max_size' , '256M' );
@ini_set( 'post_max_size', '256M');
@ini_set( 'memory_limit', '512M' );
Most hosts allow raising upload limits via control panel.
4
Step 3: Fix Incorrect Upload Path
If WordPress is saving images to a wrong folder, upload breaks.
Go to:
- Settings → Media
Make sure no custom upload path is set.
If the field is editable (older WP versions), remove any custom path.
Correct path should be:
wp-content/uploads
5
Step 4: Disable Plugins Causing Upload Issues
Security, optimization, or image plugins often block uploads.
Temporarily disable:
- LiteSpeed Cache
- WP Rocket
- Smush / Imagify / EWWW
- Wordfence
- All-In-One Security
- ModSecurity (server-level)
After disabling, attempt uploading an image again.
If upload works → the plugin was blocking the request.
6
Step 5: Fix HTTP Error During Upload
HTTP error appears when WordPress cannot process the file.
Fix methods:
- Increase PHP memory limit
- Disable image optimization temporarily
- Add this to .htaccess:
SetEnv MAGICK_THREAD_LIMIT 1
This fixes ImageMagick resource issues on many servers.
7
Step 6: Clear Browser Cache, CDN, and WordPress Cache
Old cached versions may show broken image previews.
- Clear WordPress cache plugin
- Clear Cloudflare cache
- Purge CDN cache
- Hard refresh browser (Ctrl + F5)
Sometimes the image is uploaded, but cached as missing.
8
Step 7: Fix File Ownership Issues (Linux/Cloud Hosting)
Apache or NGINX may not have permission to write files.
Run this command (SSH servers):
chown -R youruser:youruser public_html/
Then fix permissions again.
This is common on VPS / Cloud servers after migrations.
9
Step 8: Disable ModSecurity (Common on Shared Hosting)
ModSecurity may block image uploads as “unsafe”.
Ask your host to:
- Disable ModSecurity temporarily
- Whitelist upload rules
- Exclude /wp-admin/ and /wp-content/uploads from scanning
This fixes sudden upload failures on many cPanel servers.
10
Step 9: Regenerate .htaccess File
Incorrect rewrite rules block media library functions.
Steps:
- Rename .htaccess → .htaccess-old
- Go to Settings → Permalinks → Save
A fresh .htaccess fixes many upload errors.
11
Step 10: Allow Additional File Types (If File Type Blocked)
WordPress blocks some formats by default.
Add in wp-config.php:
define('ALLOW_UNFILTERED_UPLOADS', true);
Or use a plugin:
- File Upload Types by WPForms
Use carefully—unfiltered uploads can be unsafe.
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