Image upload errors can be frustrating, especially for beginners. One moment, everything works fine, and the next, you can’t upload an image without any changes on your end.
This is actually one of the common image issues in WordPress. The good news is that fixing it is easier than you might think.
We have run into countless image upload issues on our own WordPress websites, so we know how annoying these errors can be. Luckily, this also means we know several methods to troubleshoot and fix these problems.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to fix image upload issues in WordPress. Follow along, and you’ll be back to uploading images in no time.
What Causes the Image Upload Issue in WordPress?
There are a few common reasons why you might have trouble uploading images in WordPress.
First, cross-browser issues can be a factor. Sometimes, an image uploads fine in one browser but not in another. Different browsers handle file uploads differently, which can lead to problems.
Invalid file names can also cause problems. If your image file name has special characters or spaces, then WordPress might not accept it. That’s why we recommend always using simple file names with letters, numbers, and dashes.
The cache can interfere with image uploads, too. An outdated cache can cause all sorts of issues, so clearing your site cache can resolve upload problems.
Plus, some plugins can conflict with the image upload process. A plugin might be causing an issue without you realizing it. For example, the settings or features of a plugin sometimes interfere with the upload function.
Or your theme might be the culprit. Some themes are not built properly and can interfere with image uploads. A poorly coded theme can create conflicts and errors that prevent successful uploads.
It could also be due to incorrect file permissions. This means WordPress can’t write to your uploads folder, and you’ll face errors during the upload if the permissions are not set correctly.
Finally, it might be a memory limit problem. If your site doesn’t have enough memory allocated by your hosting services, then it can’t handle large files. This can result in upload errors or incomplete uploads.
Don’t want to handle image issues on your own? Let the experts at WPBeginner Pro Services help! We offer affordable Emergency WordPress Support to quickly fix WordPress image issues or any other errors. Stop stressing over your site and get it taken care of. Check out WordPress Support Services today!
Video Tutorial
If you’d prefer written instructions, then keep on reading.
Fixing the Image Upload Issue in WordPress
Understanding the common causes of image upload issues in WordPress is the first step. And now that you know some of the most common reasons for image upload issues in WordPress, we’ll show you how to fix them.
Here is a quick overview of all the tips we’ll cover in this guide:
Ready? Let’s get started.
Tip 1: Reload the Page or Test With a Different Browser
First of all, more often than not, reloading the page can fix the issue. This may sound like a simple fix, but it often works.
The image upload issue can be caused by your login session expiring. If this happens, reloading the page or navigating back from another tab will log you out. You will need to log in again.
The issue might also occur because WordPress is losing its connection with the browser. This can happen due to issues with your internet service provider or temporary problems with your WordPress host. Reloading the page and reuploading the image file can resolve this error.
Other times, the image upload issue might be browser-related. You might want to try uploading your image using a different web browser. This can help you identify whether the problem is specific to your current browser.
Tip 2: Reupload the Image Through the Media Library
If the issue continues after reloading the page or switching to a different browser, then you might want to try reuploading the image through the media library.
So, instead of uploading the image directly through the post or page, you’ll want to go to Media » Add New Media File from your WordPress dashboard.
Then, simply click ‘Select Files’ and try uploading the image there.
This can sometimes fix the issue.
Tip 3: Rename Your Image File
If your image file name contains spaces, then WordPress might reject it. Also, you should avoid using special characters like ‘#,’ ‘!,’ or ‘@.’ These characters can create issues because web servers and browsers may not support them.
So, let’s make sure you rename your image file to something simple and straightforward. You’ll want to use only letters, numbers, and dashes.
For example, instead of ‘my image #1!.jpg,’ you can rename it to ‘my-image-1.jpg.’
Tip 4: Clear Your Cache
An outdated cache can lead to different issues, including image upload problems.
Caching is used to speed up your site by storing copies of your content, but it can sometimes cause conflicts. An outdated or corrupted cache can prevent new uploads from being recognized or processed correctly.
Refreshing the cache can often resolve the issue by ensuring that your site processes the new upload without any old, conflicting data getting in the way.
Luckily, it’s easy to clear your site cache. This can usually be done through your caching plugin, like WP Rocket, or your hosting provider’s control panel.
Then, you might also want to clear your browser cache. Your browser stores copies of web pages, including images, to load sites faster the next time you visit them. This is why an outdated browser cache can cause issues with new uploads.
To clear your browser cache, you typically need to go into the browser settings, find the option for clearing browsing data or cache, and select it.
For more details on clearing the cache, you can see our guide on how to clear your WordPress cache. Once the cache is cleared, go ahead and try uploading the image again.
Tip 5: Check for Plugin and Theme Issues
Sometimes, plugins or themes conflict with the image upload process. This can happen because some plugins or themes are not fully compatible with the latest version of WordPress or with each other.
To diagnose and fix this, you’ll need to perform some troubleshooting steps.
First, you’ll want to deactivate all your plugins. To do this, go to the ‘Plugins’ section in your WordPress dashboard and select ‘Deactivate’ for each plugin.
You can also deactivate all of them at once.
For more detailed instructions, you can refer to our guide on how to easily deactivate WordPress plugins.
Next, you can switch to a default theme, like Twenty Twenty-One.
You can do this by going to Appearance » Themes in your WordPress dashboard and activating the default theme.
This step helps you determine if the issue is related to your current theme.
Then, try uploading the image again. If the upload works, it means that one of your plugins or your previous theme caused the problem.
To find the exact cause, you can start reactivating your plugins one by one. After activating each plugin, try uploading an image again. This way, you can find the specific plugin causing the conflict.
If the problem reappears after activating a particular plugin, you’ve found the culprit. It’s now time to look for an alternative or contact WordPress support.
If switching plugins doesn’t solve the issue, it might be related to the theme you were using. You can contact the theme developer for support or consider using a different WordPress theme.
Tip 6: Adjust the File Permissions
The image upload issue in WordPress can also happen because of incorrect file permissions. Your WordPress files are stored on your web hosting server and need specific file and directory permissions to work.
Wrong file permissions prevent WordPress from reading or uploading files on the hosting server. You may get the following WordPress error when uploading an image file:
‘Unable to create directory wp-content/uploads/2019/04. Is its parent directory writable by the server?’
Or you might see the error:
‘The uploaded file could not be moved to wp-content/uploads/.’
Another sign of this issue is that your images disappear from the WordPress media library.
My Site Was Working Fine Before. Who Changed the File Permissions?
This could happen due to a number of reasons. A misconfiguration on your shared hosting server can sometimes change those permissions without you doing anything.
For example, your web hosting provider may have run an upgrade that unexpectedly changed file permissions.
If everything else is working fine on your WordPress website, then you can simply apply the correct file permissions to fix the image upload issue.
Note: This method is a bit more advanced. If you need help, don’t hesitate to contact our Emergency WordPress Support for assistance.
Changing File Permissions
In order to change file permissions, you will need to use an FTP client.
First, let’s connect to your website via FTP and then switch to the /wp-content/ folder. Inside, you will find the uploads folder, which is where WordPress stores all your media uploads, including images.
Now right-click on the uploads directory and then select ‘File permissions.’
This will bring up the file permissions dialog box.
From here, you will need to set file permissions for the uploads directory and all the subdirectories inside it to ‘744’.
To do that, you can enter 744 into the numeric value box and check the box next to ‘Recurse into subdirectories.’ Then, simply click the ‘Apply to directories only‘ radio button.
Go ahead and click the ‘OK’ button to apply these changes. Your FTP client will now start applying file permissions to the directories.
Note: If setting directory permissions to 744 does not seem to solve your problem, then try 755.
In the next step, you will need to set file permissions for all the files in the uploads directory.
To do that, right-click on the uploads directory and select file permissions. In the file permissions dialog box, change the numeric value to ‘644’.
Then, you can check the box next to ‘Recurse into subdirectories’ and select ‘Apply to files only.’
Finally, simply click on the ‘OK’ button to apply these changes.
The FTP client will now change the permissions for all files inside the uploads folder. Once done, you can go back to your WordPress admin area and try uploading images again.
If you have any file upload forms on your website, you should test those as well.
Note: If you don’t know how to use an FTP client, then you can also use the file manager provided by your WordPress hosting company. Since the screenshots will vary from each host, you will need to talk to their support to find instructions.
Tip 7: Increase Your PHP Memory Limit
Sometimes, image upload issues occur because WordPress doesn’t have enough memory to process the upload. Increasing your PHP memory limit can help fix this.
Typically, you can do this by editing your wp-config.php file. However, the easiest way is to contact your hosting provider for help. They can increase your memory limit.
For more details, see our tutorial on how to increase the PHP memory limit in WordPress.
We hope this article helped you fix the image upload issue in WordPress. You may also want to see our complete troubleshooting guide or our guide on how to fix the most common WordPress errors.
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.
Dennis Muthomi
I found Tip 5 particularly helpful, as plugin conflicts can be tricky to diagnose. In my experience, using a plugin like Health Check & Troubleshooting can streamline the process of identifying problematic plugins without fully deactivating them all at once.
ALso, I’ve found that using a tool like WPForms for front-end image uploads can sometimes bypass issues with the WordPress media library.
This could be a useful workaround for site owners who need to allow user-submitted images while troubleshooting backend upload problems.
Didier
Let’s add the fact that WordPress creates a new folder each month, in wp-content/uploads.
Probably, when the new folder is automaticaly created, it hasn’t the correct permissions :
We have to modify the permissions each month.
WPBeginner Support
That should not normally be the case, we would recommend checking with your hosting provider to ensure they don’t have a security setting that could be the root of that issue.
Admin
Zoe
Hello,
I am trying to upload several photos to my website page, and keep getting the message below:
“The server cannot process the image. This can happen if the server is busy or does not have enough resources to complete the task. Uploading a smaller image may help. Suggested maximum size is 2560 pixels.”
I have compressed the image multiple times, shrinking the size and optimizing it, yet I continue to receive this message even after shutting down the browser and starting again. Can you please advise me on how to upload these files? Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
For that error, you may want to try the recommendations from our article below!
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-increase-the-maximum-file-upload-size-in-wordpress/
Admin
Paul
Please I am trying to upload images from my computer for my blog it is telling me( “The server cannot process the image. This can happen if the server is busy or does not have enough resources to complete the task. Uploading a smaller image may help. Suggested maximum size is 2560 pixels. “).. please what can I do
WPBeginner Support
It appears that your image is too large, for a starting point we would recommend taking a look at our article below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/speed-wordpress-save-images-optimized-web/
Admin
Michelle
Yes!!! This was absolutely helpfuul and helped me fix the problem! Thank you so much! I am not a hard core computer person. I have just started my blog on Wordpress so at the end of the day, I know it is me that has to handle any issues with it! Thannk you so much!!! This was awesome!
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide was helpful!
Admin
Vinay Golchha
when i upload image nmy form it say “something wentwrong, please try again” .
can u please help how to fix this issue?
WPBeginner Support
You would want to go through the steps in this article if you have not done so and if these recommendations do not solve this issue, you would want to use our general troubleshooting article below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/
Admin
António Antunes
Hey,
Just change the permalink structure from generic to another one. That worked for me
ak
Thanks! I didn’t thought about it, worked for me and saved a lot of time <3
Ankit Sharma
image upload issue showing countinously .i have applied all methos but it does not working
WPBeginner Support
If none of our methods are working for you, we would recommend reaching out to your hosting provider to ensure there isn’t an error on their end.
Admin
Daniel Gadd
Thank You, 755 worked but 744 doesnt for folders, triple checked
WPBeginner Support
It can vary depending on the issue and host, 744 is a backup to check
Admin
Mary
I’m encountering the same issue only the fix that is suggested is not working. Is there something else that can be done?
WPBeginner Support
You would likely want to reach out to your hosting provider for them to take a look.
Admin
Matthew
First try to check PHP interpreter version on your server. If it 7.4 – this may cause problems. Change it to 7.3.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for sharing that for some users who may be stuck with this error, for beginners we recommend reaching out to their hosting provider for checking if that is an issue.
Admin
Moni
Images to my wordpress site seem to upload correctly but then then disappear and an icon for broken image link appears. In the media library the image shows as a gray block. If I try to edit the image then I can see the image but when I save it again it’s gray again. I checked my permissions and the are set to 755.
WPBeginner Support
You may want to try updating to 744 and if that does not work, reach out to your hosting provider and they can normally assist.
Admin
Sravya
Hi ,do we do it with out FTP
WPBeginner Support
Some hosting providers have a file manager that acts as an FTP but it would depend on your host for what is available.
Admin
Naluzze Anita
I’m using localhost, cannot see the file permissions option when i right click
WPBeginner Support
For local installations, you would right-click the folder and go under Properties>Security to change the permissions.
Admin
Lucas
Hello
FTP permissions are fine, when I try to upload, the original file goes to the FTP Uploads folder, but WordPress does not recognize it and displays error on upload, try again later
Any tips?
WPBeginner Support
By default, WordPress would not include FTP’d files in the media library. It would depend on the specific error. If the default upload method is what is causing the error then you would want to go through the troubleshooting steps in our guide below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/
Admin
Zillah Prescott
You missed the easiest fix of all. Close Wordpress and open it back up again.
WPBeginner Support
For some, that may be a solution but that is sadly, rarely the solution for this specific issue.
Admin
Adams
”Unexpected response from the server. The file may have been uploaded successfully. Check in the Media Library or reload the page.”
I keep getting the above error whenever I try to upload an image to my newly installed WordPress.
Please advise on how to solve it. Thank you.
WPBeginner Support
There are a few possible reasons for that error message, we would recommend going through our troubleshooting steps here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/
Admin
Anita Hiltz
I’m not sure this will solve my problem. I have an educational website and we give away free books and educational materials. Recently I uploaded a PDF document (a chart) into my library, put it in 2 of my web pages, and created the link to open it. That was fine, but later, I decided to improve the document, took it off, recreated it and uploaded it again to the library. The original document was deleted completely from my own files, but when I upload it to my website it comes up with the OLD document. Somehow the “delete permanently” feature within the library is NOT actually deleting it. HELP!
WPBeginner Support
You may want to ensure you cleared any caching for your site as that is the most common reason for that issue, we have a guide you can follow here:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-clear-your-cache-in-wordpress/
Admin
Evie
I just wanted to say, thank you so much for all the help you provide. I sometimes experience odd occurrences on my website, and when I Google the problem, your website always seems to simply answer my concerns.
Keep up the excellent work!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guides can be helpful
Admin
Kyree H
What URL do I type in when connecting via the FTP client? The actual domain that visitors use or my wordpress URL?
WPBeginner Support
That can vary based on your host, if your normal domain does not work you would want to check with your hosting provider
Admin
Muhammad Adil
Hurray, I did it just change URL from Setting-General than change “WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL)” set both http to https and the issue has been resolved.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our recommendation could help
Admin
Kristina
Hello anybody know how to fix getting your images to load the the Media Library? the files are located in the correct place on my server wp content / uploads. and i know my permissions are correcgt 755 and 0644 for the individual files.
if i try to drag or load files from scratch into the Media Library Add New loader I always get this error- ” could not insert post into the database” thanks.
WPBeginner Support
You may want to ensure there are no special characters in your file name and you’ve tried increasing the maximum upload size for possible reasons.
Admin
Nicole
My photo’s that I am trying to upload are not even uploading. It is currently stuck on the download bar and I don’t know how to up the uploading process or how to stop it and try again. Please help. We are on a time crunch.
Thank you.
WPBeginner Support
The most common other reason for not being able to upload an image would be fixed using the method in our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-fix-the-http-image-upload-error-in-wordpress/
Admin
Hamza
publishing issue in wordpress.
no page, post is publishing in wordpress
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on if you are receiving an error message or not. For starting out, you would want to take a look at our troubleshooting article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/
Admin
James Howlett
New image uploaded always has 640 permission. And if I access image with 640 permission, it will return 404. But if I change it to 644, I can access the image.
Is 640 the correct permission for image uploaded? Or is it 644?
WPBeginner Support
644 are the correct permissions
Admin
sandra willie
I’m having a problem sizing my photos for a wordpress site and getting them to display correctly. I’ve resized the images several times to smaller, but they still appear showing only portion of the image and not the full image – even though I have also tried resizing in the edit section of the gallery! How do I get them to load in the full size if the image is a suitable size and resolution!
WPBeginner Support
When adding the image to a post/page you may want to check for the dropdown in the bottom right stating the size and set it to the full size for your image.
Admin
Jessica
Hi. When I upload a rectangular photo it uploads as a square cutting off most of the image. Any suggestions? Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
Your theme may be generating a new image size, you may want to check under Settings>Media to see if you’ve enabled image cropping there.
Admin
Alexandru
I’m having an issue when in editing mode upon uploading product images in gallery. I uploaded some images for a product gallery with no issues then I went to upload new ones for another product. I select the images/upload into gallery but instead of uploading the new ones I selected it uploads the ones from the previous upload.. Ctrl+F5, delete cookies, system restart… nothing. Still the same issue.
Any ideas?
WPBeginner Support
It sounds like you would want to reach out to the support for the plugin you are using for your products to ensure that it is not a hiccup with the plugin itself.
Admin
Mike Wright
Thanks a lot!
You continue to bring the clear and direct fixes
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our articles can help
Admin
The Struggling Believer
Thank you very much! This solved my problem in my site
Duong Nguyen
Hi everyone,
I am scratching my head on this current issue with Wordpress 5.0 logo uploading. The image file (59K) will upload to media no problem, but it WILL NOT show on the page, instead it would show my icon file instead. I don’t understand. I’ve tried resizing the size to 100px to no prevail.
Could this be the theme fault? I am using OceanWP. I tried contacting my host and they recommend getting my logo designer to optimise it for WP5.0. Which doesn’t make sense. if anyone could please give me any leads to this issue. Thank you!
Famous Onyemah
I am still struggling to come to terms with WP.
Please if I want my readers to …Read More » on a page, what widget do I use?
WPBeginner Support
Hello,
The read more link appears next to excerpts (summary) of a blog post. For that you will need to set them up. See our beginner’s guide on how to set up excerpts in WordPress .
Admin
Opirite
Thank you, i tried many things on how to fix the problem but none worked until i tried your solution by changing the file permission as shown. Your solution to the problem worked for me. Again, a big thank you.
Michiel
Hi all,
Thanks for all your information and suggestions.
I tried everything:
– the 755,744,744 and 655 in filezilla. Nothing worked.
– Media, upload etc. Also nothing.
All of a sudden I could upload two images. And afterwards I tried the upload a 3rd image and now I am stuck with the same problem again. Every time I try to upload any image i get ‘ http-error’.
Does anybody have some last advice?
Help a no-knowledge-of-websitebuilding-person out!
Thanks in advance!
Anais
I have an issue that doesn’t seem to be addressed anywhere – there is no “Media” folder in my Wordpress menu and I just can not figure out why and how to access it.
I am just starting my blog and not even uploaded my theme yet. Any idea what could be the reason behind that?
Thank you!
wisd
i can not upload a media file to my WordPress