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Increase the PHP upload size limit

“The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive,” a stuck media upload, or a phpMyAdmin import that fails on a big .sql — all the same thing: a PHP upload limit that’s too low. Raise it in the site’s PHP settings.

The settings that matter

Edit the site’s php.ini (per-site, in the PHP settings):

upload_max_filesize = 64M    ; max size of a single uploaded file
post_max_size       = 64M    ; must be >= upload_max_filesize
memory_limit        = 256M   ; should be >= post_max_size
max_execution_time  = 300    ; give big uploads time to finish
max_input_time      = 300

Set them to match the largest upload you need (e.g. 256M for big media). Save — the site’s php-fpm pool reloads with the new limits.

Why three settings?

They’re a chain, each must be large enough:

  • upload_max_filesize caps one file.
  • post_max_size caps the whole POST (file + form fields) — keep it ≥ upload_max_filesize.
  • memory_limit must be ≥ post_max_size or PHP runs out of memory mid-upload.

Raise all three together or the smallest one still blocks you.

Verify

In the web terminal:

Terminal window
php -i | grep -E 'upload_max_filesize|post_max_size|memory_limit'

Or check phpinfo() from the app.

  • WordPress media uses these PHP limits directly.
  • phpMyAdmin imports — if a big database still won’t import, use the command line instead (import/export MySQL).
  • nginx also caps request body size; very large uploads may need its limit raised too — if files still fail after php.ini, that’s the next place to look.

Running OrbixPanel? PHP limits are editable per-site, no server-wide config needed. OrbixPanel.com → — the free, self-hosted, AI-powered hosting control panel.