When all troubleshooting steps fail, contact your hosting provider's support team. They can:

• Check server error logs for specific upload failure messages
• Verify proper file permissions on your account
• Confirm PHP configuration settings
• Test upload functionality in a clean environment

Before contacting support, gather this information:

• WordPress version
• PHP version
• List of active plugins
• Name of your current theme
• Exact error message text (if any)
• Steps already attempted to fix the issue

Different WordPress hosting companies specialize in different server environments (Apache vs. Nginx, Linux vs. Windows). Their support teams have seen countless WordPress media upload issues and can often spot hosting-specific problems immediately.

FAQ about the WordPress can't upload images error

Why can't I upload images to WordPress?

WordPress image upload failures occur for several reasons:

• Insufficient PHP memory limit
• Incorrect file permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories)
• Plugin conflicts (especially with image optimization tools)
• Server configuration restrictions on shared hosting
• Image filenames containing special characters
• Theme functions that interfere with media handling
• Outdated PHP version (below 7.4)
• Corrupted WordPress core files

How do I fix the "failed to upload image" error in WordPress?

Try these steps in order:

1. Refresh your browser completely (Ctrl+F5) and try again
2. Check if the image exceeds your server's file size limit
3. Temporarily disable all plugins
4. Switch to a default WordPress theme
5. Increase your PHP memory limit in wp-config.php
6. Check and fix file permissions on your uploads directory
7. Clear all caches (browser, plugins, and server)
8. Try the browser uploader instead of drag-and-drop

What could be causing the "HTTP error" when uploading images in WordPress?

The generic "HTTP Error" in the WordPress media uploader typically indicates:

• PHP memory exhaustion during image processing
• Image library conflicts (GD Library vs. Imagick)
• Multi-threading issues on restricted hosting
• Timeout during image optimization
• MIME type verification failures
• Corrupted image files
• Server-side security restrictions

How can I increase the maximum upload file size in WordPress?

Modify these settings in php.ini or wp-config.php:

upload_max_filesize = 64M

post_max_size = 64M

memory_limit = 256M

max_execution_time = 300

max_input_time = 300

If editing php.ini isn't possible on your hosting, add this line to wp-config.php:

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

For .htaccess-based limits on Apache servers, add:

php_value upload_max_filesize 64M

php_value post_max_size 64M

php_value memory_limit 256M

php_value max_execution_time 300

php_value max_input_time 300

Why are my images uploading but not showing up in my media library in WordPress?

Images that upload but don't appear often indicate:

• Incorrect file permissions on the uploads directory
• Media library database entries failed to create
• Image thumbnail generation errors
• Caching issues showing outdated library content
• Corrupted media library database tables
• CDN configuration conflicts
• URL structure mismatches in WordPress settings

Clear your browser cache, disable caching plugins, and run a database repair through phpMyAdmin if this occurs.

How can I troubleshoot a slow image upload in WordPress?

For sluggish WordPress image uploads:

• Optimize images before uploading using tools like TinyPNG
• Disable image optimization plugins during uploads
• Check server CPU and memory usage with your host
• Use a faster internet connection
• Adjust resize settings in WordPress (Settings > Media)
• Disable generating unnecessary thumbnail sizes
• Try uploading during off-peak hours if on shared hosting
• Consider upgrading to managed WordPress hosting

What permissions should I set for my WordPress upload folder?

The proper permissions structure:

• Uploads directory: 755 (drwxr-xr-x)
• Subdirectories: 755 (drwxr-xr-x)
• Image files: 644 (rw-r--r--)

Never use 777 permissions as this creates security vulnerabilities.

How do I prevent my images from being automatically compressed when uploaded to WordPress?

To maintain original image quality:

• Add this to your functions.php file:

  add_filter('wp_editor_set_quality', function() { return 100; });
  

• Disable any image optimization plugins
• Update WordPress settings (Settings > Media)
• Uncheck "Resize images..." option if available
• Use a plugin like "Disable WordPress Compression"

How can I optimize my images for faster upload and better performance in WordPress?

Best practices for WordPress image optimization:

• Resize images to their display dimensions before uploading
• Use proper file formats (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency, WebP where supported)
• Compress images with tools like TinyPNG, ImageOptim, or Squoosh
• Consider using WebP format for modern browsers
• Use descriptive filenames with hyphens instead of spaces
• Remove EXIF data when privacy is a concern
• Consider lazy loading for better page performance

Can I upload images to WordPress without using the media library?

Yes, alternative methods include:

• FTP uploading directly to the uploads directory
• Using the browser uploader instead of drag-and-drop
• Programmatically adding images via WordPress functions
• Using plugins like "Add From Server" to import existing files
• WP-CLI commands for bulk image imports

However, bypassing the media library may mean images don't appear in your Media Library for future use in other posts.

Conclusion

The "WordPress can't upload images" error typically stems from several potential causes, each with specific solutions:

Server configuration issues:

• PHP memory limitations
• Incorrect file permissions
• Outdated PHP versions
• Web server configuration conflicts

WordPress-specific problems:

• Plugin conflicts
• Theme compatibility issues
• Media library database corruption
• Core file integrity issues

File-related challenges:

• Oversized image dimensions
• Improper file naming conventions
• Unsupported image formats
• Corrupted image data

The troubleshooting path follows a clear progression – from simple browser refreshes to more complex server configuration adjustments. Most WordPress media upload errors resolve with:

1. Checking file permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files)
2. Increasing PHP memory limits
3. Disabling conflicting plugins
4. Testing with default WordPress themes
5. Clearing all cache layers

For persistent WordPress image uploader problems, don't hesitate to contact your hosting provider. Their technical support teams often identify server-specific issues that standard troubleshooting misses.

With these solutions, you'll overcome WordPress media upload failures and maintain a smoothly functioning website.

If you enjoyed reading this article on WordPress can't upload images error, you should check out this one about WordPress add media button not working error.

We also wrote about a few related subjects like failed to open stream error, WordPress post missed schedule, failed to load resource error, WordPress posting to Facebook done automatically, how to reorder pages in WordPress and WordPress updating failed error.