How to Fix the “An error occurred in the upload. Please try again later” problem in WordPress 2024

WordPress is a popular platform for creating and managing websites. However, sometimes you might encounter an error when you try to upload a file to your WordPress site. The error message says ‘An error occurred in the upload. Please try again later ‘. This can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you don’t know what is causing the problem or how to fix it.

In this article, we will explain what this error means, what are the possible causes, and how to solve it in your wordpress website.

Changing file permissions

Permissions in WordPress control who or what can interact with your website’s files and folders and in what way. If these permissions are not set up correctly, it can hinder your ability to upload files. The common “Please try again later” upload error often occurs due to differences in default permission settings among various web hosting providers. Essentially, it’s about making sure the right entities have the right level of access to your site’s files to avoid upload issues. Now let’s see how to do this.

The first step to change file permissions of the upload folder is to access the cPanel of your hosting. Essentially, we’ll be editing specific settings in the file manager to manage the files on your web hosting. Whether you’re using cloud hosting, a dedicated server, or hosting locally, the key is to navigate to your file manager. I’m demonstrating the process for cPanel, as it is a standard feature in every hosting plan, including cloud hosting, dedicated servers, and localhost. Begin by logging in to your hosting cPanel.

In cPanel, we need to locate “File Manager” and click on it, which opens the files of our website. Regardless of your interface, you will see a list of files like this:

In this stage, we gain entry to our website’s files. Our next step is to locate the folder where our uploaded files are stored. Navigate to ‘wp-contents.’ Within ‘wp-contents,’ you’ll find various files. Among them, it’s crucial to adjust the permissions of the file named ‘Uploads in order to fix the issue.

 

To change the permission, right-click on it, and you will see a menu where you can find ‘Change Permissions.’

You will see all the permissions. 

You can check whether the permissions are granted or not. If the permission is not given, simply click on the checkmark, and the permission will be allowed now. Essentially, the issue in this case is that WordPress stores the files we upload in the ‘Uploads’ folder, but our hosting server is not allowing WordPress to store files here. So, we are granting permission to WordPress so that it can upload and store files here, which should solved the issue – ” error occurred in the upload”. 

If you still face the same problem, then continue following this article. I’m sure you will find a solution.

Upload size limit and Execution Time limit

The ‘Upload size limit’ refers to the maximum size of a file you can upload, while the ‘execution time limit’ signifies how long it can take to complete this process (in this case, the duration for uploading files). Hosting providers set these limitations, which may be a reason for the problem you’re facing. If the file is an image, you can try compressing it. If it’s not an image or you prefer not to compress it, then we need to consider other solutions. The straightforward solution is to increase both the upload size and execution time limits. So we are going to define wp memory limit to 256m.

Now, I hope you understand the approach we are taking. There are many ways to achieve this, but we will opt for the easiest method. Firstly, log in to your WordPress dashboard, then navigate to the ‘Add a new plugin’ section. Here, we will install a plugin named ‘Wp Maximum Upload File Size,’ which will increase both the upload size limit and the execution time limit. This is a perfect and straightforward solution for this case that may solve the error message ” error occurred in the upload”

After you install the plugin, you will notice a new option under the media section.

This is the place where we can increase the limit as we wish. Just click on it, and you will find an interface like this:

Here you increase the values, define wp memory limit 256m, and hit “Save changes”. This should solve the error. If it’s still not resolved, continue following this article.

Increase Php memory

Another possible reason for this problem is PHP memory also known as php memory limit. WordPress is developed with several programming languages, including PHP. Every action in WordPress involves running a PHP activity. PHP memory limit refers to the size of resources a website can use to execute PHP scripts (in this case, WordPress). If you have a lot of files, WordPress might encounter issues running properly due to the default PHP memory limit, which is only 32MB. So, we can try increasing the PHP memory limit. This may resolve this issue which we are facing ” error occurred in the upload”

To increase PHP memory limit, you have to go to the file manager by following the same steps we already saw in the first section of this article. In the file manager, locate the file named ‘wp-config.php’ and click on edit.

Don’t be scared to see codes. All you have to do is just find a simple line: “

/* Add any custom values between this line and the “stop editing” line. */

/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

“

Find these lines and add these codes there:

“define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’ , ‘350M’ );”

This should solve the error. If it’s still not resolved, continue following this article.

Problems of Plugins or Themes

Sometimes, the reason why you see the error message ‘An error occurred in the upload. Please try again later’ is because of a plugin or theme that you are using on your website. 

You can check if this is the case by turning off any plugin that you installed recently and then trying to upload an image again. If it works, then you know that the plugin was causing the problem. However, it is possible that a plugin that you have been using for a long time is also making trouble. This could happen if the plugin was updated and became incompatible with something else. To find out if this is the case, you can turn off all your plugins and then turn them on one by one. Each time you turn on a plugin, try to upload an image and see if you get the error message. If you do, then you know that the plugin is the problem. 

Another possibility is that your theme is the problem. Your theme is the design and layout of your website. You can test this by changing your theme to a default one and then trying to upload an image. If it works, then you know that your theme was causing the problem. 

I think it’s a little bit complicated for you, let me explain. Imagine that you have a website where you want to show some pictures. To make your website look nice and do different things, you use some plugins and themes. Plugins are like extra parts that you can add to your website to make it do more things. Themes are like different styles that you can choose for your website to make it look different.

Sometimes, when you try to upload a picture to your website, you might see an error message that says ‘An error occurred in the upload. Please try again later’. This means that something is wrong and your picture cannot be shown on your website.

One of the reasons why this might happen is because of the plugins or themes that you are using. They might not work well with your website or with each other. To find out if this is the reason, you can do some tests.

First, you can think of any plugin that you added recently to your website. You can turn it off and then try to upload a picture again. If it works, then you know that the plugin was the problem and you can either remove it or find a different one.

Second, you can also check the plugins that you have been using for a long time. Sometimes, they might change or update and cause problems. To check this, you can turn off all your plugins and then turn them on one by one. Each time you turn on a plugin, you can try to upload a picture and see if you get the error message. If you do, then you know that the plugin is the problem and you can either remove it or find a different one.

Third, you can also check your theme. Your theme is the way your website looks. Sometimes, your theme might not work well with your website or with the plugins. To check this, you can change your theme to a default one and then try to upload a picture. If it works, then you know that your theme was the problem and you can either change it or find a different one. If it’s still not resolved, continue following this article.

Research On Google

We’ve tried most of the solutions, and we will continue exploring more possible options. However, at this point, if the error message ‘Error occurred in the upload’ is still bothering you, then you should conduct some research. Now, the question is, what research should you do?

First, make a list of the recent activities you performed on your WordPress site. Perhaps you added some themes, plugins, updates, or made other changes. Then, research that specific activity. For example, if you updated a plugin, focus your research on that plugin. You may discover something that can fix your problem, and you might be fortunate enough not to encounter the ‘Error occurred in the upload’ message again.

Checking The Internet Connection

It still the problem is still bothering you, check your internet connection. A slow or unstable internet connection can cause upload errors. Make sure you have a stable and fast internet connection before attempting to upload a file. You can also try resetting your router or connecting to a different network.

Check the File Size and Format

Another important thing is to check the file size and format. Some platforms have file size or format limitations, which can cause upload errors. Ensure your file is within the accepted size limit and in the correct format. If necessary, compress and convert the file to a different format.

Clear Your Browser Cache

Sometimes browser is also responsible for this problem. So it is necessary to clear your browser cache. A cluttered cache can cause upload errors. To clear your browser cache, go to your browser settings and select “Clear Browsing Data.” Make sure to clear the cache and cookies.

Disable Browser Extensions

Some extensions might be responsible. So it is important to disable any browser extensions that may be interfering with the upload. Sometimes, browser extensions can block or interfere with the upload process. Try disabling any extensions and attempt the upload again.

Try a Different Browser

If all else fails, try using a different browser. Sometimes, certain browsers may have compatibility issues with specific websites or platforms. Try using a different browser and attempt the upload again.

Conclusion

In summary, if you encounter the error message “An error occurred in the upload, please try again later,” the first step is to check your internet connection. Next, check the file size and format, clear your browser cache, and disable any browser extensions that may be interfering with the upload. If none of these steps work, try using a different browser. With these simple steps, you can resolve the upload error and successfully upload your file. Thank you for reading this article till here. I hope it’s helpful to you.

Summary –

1. Changing your file permissions.
2. Updating your file size and execution time limitations.
3. Increasing your PHP memory.
4. Checking your plugins or theme.
5. File size and format
6. Browser cache
7. Browser Extensions
8. Try a Different Browser

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