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Fix "413 Request Entity Too Large"

A 413 Request Entity Too Large means your upload (or POST) exceeded a size limit. There are usually two limits in the chain — PHP’s and the web server’s — and both must be big enough.

1. Raise the PHP upload limits

In the site’s php.ini:

upload_max_filesize = 128M
post_max_size       = 128M   ; must be >= upload_max_filesize
memory_limit        = 256M   ; >= post_max_size

Full detail: increase the PHP upload limit.

2. Raise the web server’s body limit

nginx caps the request body separately. If PHP is already generous but you still get a 413, nginx’s client_max_body_size is the blocker — it needs raising for the site to allow larger request bodies. (This is a server-level setting; on OrbixPanel the site config governs it.)

The 413 specifically (as opposed to a PHP upload warning) usually points at this server-level limit — so if raising php.ini didn’t help, this is why.

3. For app-specific uploads

  • WordPress media uses the PHP limits above.
  • Node/app uploads — your framework/body-parser may also cap body size (e.g. Express express.json({ limit }) or a multipart limit). Raise it there too.

The chain, in order

A big upload must clear every limit in its path:

  1. Web server body limit (client_max_body_size) →
  2. post_max_size →
  3. upload_max_filesize →
  4. your app’s own upload limit.

Raise whichever is smallest; raise them together to be safe. Then retry the upload.

Still failing?

  • Confirm the values actually applied: php -i | grep max in the terminal.
  • For a large database import rather than a file upload, skip the web entirely and use the command line.

Running OrbixPanel? PHP limits are editable per-site, so raising upload size is quick. OrbixPanel.com → — the free, self-hosted, AI-powered hosting control panel.