In a WordPress Multisite network, new subsites are restricted by default to a maximum file upload size of 1500 KB (approx. 1.5 MB). This limit is WordPress's default setting to conserve disk space, but it quickly becomes a bottleneck when uploading modern high-resolution images, videos, or PDF documents.
As a Network Administrator (Super Admin), you can easily raise the network-wide upload limit either through the dashboard or via the command line.
Changing the Maximum Size via the Dashboard
Because this is a network-wide setting, it cannot be modified from the dashboard of an individual subsite.
Log in with a Network Administrator (Super Admin) account.
Navigate to Network Admin from the top toolbar: My Sites > Network Admin > Settings.
Screenshot of the WordPress toolbar menu showing My Sites > Network Admin > Settings
Scroll down the page to the Upload Settings section.
Locate the Max upload file size field and enter your desired limit in kilobytes (KB).
Screenshot of the Upload Settings section showing the KB input field
Save your changes at the bottom of the page (Save Changes).
Kilobyte Conversion Reference
Because WordPress requires this value in kilobytes, you can use the reference list below to copy the appropriate value:
10 MB =
1024025 MB =
2560050 MB =
51200100 MB =
102400128 MB =
131072(Server maximum)
Changing the Limit via Command Line (WP-CLI)
You can quickly update the network setting over an SSH connection using WP-CLI. The value is stored in the wp_sitemeta table under the option name fileupload_maxk.
To set the network limit to 128 MB (131072 KB), run:
wp site option update fileupload_maxk 131072
(Note that wp site option updates network-wide settings in Multisite, unlike the standard wp option command).
Server-Level Limitations (128 MB)
WordPress settings cannot override absolute limits configured at the server level.
In Seravo's hosting environment, PHP's upload_max_filesize and nginx upload boundaries are set to 128 megabytes for security and stability. Even if you define a larger value in the WordPress network settings (e.g., 500 MB), the browser or server will terminate uploads exceeding 128 MB.
Core server configurations, such as
php.ini, cannot be modified directly for security reasons.If you have an exceptional need to upload files larger than 128 MB (such as long video files or large application packages), see our dedicated guide: Uploading Large Files to the Server (Over 128 MB).
Troubleshooting and Exceptions
Network Admin menu is missing:
Your current user account only has administrator privileges for a single subsite. You must be logged in as a Super Admin to access network settings.
Raising the limit has no effect (the site still indicates the old limit):
Check the subsite's Settings > General to confirm no custom theme or plugin is imposing its own upload restriction. Make sure to purge the site cache after saving changes in Network Settings.
Browser displays an "HTTP Error" during upload:
This typically indicates that the file exceeds the server's 128 MB limit, or that a server process timed out during processing (such as image resampling on extremely large image resolutions). Consider transferring the asset directly via SFTP.
See Also
Increasing the maximum upload size makes media management seamless across your entire network. If you run into issues uploading large assets or need guidance transferring large files directly to the server, Seravo's support team is ready to assist at [email protected].