Uploading Media Gives an Error

The server cannot process the image. This can happen if the server is busy or does
not have enough resources to complete the task. Uploading a smaller image may help.
Suggested maximum size is 2560 pixels.

This error usually appears when using the built-in WordPress media uploader. When you upload an image, WordPress saves the file, creates an attachment record, and runs PHP image processing for resizing and optimisation — and one of those steps can fail when the server doesn't have enough resources.

Troubleshoot

1. Retry the upload

Refresh the page, wait a couple of minutes, and try again — ideally one image at a time if you were doing a bulk upload. The error often appears during bulk operations when the server's CPU is at capacity.

2. Use a smaller image

If the issue continues, upload an image with dimensions smaller than 2560 pixels in width and/or height. This reduces processing load and usually avoids the error.

3. Increase the WordPress memory limit

The error message suggests insufficient resources. You can raise the PHP memory limit by adding the following line to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '168M' );

4. Switch to the GD image editor

WordPress processes images using one of two PHP modules: ImageMagick or the GD Library. By default, WordPress picks one automatically — but ImageMagick can hit memory limits that cause upload errors. You can force WordPress to use GD instead.

This change requires editing your theme's functions.php file. A mistake here can break your site. If you're not comfortable editing theme files, please contact our support team for help.

Add the following code to your active theme's functions.php:

function wpb_image_editor_default_to_gd( $editors ) {
    $gd_editor = 'WP_Image_Editor_GD';
    $editors = array_diff( $editors, array( $gd_editor ) );
    array_unshift( $editors, $gd_editor );
    return $editors;
}
add_filter( 'wp_image_editors', 'wpb_image_editor_default_to_gd' );