How to Fix “Upload: Failed to Write File to Disk” Error in WordPress

The “Upload: Failed to Write File to Disk” error in WordPress typically occurs when WordPress is unable to save the uploaded file to the server. This issue is often related to file permissions, disk space, or server configuration. Here’s how you can fix it:

1. Check File Permissions

Ensure that the wp-content/uploads directory has the correct file permissions. Generally, it should be set to 755 for directories and 644 for files.

• Via FTP/SFTP:
  1. Connect to your server using an FTP client like FileZilla.
  2. Navigate to wp-content/uploads.
  3. Right-click on the uploads folder and select File Permissions.
  4. Set the permissions to 755 and apply to all directories.

2. Verify Disk Space

Make sure your hosting account has sufficient disk space available.

• Via cPanel:
  1. Log in to your cPanel account.
  2. Check the Disk Usage tool to see if you’re running out of space.
  3. If space is low, consider clearing out old files or upgrading your hosting plan.

3. Check for PHP Upload Limits

Ensure that your PHP configuration allows file uploads.

• Via php.ini File:
  1. Locate the php.ini file on your server.
  2. Look for these directives and adjust them if necessary:
     makefile

     Copy code

     upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M

  3. Save the file and restart your web server.
• Via .htaccess File:
  1. Edit or create an .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory.
  2. Add the following lines:
     Copy code

     php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value memory_limit 128M
php_value max_execution_time 300


4. Check for Server Configuration Issues

Sometimes, the server configuration can cause this issue. You may need to contact your hosting provider to verify that everything is configured correctly.

5. Disable Plugins or Themes

Occasionally, a conflict with a plugin or theme might cause this issue.

• Via WordPress Admin:
  1. Deactivate all plugins and try uploading the file again.
  2. If it works, reactivate plugins one by one to identify the problematic one.
  3. Similarly, switch to a default WordPress theme to check if the issue is theme-related.

6. Increase PHP Memory Limit

Try increasing the PHP memory limit in WordPress.

• Via wp-config.php:
  1. Edit the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory.
  2. Add the following line before the “/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */” line:
     sql

     Copy code

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


7. Contact Your Hosting Provider

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, your hosting provider might be able to help. They can check server logs and configurations to identify and fix the problem.

Feel free to reach out if you need more detailed instructions on any of these steps!