File uploader
What is HTTP413 Request Entity Too Large?
“HTTP413 Request Entity Too Large” is an HTTP error displayed when the data being uploaded exceeds the capacity allowed by the server.
The current official name is 413 Content Too Large, but “413 Payload Too Large” and “413 Request Entity Too Large” are still widely used today.
This means that regardless of the name, it commonly implies “the submitted data is too large to be accepted”.
This error typically occurs in the following situations.
- Uploading a video
- Sending a large number of high-resolution images
- The PDF or ZIP file is too large
- Sending a large amount of JSON data to an API
In many cases, it is due to server-side capacity restrictions and is not caused by issues with internet connection or computer malfunctions.
Main Causes of HTTP413 Request Entity Too Large
Exceeding the upload capacity limit
This is the most common cause.
Web services have defined limits on upload capacity, such as “up to 10MB per file” or “up to 100MB” respectively. When this limit is exceeded, HTTP413 is returned.
The total capacity of multiple files is too large
Even if each individual file is small, there are cases where the total size exceeds the limit when uploading multiple files at once.
For example, sending ten 20MB images would result in a total of 200MB, which could lead to a 413 error on services with capacity restrictions.
Limited by web server settings
Site administrators can set an upper limit for upload sizes on the web server.
Some common examples include:
- NGINX's client_max_body_size
- Apache settings
- PHP's upload_max_filesize
- PHP's post_max_size
- Capacity restrictions set by reverse proxies or CDNs
Even if the application increases capacity, it is not uncommon for the web server or CDN in between to return a 413 error first.
Solutions for Users
If you see an HTTP413 message, check the following items.
- Check the file size you are uploading
- Exclude unnecessary files
- Reduce size by compressing files into ZIP
- Lower the resolution of images or video quality
- Upload in multiple parts
- Use services with higher capacity limits
Especially for videos, if they are saved in 4K or high bitrate, they can sometimes be several GB. Just reducing the quality a little can halve the size in some cases.
Solutions for Administrators
If you are running your own website, reviewing server settings may provide a solution.
For NGINX
Change the value of client_max_body_size as needed.
For PHP
Let's check the following configuration values.
- upload_max_filesize
- post_max_size
- memory_limit
- max_execution_time
Since not only the upload size but also the total size limit of POST requests can affect, it is important to check multiple settings together.
Also check CDNs and WAFs
If you are using CDNs or WAFs like Cloudflare, you may receive a 413 error before it reaches the web server.
If making changes only to the web server settings does not improve the situation, also check the upload restrictions on these services.
If you want to send large files, UploadF is convenient
Email attachments and chat services can sometimes hit capacity limits.
In such cases, you might consider using a free file uploader like UploadF.
- Compatible with both PC and smartphones
- Easy upload with drag & drop
- Supports simultaneous upload of up to 100 files
- Supports password-protected sharing
- You can choose the save duration
- Files can be deleted individually when no longer needed
For images, you can also utilize convenient web tools for online image editing, OCR, background removal, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 413 different from "upload failed"?
413 is a type of HTTP status code. The internal cause of the "upload failed" message can also be due to a 413 error.
Does 413 mean the server is broken?
No. In most cases, the server is operating normally and refusing requests because they exceed the set capacity limit.
What if reducing size does not improve the situation?
It may also be caused by service outages, temporary setting changes, restrictions by CDNs or proxies, among other reasons. Trying with a different browser or waiting some time before attempting to upload again can also be effective.
Summary
HTTP413 Request Entity Too Large is an error that occurs when the upload data exceeds the allowable capacity of the server.
For users, solutions often involve reducing file size, sending in multiple parts, etc., while site administrators need to check capacity restrictions across multiple places, such as NGINX, Apache, PHP, and CDNs.
If you want to share large files, utilizing a free file uploader like UploadF according to your needs can also be convenient.
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