The 413 error code is called Content Too Large, and older pages call it Request Entity Too Large or Payload Too Large. It shows up when you upload a photo, video, document or form and the server refuses it because the total size is above the limit it has set.
The refusal is deliberate and protects the server from huge uploads. For you the cure is nearly always simple: send less data. Compress the photo, trim the video, split the file or pick a smaller one. If you run the site and your own visitors keep hitting this wall, the limit is a setting you can raise carefully.
Common causes
1File is larger than the site's upload limit
How to tellError appears after the progress bar fills, on a single big file
What fixes itCompress, shrink or split the file and upload again
2Many files sent in one go
How to tellEach file is small but the whole batch fails
What fixes itUpload in smaller batches of two or three files
3Photo straight from a high resolution camera
How to tellA phone photo or scan of several MB fails
What fixes itReduce the picture size or choose a lower quality setting
4Server body size limit set low
How to tellEven moderate files fail for everyone on the site
What fixes itOwner raises the maximum request body size in the server settings
5Limit in the script or app on top of the server
How to tellServer allows large files, yet the form still rejects them
What fixes itOwner raises the upload and post size values in the app settings too
6Proxy or CDN in front has its own cap
How to tellFails only on the live site and not when testing directly
What fixes itOwner checks the size cap of the proxy layer
How to fix it, step by step
Check how big the file really is
On Windows, right click the file and open Properties. On a phone, open the file details in the gallery or files app. Many forms print the maximum allowed size next to the upload button, so compare the two numbers.
Shrink photos before uploading
Phone cameras make large pictures. Use the share or edit menu in the gallery to resize, or send a copy with lower quality. A picture of a document usually reads fine at a much smaller size.
Trim or compress a video
Cut the video to the part that matters, or export it at a lower resolution. A shorter clip at a lower setting can be a tenth of the original size.
Zip a large document or folder
On Windows, right click the file, choose Send to and then Compressed (zipped) folder. Text-heavy files shrink a lot; photos and videos shrink little, so reduce those first.
Upload one file at a time
If a batch fails, send the files separately. The limit may apply to the combined size, and single uploads stay under it.
Use the link option instead
If a form accepts a link, store the large file in your own cloud storage and share the link in place of the file itself.
Ask the site to raise the limit
Contact the owner with the file size you need to send. A valid request for a larger limit is easy for them to grant when they control the server.
What the 413 error code tells you
Before reading your upload in full, a server often checks the size you announce and stops early if it is above the limit. That is why the error can come quickly, sometimes before the upload bar finishes. The server may also add a Retry-After value if the limit is temporary, though most size limits are fixed.
You attach a 40 MB scan to a job application and the page replies 413 Request Entity Too Large. The site allows only 5 MB. Scan again at a lower quality, or save it as a smaller PDF, and the same form accepts it.
Why 413 is not the same as 400 or 414
| Code | What is too much |
|---|---|
| 400 | Nothing specific: the request is badly formed |
| 413 | The body or upload is too big |
| 414 | The web address itself is too long |
| 415 | The file type is not accepted |
If your file is small and still fails, read about 415 Unsupported Media Type and 400 Bad Request. The wider family lives in HTTP status codes.
How owners raise the limit safely
- Find every layer that sits in front of the app: web server, proxy, CDN and the application itself each have a cap, and the smallest one wins.
- Raise the limit modestly to what real users need, not to unlimited.
- Raise timeouts with it because bigger uploads take longer and may time out next.
- Show the limit on the form so visitors know it before they try.
- Check disk space and file type rules, since larger uploads fill storage faster.
Large upload limits can be abused. Keep sign in checks and file type checks in place whenever you raise them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 413 error code?
Content Too Large is the official name of this status. The server refused your request because the data you sent is bigger than it is set to accept.
How do I fix error code 413 on a phone upload?
Reduce the file. Resize the photo, trim the video or lower the quality setting, then upload again. If a form shows a size limit, stay under it.
Can I fix a 413 on a site I do not own?
Yes, by sending less data. You cannot change the limit itself, but a smaller file almost always goes through.
Why does 413 appear when my file is already small?
The limit may be lower than you expect, the combined size of several files may be too large, or a proxy in front of the site may have a very small cap.
Is a 413 the same as a 'file too large' message?
Often they are the same event. A site may show its own friendly note, or pass through the raw 413 from the server.