What it means
The server or proxy enforces a maximum request size. When you exceed it, the request is rejected with a 413 (formerly “Request Entity Too Large” or “Payload Too Large”). It most often appears when uploading images, videos or backups.
Most common causes
- Nginx client_max_body_size (1 MB by default).
- PHP upload_max_filesize and post_max_size (WordPress).
- A CDN or proxy limit (e.g. Cloudflare limits request size by plan).
- An application or API gateway limit.
What you can do as a visitor
- Make the file smaller (compress the image or video) and try again.
- If it's your site, report the error to your hosting provider.
What the site owner or developer should do
- Nginx: increase client_max_body_size in the relevant server/location block.
- PHP/WordPress: increase upload_max_filesize and post_max_size, then restart PHP.
- For very large files, upload directly to storage (S3/R2) with signed URLs.
- Show users the maximum allowed size before they upload.
Impact on SEO and Google
A 413 only affects uploads and forms, not page indexing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the default limit in Nginx?
1 MB, set by client_max_body_size.
How do I fix a 413 in WordPress?
Increase upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in your PHP settings, and check the Nginx or hosting limit too.