Technical

"The Link You Followed Has Expired" in WordPress: 5 Fixes (2026)

By Daniel Reyes•October 8, 2026•3 min read

Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we test and rate hosts.

Our top pick for most WordPress sites

Bluehost: free domain, free SSL, 24/7 support, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check Bluehost Deal →

"The link you followed has expired" is WordPress's most misleading error. Nothing expired. You tried to upload a theme or plugin zip that exceeded the server's PHP limits, and WordPress responded with a generic security message instead of saying so. Fix = raise the limits, or bypass the uploader entirely.

Step 0: Check Your Actual Limits

Before editing anything: wp-admin > Tools > Site Health > Info > Server section. Note upload_max_filesize, post_max_size, and max_execution_time. If upload_max_filesize is 2M and your theme zip is 15MB - there's your answer. Media > Add New also displays the effective upload cap.

Fix 1: Raise Limits via .htaccess

Fastest method on Apache hosts. Edit .htaccess in your WordPress root, append:

php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300

Site throws a 500 after saving? Your host runs PHP as CGI/FPM and forbids .htaccess overrides - remove the lines immediately and use fix 3.

Fix 2: Raise via php.ini or .user.ini

If your host allows per-directory PHP config, create or edit php.ini (or .user.ini on CGI setups) in the WordPress root:

upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
max_execution_time = 300

Note: post_max_size must be larger than or equal to upload_max_filesize, or the smaller one wins silently.

Fix 3: The Host's Control Panel

The reliable path on managed/shared hosting. In cPanel: MultiPHP INI Editor (or "Select PHP Version" > Options) - set upload_max_filesize and post_max_size there. These host-level settings override file-level attempts and actually stick.

Fix 4: wp-config.php (Memory Only)

wp-config can't raise upload limits, but it can raise memory - which matters when a large zip extracts successfully but processing it exhausts RAM:

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

Fix 5: Skip the Uploader - FTP Install

When limits won't budge, bypass them entirely. Unzip the theme/plugin on your computer, upload the resulting folder via FTP to wp-content/themes/ or wp-content/plugins/, then activate it in wp-admin. No PHP limits apply to FTP - done in five minutes regardless of host.

If Nothing Applies: The Shared Hosting Cap

Some hosts hard-cap upload limits server-side and ignore your files. Verify via Site Health: if your values still show 2M after every fix above, the cap is theirs. Two options: a support ticket asking them to raise it, or the FTP method forever. For one-off uploads, FTP wins; for regular client work, a host with sane defaults wins.

Limits Set for Real Work

Bluehost ships workable upload defaults out of the box - a 30MB theme zip uploads without touching .htaccess. And cPanel's MultiPHP INI Editor is one click away when you need more. From $3.99/mo.

Get Reliable Hosting

Find Your Perfect Hosting Plan

What are you building?

Tell us about your project so we can match the perfect hosting plan.

Question 1 of 425% complete

Interactive Tool

Hosting Cost Calculator

See exactly how much you'll spend on hosting over time. Compare Bluehost vs popular alternatives and discover your potential savings.

Time Period: 3 years

Monthly Revenue: $0

Used to calculate transaction fees (Shopify charges 2% on sales)

Compare Against:

Bluehost Plan:

Shopify Basic (3yr)

$1,044

Bluehost (3yr)

$444

You Save

$600

58% less than Shopify Basic

Save $600 with Bluehost →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'the link you followed has expired' mean?

Despite the wording, it's not a link problem. It fires when you upload a theme/plugin zip larger than the server's PHP limits (upload_max_filesize, post_max_size) or the processing takes longer than max_execution_time. WordPress fails the upload and shows this generic nonce-expired message.

What's the fastest fix?

Check your current limits first: wp-admin > Tools > Site Health > Info > Server. If upload_max_filesize is below your file size, raise it. Quickest method for most hosts: add 'php_value upload_max_filesize 64M' and 'php_value post_max_size 64M' to .htaccess.

How do I fix it in wp-config.php?

wp-config can't directly set upload limits - it sets memory: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'). Upload size limits live in .htaccess, php.ini, .user.ini, or the host's control panel.

How do I fix it in .htaccess?

Add at the end: php_value upload_max_filesize 64M, php_value post_max_size 64M, php_value max_execution_time 300, php_value max_input_time 300. If you get a 500 error after saving, your host forbids .htaccess PHP overrides - remove them and use the host panel instead.

Can I bypass the upload entirely?

Yes - upload the theme or plugin via FTP instead. Extract the zip, upload the folder to wp-content/themes or wp-content/plugins via FTP, then activate in wp-admin. Works regardless of PHP limits and is often faster for large files.

Why did my limits reset or not apply?

On shared hosting, PHP limits are often capped server-side - your .htaccess/php.ini values get ignored beyond the cap. Check Site Health > Info > Server for the effective values; if yours are still low, the host must raise them.

Ready to launch?

Get Bluehost from $3.99/month with a free domain, free SSL, and 30-day money-back guarantee.

Start for $3.99 →