How to Fix the "Link Yous Followed Has Expired" Mistake in WordPress

When you lot manage a site, you will come across different issues that y'all demand to fix. One of the nearly mutual ones is that the link y'all're post-obit has expired. That'south why in this article, we will evidence you lot how to fix the "Link you followed has expired" error in WordPress.

Why does the "Link you followed has expired" error occur in WordPress?

The link you followed has expired is a standard WordPress error that occurs when:

  • Uploading custom themes and plugins to the site via admin panel
  • Your theme is incompatible with the PHP version

This usually happens when the maximum file size or maximum memory in your server isn't configured properly. Allow'due south accept a closer await.

File Limit Restriction

Most WordPress hosting companies limit the server'south PHP limits for security and performance-optimization purposes. For example, if hosting has configured 10MB every bit the max upload size for your server, when you try to upload a theme, plugin, or file larger than 1 MB, you will get the link expired fault.

The link you followed has expired

On top of that, hosting services besides ascertain a specific time for each PHP execution. If the upload process takes more than time than what they take configured, y'all will meet the "Link you followed has expired" error in the admin section.

Incompatible PHP

If the PHP version of your WordPress site isn't compatible with your theme, you will get this error. This doesn't happen very often because theme and plugin developers ordinarily make sure that their products are uniform with the most popular PHP versions. Yet, if you are trying to upload an outdated theme or plugin, you may have PHP incompatibility issues.

To set these issues, merely enhance the PHP limits configured by your spider web hosting company or update the PHP version.

How to Gear up the "Link You lot Followed Has Expired Fault" in WordPress

The good news is at that place are several ways to solve this issue. In this section, we'll evidence yous unlike ways to fix the "Link you lot followed has expired" error in WordPress:

  1. Editing the theme's functions.php file
  2. Via the .htaccess file
  3. Editing the php.ini file
  4. PHP version
  5. Hosting visitor

Allow's take a look at each method so you tin can choice the all-time one for you.

Annotation: Earlier starting, nosotros recommend yous create a full backup of your site and utilize a child theme. You can either create one or use a child theme plugin.

1) Editing the functions.PHP file

By calculation some actress code to your theme's functions.php file, you lot will be able to increment the execution limits and avoid this error. Allow's see how yous can edit your functions.php file to increase the upload_max_size, post_max_size, and max_execution_time.

  • upload_max_size: The maximum file size yous're allowed to upload
  • post_max_size: Defines the maximum size for all the data that a postal service contains including text, images, and so on
  • max_execution_time: Information technology'due south the maximum time a script is allowed to run before information technology'southward aborted fifty-fifty if it's non completed

To do this, there are two options:

  • Through the WordPress theme editor
  • Using a plugin

Permit'due south have a closer look at each method.

1.one) Edit functions.php file via Theme Editor

First, open your WordPress admin dashboard and go to Appearance > Theme Editor.

wordpress theme editor

On the right-manus side, you will see the theme name and the files you tin edit.

theme files

By default, WordPress volition load the manner.css. Merely look for the functions.php file and select it.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - functions.php file

Subsequently that, re-create the code from beneath to increment the upload_max_size, post_max_size, and max_execution_time.

@ini_set( 'upload_max_size' , '100M' );
@ini_set( 'post_max_size', '100M');
@ini_set( 'max_execution_time', '300' );

Then, paste it at the terminate of your functions.php file and update it.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - update functions.php

That's it! By increasing the limits you fix the main causes of the "Link you followed has expired" fault in WordPress.

1.2) Edit functions.php using a plugin

If yous're not comfy direct editing core files, you tin use a plugin. In our feel, Lawmaking Snippets is the best tool to add lawmaking and it's complimentary.

Outset, yous need to install and activate the plugin on your site.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - install code snippets

After that, you will come across the plugin's settings on the left-mitt side. Nether Snippets, click Add New.

add a new snippet

Proper name your snippet and paste the following lawmaking:

@ini_set( 'upload_max_size' , '100M' );
@ini_set( 'post_max_size', '100M');
@ini_set( 'max_execution_time', '300' );

Please note that these are reference values, you may need to adjust for your site.

raise limits

Finally, save it and so the code runs server-wide.

That's how you can run custom PHP snippets on your WordPress site and avoid the "Link you followed has expired" fault.

2) Edit the .htaccess File

You can edit the .htaccess file from the Theme Editor, then you will need an FTP client or a dedicated file manager plugin. For this sit-in, we'll apply an FTP client.

First, you need to locate the .htacess file. Go to the public_html folder and you will encounter it at that place.

htaccess file

At present it'south time to modify it to gear up the "Link you followed has expired error" on your WordPress site.

2.1) Increase Limit

The start thing you need to do is increase some PHP limits, so copy the following code:

php_value upload_max_filesize 100M
php_value post_max_size 100M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300

Keep in mind that you may need different values on your site, then adjust them appropriately.

2.2) Edit the File

At present let's paste these values in the .htaccess file. To edit the file, right-click on information technology and printing View/Edit.

edit file

FileZilla will open the file on the text editor y'all have installed. Then, paste the code we've just copied in the footer and save information technology.

htaccess file updated

After that, upload the file back to the server and press Yes in the pop-up.

upload file back to the server

That's it! By increasing the limits for data transfer and file uploading, you have fixed the "Link you followed has expired" issue.

3) PHP.Ini File

If you lot don't desire to edit your functions.php or .htaccess file, you can solve this error by increasing the limits via the php.ini file. You tin either edit the existing ane or create a brand new php.ini file.

Starting time, cheque your root binder to see if the php.ini file exists. If y'all already have it on your server, y'all tin edit it, otherwise, open upward any text editor and paste the code from below.

upload_max_filesize = 100M
post_max_size = 100M
max_execution_time = 300

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - php.ini file pasted

Afterwards that, save the file and phone call it php.ini .

Now that y'all take created a php.ini file, you need to upload information technology to your website'south root. To do this, you can utilize an FTP Client, via the cPanel's file manager, or using a dedicated file managing director plugin. For this demonstration, nosotros'll use an FTP Client.

Once you lot have established a connection between your server and the FTP client, open the public_html binder and upload the php.ini file you have just created.

upload php.ini file

That's it! You lot have successfully changed your server's default upload_max_size , post_max_size , and max_execution_time .

Please brand sure that the file proper name is right and that yous upload it to the correct destination, otherwise, information technology won't work.

4) Update the PHP Version

When you use an outdated PHP version, you can look the "Link you followed expired" mistake on your site. If WordPress is non compatible with your PHP version, you'll have a hard time running your website smoothly. WordPress recommends using PHP 7.iv or greater every bit well as MySQL 5.6 or MariaDB 10.ane for expert performance.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - wordpress minimum server requirements

If you lot are running an older PHP version, you should consider updating information technology. The good news is that most cPanel hosting providers and managed WordPress hosting providers include this feature. Then to update your PHP version, log in to your command panel and click PHP Configuration under Software.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - php configuration

There you will meet the version you're currently using and you can simply select the PHP version you desire from the dropdown. Then, printing Update to use information technology server-wide.

fix the link you followed has expired error in wordpress - update php

Within some seconds, your server volition be running on the selected PHP version.

Every bit you can see, changing the PHP version is straightforward but if y'all need help, yous tin can always contact your hosting'due south back up specialists.

Some hosting companies such every bit Kinsta and WP Engine include this feature in their account dashboards, so you lot tin modify your PHP version correct from there.

NOTE: Proceed in heed that some of your installed themes/plugins may not be compatible with the PHP version you plan to apply, so earlier updating the PHP version, run some compatibility tests using PHP Compatibility Checker to avoid other issues.

v) Contact Your Hosting Visitor

If none of the above solutions assistance y'all fix the "Link you followed has expired" error on your WordPress site, yous should contact your web hosting provider. Their back up team will help you solve the issue and adjust the server restrictions.

Terminal Recommendations

Keep The Values Low As Possible

Only modify the values if you lot demand to. For case, if yous have to upload a file that's larger than the limit, you will take to increment it. Nonetheless, you lot may desire to change it back to the previous levels after that.

WordPress is the most pop CMS and more than 30,000 sites get hacked every twenty-four hour period. Keeping these values high is risky because hackers can hands upload files of any size, execute them, and take control of your website. On top of that, the long execution time may bear upon your site's performance and bandwidth usage. And then to protect your website from hackers and keep information technology performance-optimized, y'all should go on a depression PHP execution time.

Modify the Kid Theme, Not the Parent

As mentioned above, nosotros don't recommend modifying your parent theme. Instead, you should customize the child theme. This is because if you edit the parent theme, every time yous update it, your existing files will be overridden so you will lose all the customizations. When yous use a child theme, however, the updates on the parent theme don't affect your modifications.

If yous don't know how to create a kid theme, have a look at this pace-by-stride guide.

Brand Sure You Take a Backup

Fixing the "Link you lot followed has expired" error involves editing your theme files, WordPress core files, or making changes to your PHP versions. To go on your information safe, you lot should create a full backup of your site and store it in a safer location (non on your server), and then if annihilation goes wrong, yous can restore your site.

Conclusion

All in all, if you lot upload large files via the admin console and your theme is incompatible with the PHP version, you may encounter issues.

In this guide, we've shown several ways to fix the "Link y'all followed has expired" error in WordPress:

  • Through the functions.php file
  • Via .htaccess file
  • Editing the PHP.ini file
  • Updating the PHP version
  • Contacting your hosting company

All these methods are simple and piece of cake to follow fifty-fifty if you lot are a beginner. If you don't want to use any third-party tools, you can edit the functions.php file either from the Theme Editor or with Code Snippets. Alternatively, if you don't want to add extra code to your site, follow the .htaccess method.

Alternatively, the php.ini method is also user-friendly and quick, whereas if you're experiencing compatibility problems with PHP, you should update to the latest PHP version for the best operation.

Finally, if you don't feel comfortable with any of those methods, contact your hosting company and enquire them to ready it for you lot.

If you liked this postal service, you may be interested in the following guides:

  • How to Fix Maximum Execution Fourth dimension Exceeded Error in WordPress
  • WordPress Update Failed Error: How to Prepare it

Which method did you lot use to fix the expired link issue? Practice you know of any other way? Let us know in the comments section below.