Wednesday, August 13, 2025

How to Fix "The Link You Followed Has Expired" Error in WordPress

 








🧠 Introduction:

You’ve tried uploading a plugin or theme through the WordPress dashboard, and suddenly you see this message:

“The link you followed has expired.”

This error doesn’t say much, but it's usually related to PHP configuration limits on your server — like max upload size, memory limit, or execution time.

Let’s walk through how to fix it.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

✅ Step 1: Understand the Root Cause

This error usually occurs when:

  • You're trying to upload large themes or plugins.

  • Your server has low PHP limits for upload, memory, or execution time.

✅ Step 2: Increase PHP Limits

You can change these settings using one of the following methods:

📝 Option A: Edit .htaccess File

  1. Go to your website root directory via FTP or cPanel.

  2. Open the .htaccess file.

  3. Add this code at the bottom:

apache

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

⚠️ Make sure your hosting supports .htaccess modifications.

📝 Option B: Edit php.ini File (If available)

  1. Locate the php.ini file in your server root.

  2. Add or modify the following:

ini

upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
max_execution_time = 300

📝 Option C: Edit wp-config.php

As a last resort, you can try:

php

@ini_set( 'upload_max_size' , '64M' );
@ini_set( 'post_max_size', '64M');
@ini_set( 'max_execution_time', '300' );

✅ Step 3: Restart Services or Contact Hosting

After changes:

  • Restart your hosting service (or wait a few minutes).

  • If on shared hosting, contact your provider to make these changes for you.

✅ Step 4: Try Uploading Again

Now go to:

Dashboard → Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme

Or for plugins:

Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin

You should now be able to upload large files without error.

🔒 Pro Tip: Use FTP for Large Files

If the upload still fails:

  • Use FileZilla or any FTP client.

  • Upload your plugin/theme directly to:

    • /wp-content/themes/ for themes

    • /wp-content/plugins/ for plugins

  • Then activate it from the WordPress dashboard.