Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm · error · Error

Error uploading pfp.

Error message

Error uploading pfp.

What it means

Thrown by uploadPfp in the AnythingLLM frontend when POST /api/system/upload-pfp (multipart FormData with the image) responds non-2xx; the message is fixed and hides the actual status. baseHeaders() only adds Authorization/X-Timezone/X-Language, so the browser still sets the multipart boundary correctly — a non-2xx here is a server-side rejection (auth, validation, or storage failure), not a header problem.

Solutions

1. Re-upload a standard PNG or JPEG within the size limit.
2. Confirm you are still logged in (token present in localStorage so Authorization is sent).
3. On self-hosted: verify the server's storage output folder is writable by the app user; check server logs for the 500.
4. Check the Network tab status code to distinguish 401 (auth), 413 (size), and 500 (storage).

Example fix

// before — post whatever the file input produced
const { success, error } = await System.uploadPfp(formData);

// after — validate the file before building FormData
if (!file.type.startsWith('image/')) return showError('Choose an image file');
if (file.size > MAX_AVATAR_BYTES) return showError('Image is too large');
const { success, error } = await System.uploadPfp(formData);

// run before System.uploadPfp
const MAX_BYTES = 5 * 1024 * 1024;
if (!(file instanceof File) || !file.type.startsWith('image/')) {
  throw new Error('Choose a PNG or JPEG image');
}
if (file.size > MAX_BYTES) throw new Error('Image exceeds the size limit');

/** @param {any} f @returns {f is File} */
function isImageFile(f) {
  return f instanceof File && f.type.startsWith('image/') && f.size > 0;
}

const { success, error } = await System.uploadPfp(formData);
if (!success) {
  showUploadError(error); // 'Error uploading pfp.' — check Network tab for the real status
  return;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Uploading a non-image or an image the server rejects; a file over the server's size limit (413); no auth token in localStorage so the Authorization header is null (401); the server's storage output folder not writable, making the write fail (500).

Common situations: Docker installs where the storage volume is read-only or owned by another user; dragging a HEIC/AVIF file the processor cannot handle; session expired after a long idle before saving the profile.

Related errors

• Error uploading logo.
• Could not validate login.
• data.message || "Could not update slash command preset."
• data.message || "Error creating slash command preset."
• Error downloading model

AI-assisted analysis of Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm@20f6d3546c (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fd45c8e782585752. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at frontend/src/models/system.js:310

    return await fetch(`${API_BASE}/system/remove-folder`, {
      method: "DELETE",
      headers: baseHeaders(),
      body: JSON.stringify({ name }),
    })
      .then((res) => res.ok)
      .catch((e) => {
        console.error(e);
        return false;
      });
  },
  uploadPfp: async function (formData) {
    return await fetch(`${API_BASE}/system/upload-pfp`, {
      method: "POST",
      body: formData,
      headers: baseHeaders(),
    })
      .then((res) => {
        if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Error uploading pfp.");
        return { success: true, error: null };
      })
      .catch((e) => {
        console.log(e);
        return { success: false, error: e.message };
      });
  },
  uploadLogo: async function (formData) {
    return await fetch(`${API_BASE}/system/upload-logo`, {
      method: "POST",
      body: formData,
      headers: baseHeaders(),
    })
      .then((res) => {
        if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Error uploading logo.");
        return { success: true, error: null };
      })
      .catch((e) => {

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