Why the 20 MB limit applies
Alva Courses stores a file you drop into a lesson block in your store's Shopify Files, with a limit of 20 MB per image or document. It checks the size before uploading and refuses a larger file straight away, so nothing is uploaded or added to the lesson.
The limit covers the PDF, Audio, EPUB, MS Office, File and Image blocks, and a course's Course Image. The upload area says so, for example Accepts PDF files up to 20MB (.pdf) or Accepts any file type up to 20MB.
The error message
In a lesson block, the message appears in a banner at the top of the block as soon as you drop the file.
- File size exceeds the FILE limit of 20MB appears for any file over 20,000,000 bytes. The Image block and Course Image say IMAGE instead of FILE.
Fix it step by step
1. Check the file's exact size
Check the size in bytes, not the rounded figure: use Get Info on a Mac or Properties on Windows. Alva Courses accepts up to 20,000,000 bytes, which is what the 20MB in the message means. Windows counts a megabyte as 1,048,576 bytes, so a file it lists as 19.5 MB is already too large, while one it lists as 19 MB or less fits.
2. Put videos in a Video block
A video added to a File block counts against the 20 MB limit. Use a Video block instead: Shopify accepts videos of up to 1 GB and 10 minutes there, and on Unlimited Pro the block also offers Alva Video Hosting. See Shopify video limits explained.
3. Compress or split the file
Export a PDF again with smaller or lower-quality images, save audio as an MP3 at a lower bitrate, and resize large photos. If the file is still too big, split it into parts and add each part in its own block.
4. Use Alva File Storage on Unlimited Pro
On Unlimited Pro, each file block has two tabs: Shopify Files, which keeps the 20 MB limit, and Alva File Storage. Click Alva File Storage, then Upload new file or Choose from library. It takes files of up to 500 MB, as long as you have storage left. Office files stored there are offered as a download, not shown inline.
You can also upload from Files in the app menu. If the tabs are missing after you upgrade, see Video hosting is still locked after upgrading: file storage unlocks the same way.
5. Link to a copy hosted elsewhere
On Unlimited, or for a file over 500 MB, upload the file to another service and link to it. Every file block has a link field under its upload area, such as Or paste PDF URL or Or paste a file URL. Paste a direct link to the file, not to a sharing page. The EPUB reader opens only books in Shopify Files or Alva File Storage, so link to a larger EPUB from a Button block.
Or add a Button block that opens the link in a new tab: see Add a Button or HTML block. Either way the link is public, so anyone who has it can open the file. Save and preview the lesson to check that the file opens.
If Alva File Storage refuses the file
Alva File Storage has its own limits, shown in its uploader.
- This file is larger than the 500 MB limit for Alva File Storage. Compress or split the file, or link to it as in step 5.
- There is not enough available file storage for a new upload., or a message that the file is larger than the storage you have left: delete files you no longer use from the Files page. Unfinished uploads and recently deleted files hold space for a while.
Other upload limits
Some other uploads in Alva Courses have smaller limits. For example, a certificate's Background Image takes up to 5 MB, and a CSV in Members → Bulk Import CSV up to 10 MB.
What learners see
Learners never see a refused upload, because nothing is added to the lesson. Files in Alva File Storage reach enrolled students through links that expire; a pasted link opens the file from wherever you host it.
Still stuck?
Email courses@alvaapps.com with your store's myshopify.com address, the block or page you were using, the file's type and exact size in bytes, and the exact message you see. A screenshot helps.
Common questions
Why is a file under 20 MB refused?
Alva Courses measures the limit as 20,000,000 bytes, which is what the 20MB in the message means. Windows counts a megabyte as 1,048,576 bytes, so a file it shows as 19.5 MB is already over the limit, while one it shows as 19 MB or less fits.
Does Unlimited Pro remove the 20 MB limit?
Not on the Shopify Files tab, which keeps its 20 MB limit on every plan. Unlimited Pro adds an Alva File Storage tab to each file block, which takes files of up to 500 MB each.
Can I use Alva File Storage on the Unlimited plan?
No. The Alva File Storage tab and the Files menu item appear only with an active Unlimited Pro plan. On Unlimited, compress or split the file, or link to a copy hosted elsewhere.
Is a pasted link as private as an uploaded file?
No. Anyone who has a pasted link can open the file, enrolled or not. Shopify Files links are public too; only Alva File Storage delivers files through links that expire.
See also
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Last updated 2026-10-12