---
c: Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.
SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
Title: CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE
Section: 3
Source: libcurl
See-also:
  - CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE_LARGE (3)
  - CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE (3)
Protocol:
  - All
Added-in: 7.10.8
---

# NAME

CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE - maximum file size allowed to download

# SYNOPSIS

~~~c
#include <curl/curl.h>

CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE, long size);
~~~

# DESCRIPTION

Pass a long as parameter. This specifies the maximum accepted *size* (in
bytes) of a file to download. If the file requested is found larger than this
value, the transfer is aborted and *CURLE_FILESIZE_EXCEEDED* is returned.
Passing a zero *size* disables this, and passing a negative *size* yields a
*CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT*.

The file size is not always known prior to the download start, and for such
transfers this option has no effect - even if the file transfer eventually
ends up being larger than this given limit.

If you want a limit above 2GB, use CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE_LARGE(3).

Since 8.4.0, this option also stops ongoing transfers if they reach this
threshold.

Since 8.20.0, this option also stops ongoing transfers that would reach this
threshold due to automatic decompression using CURLOPT_ACCEPT_ENCODING(3).

# DEFAULT

0, meaning disabled.

# %PROTOCOLS%

# EXAMPLE

~~~c
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/");
    /* refuse to download if larger than 1000 bytes */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE, 1000L);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}
~~~

# %AVAILABILITY%

# RETURN VALUE

curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see
libcurl-errors(3).