I keep getting an error when I try to insert a large number into my MySQL database. The number I want to store is 98765432109876 and I set my column type to INT(20) but MySQL still throws an ‘out of range’ error message.
I thought making the display width bigger would solve this but it doesn’t seem to work. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong here. The value should fit based on what I specified for the column size.
Can someone explain why this is happening and how to fix it? I really need to store these big numbers in my table. Any help would be great because I’m stuck on this issue.
This is a common issue encountered with MySQL data types. The number specified in parentheses for INT does not define its range; rather, it refers only to display width. The regular INT type can store values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647, which is insufficient for your number, 98765432109876. To resolve this issue, change the column type to BIGINT, which accommodates much larger values, up to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. I faced a similar challenge previously when dealing with large identifiers in my database.
You’ve got a common misconception about MySQL INT types. Those parentheses after INT don’t increase storage capacity - they only control display formatting with ZEROFILL. INT always uses 32 bits no matter what number you put in parentheses, so you’re still capped at ~2.1 billion max.
For 98765432109876, you need BIGINT (64-bit storage). I hit this same wall years back with large transaction IDs - kept wondering why my “clever” INT(15) wouldn’t work. Switched to BIGINT and problem solved.
Just run: ALTER TABLE your_table MODIFY your_column BIGINT
I experienced a similar situation when handling large data entries. It’s important to note that the number in parentheses for INT doesn’t affect the actual storage capacity; INT is fixed at 4 bytes and can only store values between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647. Therefore, for much larger values like 98765432109876, you will need to use BIGINT, which allocates 8 bytes and can handle values up to approximately 9.2 quintillion. If negative values are unnecessary, consider using BIGINT UNSIGNED for an even greater positive range.
yeah, that INT(20) trips up tons of people - the 20 doesn’t let you store bigger numbers. Your value’s way too big for regular INT, which caps at around 2 billion. you need BIGINT for numbers that huge.