Configure PHP
InstaWP lets you change your WordPress site's PHP version and PHP settings from the dashboard. Use it to raise the memory limit for a heavy plugin, allow larger file uploads, give long-running scripts more time, or switch to a newer PHP version.
Let's get started 🚀
Open PHP Config
- Go to the Sites page and click the name of the site you want to configure.
- In the site menu on the left, expand Developer Tools and click PHP Config.
The PHP configurations page opens. The badge next to the title tells you where the values on screen came from:
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Live from server | The values were read from your site's server just now, so they match what the site is actually running. |
| Last saved values | The server couldn't be reached, so the page shows the values InstaWP last saved for the site. |
Change the PHP version
Open the PHP Version dropdown and pick the version you want, then click Save.
📌 Note: The PHP versions offered here depend on the WordPress version InstaWP has on record for the site. If a version you expect is missing, refresh the site's WordPress version and check again.
Change PHP settings
Edit the values you need, then click Save at the bottom of the card. Hover the ⓘ icon next to any setting to see what it does.
| Setting | What it does | Allowed range |
|---|---|---|
| max_execution_time (seconds) | Maximum time a script can run before it times out. | 30 to 300 |
| max_input_time (seconds) | Maximum time PHP waits for input data (POST, GET and file uploads). | 60 to 120 |
| max_input_vars | Maximum number of input variables allowed in a single request. Raise it if large menus or settings pages don't save completely. | 1000 to 10000 |
| memory_limit (MB) | Maximum memory a single script can use. | 64 to 1024 |
| allow_url_fopen | Allows PHP to open remote files and URLs with fopen(). Toggle it on or off. | On or Off |
| post_max_size (MB) | Maximum size of the whole body of a POST request. Keep it equal to or larger than upload_max_filesize. | 64 to 512 |
| upload_max_filesize (MB) | Maximum size of a single uploaded file. | 64 to 512 |
| session.gc_maxlifetime (seconds) | How long session data is kept before it is cleaned up. | 1440 to 14400 |
| output_buffering (bytes) | Size of the output buffer PHP fills before sending data to the browser. | 0 to 10000 |
If you enter a value outside the allowed range, the change isn't saved and InstaWP shows an error. Adjust the value and click Save again.
Settings managed by your plan
Some plans set a PHP value above the range you can choose yourself, for example a higher memory limit. Those settings show a Managed by your plan label and can't be edited. Hover the label to see the value your plan applies.
📌 Note: PHP workers are set by your site's plan, so they don't appear on this page. To get more PHP workers, upgrade the site to a higher plan.
Plan requirement
PHP Config is available on the Sandbox plan and higher. On a site without one of these plans, the page is locked and shows an upgrade prompt instead.
| 💡 Did you know: You can save PHP settings in a Configuration so new sites are created with them automatically. Learn about Configurations.
Related Articles
- Configure CDN - Speed up your site with InstaCDN
- Speed up your WordPress site with Object Cache - Improve performance
- Increase Memory Limit - Raise the memory limit
- Customize Configuration - Set PHP in a configuration
- Update the WordPress Version of a Site - Update WordPress core and refresh the recorded version