How to increase the php memory limit on a web hosting server

A PHP memory limit is the maximum amount of memory that a PHP script can use.

If a script tries to use more memory than the limit, it will be killed, and an error message will be displayed.

Increasing the PHP memory limit can be a helpful solution if you are encountering errors due to memory usage.

In some cases, this can cause problems with your website.

To resolve the problems and increase the memory limit, you can contact your hosting provider for assistance, or you can increase the limit yourself if you have the technical know-how.

1. Contacting your hosting provider

If you are experiencing problems with your WordPress website due to the PHP memory limit, you can contact your hosting provider to request an increase.

To do this, you will need to find their contact information, which is usually located on their website or in your hosting account dashboard.

Once you have contacted them, you will need to explain the problem you are experiencing and request an increase in the PHP memory limit.

They will then be able to help you increase the memory limit and troubleshoot any other issues you may be experiencing.

A sample contact email or message includes…

Dear [Hosting Provider Name],

I am writing to request an increase in the PHP memory limit for my hosting account.

I am currently experiencing [errors or problems] with my WordPress website due to the PHP memory limit being too low. I would appreciate it if you could increase the PHP memory limit to [desired amount].

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

2. Editing the php.ini file

The php.ini file is the main configuration file for PHP.

It is located on your server in the /etc/php directory.

To edit the php.ini file, you will need to use a text editor.

Once you have opened the file, search for the memory_limit directive.

The default value for this directive is 128M. You can increase this value to whatever you need.

For example, to increase the memory limit to 256M, you would change the following line:

memory_limit = 128M

To:

memory_limit = 256M

Save the php.ini file and restart your web server.

The new memory limit will take effect the next time a PHP script is run.

3. Using a .htaccess file

A .htaccess file is a configuration file that can be used to override certain settings for a specific directory or file.

You can use a .htaccess file to increase the PHP memory limit for a specific directory or file.

To create a .htaccess file, open a text editor and create a new file. Save the file as .htaccess in the directory that you want to increase the memory limit for.

Once you have created the .htaccess file, add the following line to the file:

php_value memory_limit 256M

This line will increase the memory limit to 256M for all PHP scripts that are run in the directory that the .htaccess file is located in.

Save the .htaccess file and restart your web server.

The new memory limit will take effect the next time a PHP script is run in the directory.

4. Command-line tool

If you have access to a command-line tool, you can use the php command to increase the PHP memory limit.

For example, to increase the memory limit to 256M, you would run the following command:

php -d memory_limit=256M index.php