Custom PHP Settings Pro

Custom PHP Settings Pro gives WordPress administrators a dashboard for reviewing and changing supported PHP directives. To apply edits, enable the option to update the configuration file when saving. PHP’s execution mode determines which file receives the options.

Choose the file for your PHP mode

• Apache module: The extension writes settings to .htaccess. The file must exist and be writable by the webserver.
• CGI or FastCGI: The plugin uses the custom INI filename set by PHP’s user_ini.filename setting, commonly .visitor.ini. The PHP Information table shows the configured filename. Place the file in the website root where required and make it writable by the webserver.

PHP’s user_ini.cache_ttl setting controls how long a custom INI file may stay cached before PHP reloads it. A value of 300 can delay changes for up to five minutes. Configure the webserver to block direct access to .user.ini.

Review available settings

The settings table lists non-system PHP directives that the plugin can customize. Changed values appear in red, including values changed elsewhere through a custom php.ini, WordPress, or another plugin. For example, enabling WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php can affect the displayed error_reporting value. Directives marked PHP_INI_SYSTEM cannot be changed through the plugin.

Save and switch configurations

The Pro edition lets you create named configurations, each with its own PHP settings. Select a saved configuration to apply its values to the relevant configuration file. It also supports custom environment variables when PHP runs as an Apache module and the plugin uses .htaccess. Apache’s mod_env module must be enabled, and the variables are then available through the $_SERVER superglobal.

Check effects before applying changes

PHP directives can affect site behavior. An unsuitable variables_order value such as EPCS prevents PHP from creating $_GET; a very low post_max_size can stop form data from reaching the server. Review what each directive controls before saving a change.

If a setting makes the site inaccessible, remove the plugin’s entries from the relevant file. In .htaccess, remove the content between # BEGIN CUSTOM PHP SETTINGS PRO and # END CUSTOM PHP SETTINGS PRO. In .user.ini, remove the content between ; BEGIN CUSTOM PHP SETTINGS and ; END CUSTOM PHP SETTINGS.

Install and apply settings

Install and activate Custom PHP Settings Pro, then open its settings page and review the available PHP settings. Confirm that the relevant configuration file is writable by the webserver, pick the values you need, and enable the option to update the configuration file. Check the result after PHP reloads the settings; a custom INI file may remain cached for the period set by user_ini.cache_ttl.