Many errors such as "upload exceeds the maximum size" or "requires the intl extension" are fixed in seconds with CloudLinux PHP Selector. It lets you switch individual PHP extensions on or off and change common PHP settings for your account, without editing php.ini files.
Before you start
- cPanel access.
- A numbered PHP version selected, such as 8.2 (extensions cannot be changed on native). See changing the PHP version.
Enable or disable extensions
- Go to cPanel → Software → Select PHP Version.
- Open the Extensions tab (on some versions the list is directly below the version drop-down).
- Tick the extensions you need, for example
imagick,intl,zip,soap,redisorioncube_loader. - Untick extensions you do not use. Fewer extensions mean slightly less memory per request.
- Changes save automatically; a confirmation appears at the top of the page.
Tip: Click Reset to default to return to the server's recommended extension set if something goes wrong.
Change PHP options
- In Select PHP Version, click the Options tab.
- Click a value to change it, then click outside or press Enter to save.
| Option | What it controls | Typical WordPress value |
|---|---|---|
memory_limit | Maximum memory one PHP request may use | 256M–512M |
upload_max_filesize | Largest single file you can upload | 64M–256M |
post_max_size | Largest form submission; must be at least upload_max_filesize | 64M–256M |
max_execution_time | Seconds a script may run | 120–300 |
max_input_vars | Number of form fields accepted; menus and page builders need more | 3000–5000 |
display_errors | Show errors on the page | Off on live sites |
Note: The account's CloudLinux memory limit is still in force. Setting memory_limit higher than the account's physical memory limit does not give you more memory; requests fail at the LVE limit instead.
Check that the change worked
Create a file named info.php in public_html with the line below, open it in your browser, check the values, then delete it.
<?php phpinfo();In WordPress you can also check Tools → Site Health → Info → Server.
Troubleshooting
Changes have no effect
A php.ini, .user.ini or php_value line in .htaccess may override the selector. Remove old overrides, or use the selector only.
An extension is missing from the list
Not every extension is compiled for every version. Try another PHP version or ask support.
"Allowed memory size exhausted"
Raise memory_limit as above. More causes are in fixing memory size exhausted errors and increasing WordPress PHP limits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to restart anything?
No. New requests pick up the new settings within a few seconds.
Are settings shared between PHP versions?
No. Each version has its own extensions and options. After switching version, check the Options tab again.
Which extensions does WordPress need?
WordPress recommends curl, dom, exif, fileinfo, hash, imagick, intl, json, mbstring, mysqli, openssl, pcre, xml and zip. Most are enabled by default.
Can I set options that are not in the list?
Only the options shown are editable in the selector. For others, ask support whether they can be added.