# Php.ini: Edit PHP configurations on a cloud server with Linux

PHP configurations can be changed using the **“php.ini” file**. Php.ini is the main **configuration file** in for the [open-source](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/know-how/what-is-open-source/ "What is open source?") scripting language PHP.

## Requirements

1. Cloud Server with Linux (any distribution)

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### Tip

You can find the right **[cloud server](https://www.ionos.com/cloud/cloud-servers "IONOS Cloud Server hosting")** on IONOS.

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## View the server’s PHP configurations

To view the current PHP configurations for your server, create a file named *phpinfo.php* in your website’s main directory:

```none
sudo nano /var/www/html phpinfo.php
```

Then put the following content into this file:

```none
<?php phpinfo() ?>
```

Save and exit the file, then view it in a [browser](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/websites/web-development/what-is-a-browser/ "What is a browser?") (“*http://example.com/phpinfo.php”*).

For security reasons, it is best to **delete** this file after you are finished.

## How to find the php.ini file

When PHP starts up, it will search several possible locations on the server for a php.ini file. The **default location** for the php.ini file is:

- **Ubuntu 16.04:** /etc/php/7.0/apache2
- **CentOS 7:** /etc/php.ini

You can also create a **new php.ini** file with only the PHP configurations you need to change and place it in the same directory as the PHP script. This will **override** the configurations in the default php.ini file.

However, this will only be effective for scripts in the same directory as the php.ini file. It will not affect subdirectories. You will need to copy the new php.ini file to each working directory.

## How to edit the php.ini file

To open the default php.ini file for editing, use one of the following commands (depending on which Linux distribution you’re using):

- **Ubuntu 16.04:** sudo nano /etc/php/7.0/apache2
- **CentOS 7:** sudo nano /etc/php.ini

Make the required changes. Each line that begins with a semicolon is “**commented out**” which means that PHP will ignore that line. If you want to enable an option that has been disabled this way, delete the semicolon at the beginning of the line to enable it.

Save and exit the file. Then **restart the web server** in order for the changes to take effect:

- **Ubuntu/Debian:** sudo systemctl restart apache2
- **CentOS:** sudo systemctl restart httpd


This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/websites/web-development/edit-the-php-configurations-on-a-cloud-server-with-linux/](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/websites/web-development/edit-the-php-configurations-on-a-cloud-server-with-linux/) for AI/LLM consumption.