How to Change PHP Settings and Limits in cPanel

If an upload fails, a script times out, or you see a “memory exhausted” error, the cause is almost always a PHP limit that’s set too low for what your site is trying to do. These limits are safety caps that control how much memory a script can use, how large a file it can accept, and how long it’s allowed to run. On every JetHost WordPress hosting plan you can adjust them yourself in cPanel in a couple of minutes – no support request needed. This guide shows where they are and what each one does.

What PHP limits are – and why they exist

Every PHP script runs inside a set of boundaries defined in a configuration file (php.ini). They exist to keep one site from using up all the server’s resources – a runaway script that never stopped, or an unlimited upload, would slow down everyone on the server. The defaults suit most sites, but larger WordPress setups, page builders, big media uploads, and imports often need more headroom. Raising a limit is safe as long as you only lift it as far as the task genuinely needs.

The settings you’ll most often change

• memory_limit – the most memory a single script may use. Raise it if you see “Allowed memory size exhausted”. 256M covers most WordPress sites.
• upload_max_filesize – the largest single file you can upload. Raise it if a theme, plugin, or media file is “too large”.
• post_max_size – the total size of all data sent in one request. Keep it equal to or larger than upload_max_filesize, or uploads still fail.
• max_execution_time – how many seconds a script may run before it’s stopped. Raise it for long imports or backups that cut off halfway.
• max_input_vars – how many fields a form or settings page can send. Large menus or WooCommerce settings sometimes need this raised.

Change a limit in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel and scroll to the Software section.
2. Click Select PHP Version.
3. Open the Options tab. You’ll see a list of all the editable directives with their current values.
4. Find the setting you want – for example memory_limit – and choose a new value from its drop-down.
5. The change saves automatically; a confirmation appears next to the field.

Changes apply to the PHP version that domain is set to use. If you run different PHP versions per domain, set the limits on the version each site actually runs.

A note for WordPress sites

WordPress reads these server limits directly, so adjusting them in cPanel is the cleanest fix – it avoids editing wp-config.php or .htaccess by hand. After changing a value, check it under Tools → Site Health → Info → Server, where WordPress reports the memory limit and upload size it currently sees. If a plugin still reports the old value, clear any caching and reload.

Need more help?

Changed a limit and the error is still there? Open a ticket through Client Area → Support Tickets with the exact error message and our team will help you find the right value.