---
title: "Editing your main php.ini on VPS and Dedicated accounts"
description: "All servers have a main php.ini file. This is a file that allows you to control the php settings. The main php.ini file controls the settings for the entire server. By placing a php.ini file within a..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/website/edit-main-phpini/
date: 2013-10-02
modified: 2021-08-16
author: "Scott Mitchell"
categories: ["Website"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Editing your main php.ini on VPS and Dedicated accounts

All servers have a main *php.ini* file. This is a file that allows you to control the php settings. The main php.ini file controls the settings for the entire server. By placing a *php.ini* file within a folder, it will override the main server php.ini and allow you to customize settings for the files and folders under it.

Most of the time, [editing a *php.ini*](/support/website/update-local-php-settings/) file at a more local level is sufficient, however there are times when you may want to alter the main php.in file to provide the setting change as a default to the entire server. This can only be done with the root access on [VPS](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/vps-hosting) and [dedicated servers](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/dedicated-servers). The instructions below walk you through how to do that.

## How to change your main *php.ini* file on VPS and Dedicated servers

1. Log into your server via SSH.
2. Use the following command to open the file for editing. nano /usr/local/lib/php.ini
3. [![Search for desired setting](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_1-search-for-settings.png)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_1-search-for-settings.png) Activate the *Find* feature by pressing **crtl+W** and then entering desired setting. The interface will scroll to that setting. In our case, we searched for *post_max_size*.
4. [![After the setting is changed](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_2-setting-changed.png)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_2-setting-changed.png) Alter the setting to your desired configuration. We changed the **post_max_size** setting to 16M.
5. [![Name file during save.](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_3-name-file.png)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/edu_server_php-ini_edit-main-php-ini_3-name-file.png) Save the changes by pressing **crtl+O**. You will be prompted for a filename, press **Enter** to keep the same name.
6. Exit the editor by pressing **ctrl+X**.
7. Exit your SSH Client.

Now that your *php.ini* settings have been saved, they will begin to work for your server.

**Note:** Those on FastCGI or DSO servers will need to restart Apache for the changes to take place.