Fix WHMCS Site error: The ionCube PHP Loader Needs To Be Installed

A common yet frustrating error in WHMCS is the ionCube PHP Loader:

Site error: the ionCube PHP Loader needs to be installed. This is a widely used PHP extension for running ionCube protected PHP code, website security and malware blocking. Please visit get-loader.ioncube.com for install assistance

There are a few ways to resolve this issue quickly. Below we’ll cover how to fix the WHMCS error on each hosting plan and troubleshoot your PHP configuration afterwards.

Fix WHMCS ionCube PHP Loader Error

1. Log into cPanel File Manager, FTP, or SSH.
2. Create a phpinfo page and view it to ensure ionCube PHP Loader is installed on your web server. It is already installed on shared hosting and older VPS hosting (that came with PHP 5) plans. If it is installed, continue to the next step. If it is not installed, notify Live Support to request a free installation.
3. Navigate to the “public_html” directory in the cPanel account. If using a non-cPanel server, navigate to the root public directory, usually “/var/www/.”
4. Rename the php.ini file to something you’ll remember (e.g. “.php.ini” or “archive-php.ini”).
5. Check your WHMCS website. You should have access again.

At some point you should troubleshoot the former php.ini file to determine what exactly is causing the error. There are two easy ways to do this:

1. Revert any changes made in cPanel MultiPHP INI Editor. Any changes made will result in a new php.ini file being created. It will not overwrite the older file if it was renamed.

2. Rename the file to “php.ini.” Then comment out every line in the file by adding semicolons (;) to the beginning of each line, save changes, check the site, and repeat the process by uncommenting one line at a time.

Feel free to contact Live Support for further assistance. Learn more about WHMCS in our Reseller Hosting Product Guide.