Fatal Error: Allowed Memory Size Exhausted

Albert · August 2015

If on some hosts you’ll notice a ‘Fatal Error : Memory Size Exhausted’ when you install a lot of plugins, upgrade to the latest WordPress version or even you’ll find an error in your Dashboard widget which prevents them from loading fully. In such a case you would need to follow these 5 tips to increase your host’s PHP Memory Limit, these were provided by Dailybloging.org

Tip 1: Increase the limit via PHP.ini file – You can directly increase the PHP Memory Limit if you’ve access to the PHP.ini file. Most small Shared hosting servers won’t give you access to the PHP.ini file. But some servers allow you to create a duplicate PHP.ini in your respective site Directories whose data/values will override the default PHP.ini values. To do that you just need to create a file with the name ‘php.ini’ in the directory where your WordPress site is installed. In that just add the command memory_limit = 128M in it to increase the Memory Limit to 128 MB.

Tip 2: Changing the Memory Limit via wp-config.php – If you don’t want to mess with the PHP.ini file, then you can go for this method. In this you won’t be needing to create any extra file in your Directory. Just Adding define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘128M’); in your ‘wp-config.php’ file would increase your PHP Memory Limit to 128 MB.

Tip 3: Modifying the .htaccess file to Increase Memory Limit – A Default WordPress Installation won’t have a .htaccess file. But in case you already have it for some purposes like ‘301 Redirection’, just add the command php_value memory_limit 128M in your ‘.htaccess’ file and your memory limit will increase to 128 MB.

Tip 4: Changing the Memory Limit via wp-config.php – This method is just an Alternate to the php.ini method. Because the function of the code we use in this method is same as what we put in the php.ini file.You just need to place the code ini_set(‘memory_limit’,’128M’); in the ‘wp-config.php’ file which is placed in the root folder of your WordPress installation.

Tip 5: Have a talk with your Host – If you are a person who is new to all these techie sounding things then it’s better to have a Live Chat / a Call with your Host right away. It’s your right to talk to them & get the necessary changes you need as you’ve paid for it.