Changes to my php.ini file kept getting overwritten, until I found where the real file was being loaded from! Here’s how to update php.ini for MAMP PRO.
Usually, updating PHP configuration variables is as easy as one, two, three:
- Identifying where the Configuration File (php.ini) was being loaded from – usually by running a PHP script which contained the phpinfo() function.
- Opening that file in my favorite text editor, editing as required, and saving changes.
- Restarting PHP servers via MAMP PRO console.
I was recently setting up a new Mac Mini for my home work station, but for whatever reason, following those steps wasn’t working. Specifically, I was trying to change the upload_max_filesize PHP configuration variable in my MAMP PRO (3.3) installation on Mac OS X Yosemite (10.10.2).
I kept trying to change the Configuration File (php.ini) indicated via phpinfo() (/Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.6.10/conf/php.ini), but changes to this file were getting overwritten every time I restarted the servers. After a bit of poking around, I discovered that MAMP PRO was actually copying a template file for the PHP configuration on start-up, which would clobber the file I’d been changing.
Turns out here’s the path that’s actually used for the php.ini file:
[syntax type=”html|php|js|css”]/Applications/MAMP\ PRO/MAMP\ PRO.app/Contents/Resources/php5.6.10.ini[/syntax]
I used “php5.6.10.ini” as the file name because my MAMP PRO was loading up that version of PHP – there’s a long list of .ini files in the /Resources directory, though, so pick the one that corresponds to the version of PHP you’re running. Edit, save, and restart servers, and you should be all set!