How to enable and disable the expose_php directive

This article describes how to enable and disable the expose_php directive in a custom php.ini file.

The information in this article only applies to certain types of hosting accounts. To determine whether or not the information below applies to your account, please see this article.

This article assumes that you have already set up a custom php.ini file on your web site. If you have not already set up a custom php.ini file, please read this article first.

Using the expose_php directive

When the expose_php directive is enabled, PHP includes the following line in the HTTP response header when a PHP page is requested (the exact version number may differ depending on your configuration):

X-Powered-By: PHP/5.3.27

By default, the expose_php directive is enabled. However, you may not want to broadcast the specific PHP version your site is using. Similarly, some third-party applications require the expose_php directive to be disabled.

To disable the expose_php directive, use a text editor to modify your php.ini file as follows :

expose_php = off

With the expose_php directive disabled, PHP will not send the X-Powered-By header. To re-enable the expose_php directive and send the X-Powered-By header, modify your php.ini file as follows:

expose_php = on
To verify the current value of the expose_php directive and other directives, you can use the phpinfo() function. For more information, please see this article.

More Information

Article Details

  • Level: Intermediate

Other Articles in This Category

Show More

Related Articles

Show More

Did you find this article helpful? Then you'll love our support. Experience the A2 Hosting difference today and get a pre-secured, pre-optimized website. Check out our web hosting plans today.

We use cookies to personalize the website for you and to analyze the use of our website. You consent to this by clicking on "I consent" or by continuing your use of this website. Further information about cookies can be found in our Privacy Policy.