“Allowed memory size exhausted” is one of the more common WordPress errors, and it usually strikes when you install a heavier plugin or import a lot of content. The fix is to raise the PHP memory limit. There are three places you can do it — try them in this order.
Method 1: wp-config.php (easiest)
Open wp-config.php in cPanel’s File Manager and add this line just above the comment that says “That’s all, stop editing”:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');For most sites, 256M is plenty. This tells WordPress to request more memory from PHP.
Method 2: MultiPHP INI Editor (cPanel)
WordPress can only use as much memory as PHP allows. If Method 1 doesn’t stick, raise PHP’s own limit. In cPanel, open MultiPHP INI Editor, select your domain, and set memory_limit to 256M. Save, and the change applies to all PHP on that domain.
Method 3: .htaccess
As a fallback, add this to the .htaccess file in your site root:
php_value memory_limit 256MThis only works if your server allows PHP directives in .htaccess. If it triggers a 500 error, remove it and use Method 2 instead.
How much is enough?
Most WordPress sites run comfortably on 128M. Bump to 256M for sites with WooCommerce, page builders or lots of plugins. Going above 512M is rarely necessary — if you genuinely need that much, something is likely misbehaving and worth investigating rather than papering over with more memory.
Confirming the change
Install a lightweight “Site Health” check or add a temporary page that runs phpinfo(); to confirm the new limit is active. WordPress also shows the server memory limit under Tools → Site Health → Info → Server.
If none of these methods raise the limit, your plan’s PHP settings may be capped — a quick ticket to us and we’ll lift it on the server side.
