Allow URL Include

If your PHP script requires remote file inclusion, you may need to adjust your server settings to allow this functionality. The allow_url_include directive controls whether remote URLs can be included in PHP files, and while it is disabled by default for security reasons, you can manually enable it when necessary—especially for older scripts that depend on this feature.

The newer versions of PHP have included a new directive to control and handle remote includes. We disable this option by default, which may affect some of your PHP scripts.

Important Note: Allow_url_include is deprecated and not recommended to be enabled for sites running in PHP version 7.4. To know more about the details, please visit PHP's site for their documentation: PHP RFC: Deprecations for PHP 7.4 and Deprecated Features.

How to enable Allow_url_include

In your php.ini, put the following line:

          
            allow_url_include = 1

This enables remote includes.

This requires allow_url_fopen =1 as well, so you may want to search through your php.ini and make sure that it is enabled. You will also need to copy your php.ini into the directory on your server where the script is calling this directory. For example, if you have a script in public_html/blog/ that needs this setting, then copy the php.ini into public_html/blog.

Summary

Enabling allow_url_include lets PHP run scripts that rely on remote file inclusion, but it must be used with caution and only when absolutely necessary. By updating your php.ini file, ensuring that allow_url_fopen is enabled, and placing the configuration file in the correct directory, you can activate this deprecated setting for scripts that still require it.

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You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.

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