# Default short\_open\_tag = Off in php.ini settings on site creation

**URL:** <https://community.localwp.com/t/default-short-open-tag-off-in-php-ini-settings-on-site-creation/52511>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** php-configuration\
**Created:** [August 29, 2026, 8:10am UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/default-short-open-tag-off-in-php-ini-settings-on-site-creation/52511 "2026-08-29T08:10:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hellogareth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/hellogareth/32/25772_2.png) [@hellogareth](https://community.localwp.com/u/hellogareth)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2026, 8:10am UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/default-short-open-tag-off-in-php-ini-settings-on-site-creation/52511/1 "2026-08-29T08:10:31Z")

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Hi,

Is there a way to define default php.ini settings for new sites? `short_open_tag = On` is the default setting and I need it be set to `Off`.

Thanks,

Gareth

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnlang86](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.localwp.com/johnlang86/32/23030_2.png) [@johnlang86](https://community.localwp.com/u/johnlang86)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 9:56am UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/default-short-open-tag-off-in-php-ini-settings-on-site-creation/52511/2 "2026-08-31T09:56:35Z")

</div>

1. Ensure the local website is stopped.
2. Click “Site Folder” link and it should open the file manager application.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/3X/e/7/e752d2523f86fc7032bd77cf14981d31ec813d54.png)

1. Navigate the folders to find the `/conf/php/php.ini.hbs` file.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/3X/7/9/795a5dda362812679ad6b29c63b28e6542506f6d.png)

1. Use a text editor application to change the `short_open_tag` parameter value and save the change.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/3X/1/2/12f4fb5ac478303bba0c47b2c6ff3a006949b474.png)

1. Go back to LocalWP application.
2. Click the [Start Site] link in the top-right corner.
3. Click the “Details” link to open the `/local-phpinfo.php` page in the web browser for the local website.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/original/3X/3/8/382672be2d9ad228c650a22259efb7836d6e34d2.png)

1. Scroll down to the `short_open_tag` parameter and confirm the new value is working as expected.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/lwpforums/optimized/3X/d/a/daad0fd05f5859a6f31c846a017beece9bc46ec4_2_690x28.png)

1. Done.