> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using the ionCube Loader with different PHP versions

> Learn to use ionCube Loader with various PHP versions through this guide, complete with code snippets for CageFS and non-CageFS servers.

This article describes how to use ionCube Loader with different PHP versions. The ionCube Loader is a PHP extension that decodes and executes encoded PHP script files at run-time.

## Using ionCube on CageFS servers

If your account is on a server that has CageFS enabled, ionCube is already loaded for the default PHP version (currently PHP 5.5). When you change the active PHP version for your account, the corresponding ionCube loader is automatically configured as well. You do not have to do any special steps to use ionCube with different PHP versions on your account.

## Using ionCube on non-CageFS servers

If your account is on a server that does **not** have CageFS enabled, ionCube is already loaded for the default PHP version (currently 5.3.29). However, if you use a different PHP version, you must manually download and install the appropriate ionCube Loader.

<Warning>
  **Important**

  Using alternate PHP versions with ionCube Loader should work, but please note that we do not provide support for these configurations.
</Warning>

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Use your web browser to go to [http://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php](http://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php).

2. Download the **zip** file for the **stable** release of the **Linux (64 bits)** platform to your local computer.

3. Using [FTP](/docs/using-ftp-file-transfer-protocol) or the [cPanel File Manager](/docs/upload-and-download-files), upload the zip file to the home directory of your hosting.com account.

4. Using the command line or the cPanel File Manager, extract the contents of the zip file. After the file is unzipped, there should be an *ioncube* directory that contains several files.

5. If you have not already done so, create a *php.ini* file in your *public\_html* directory.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > For information about how to set up a custom *php.ini* file, please see [this article](/docs/custom-php-ini-files).

6. Add the following line to the *php.ini* file. Replace ***username*** with your hosting.com account username, and replace ***X.Y*** with the PHP version you are using:

   ```
   zend_extension="/home/username/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_X.Y.so"
   ```

   > 📘 Note
   >
   > For example, if your username is *example*, and you are running PHP 5.5, you would type the following:
   >
   > ```
   > zend_extension="/home/example/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.5.so"
   > ```

7. Save your changes to the *php.ini* file. The new configuration is now active.

   > 👍 Tip
   >
   > To verify the new configuration, you can create a PHP file that [runs the phpinfo() function](/docs/view-php-settings). Load the file in your web browser, and then search for the text *ionCube Loader*. It should appear in the **Additional Modules** section.

## Related articles

* [ionCube PHP Loader support](/docs/ioncube-php-loader-support)

* [Do you support ionCube PHP Encoder?](/docs/do-you-support-ioncube)