Where does MAMP keep its php.ini?

I have recently got a mac an am not used to developing on a mac at all.

I have MAMP Pro 1.9.6.1. I did a locate on php.ini and got this:

$ locate php.ini
/Applications/MAMP/conf/php5.2/php.ini
/Applications/MAMP/conf/php5.3/php.ini
/Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/conf/php.ini
/private/etc/php.ini.default

I changed the name of all of them. Restarted MAMP. It loaded without a hitch (I know odd right?). I am using PHP version 5.2.

All of these files are now different names (done one by one for process of elimination). So I figure restart the mac. Same, MAMP loaded no problems, even though all of the php.ini files had been move. On Lamp this that wouldn't even load. But either there is another php.ini file I'm missing (quite possible I don't know how to updatedb), MAMP is really intelligent and just pulls in all of them (less likely) or it doesn't use one.


Note: If this doesn't help, check below for Ricardo Martins' answer.


Create a PHP script with <?php phpinfo() ?> in it, run that from your browser, and look for the value Loaded Configuration File. This tells you which php.ini file PHP is using in the context of the web server.


I'm not sure if in MAMP (non-PRO) is the same, but MAMP overrides the modified php.ini everytime it starts.

In my case, I needed to use the MAMP menu to change my php.ini file (File -> Edit Template -> PHP -> PHP 5.xx -> php.ini).


To be clearer (as i read this thread but didn't SEE the solution, also if it was here!), I have the same problem and found the cause: I were modifying the wrong php.ini!

Yes, there are 2 php.ini files in MAMP:

  1. Applications/MAMP/conf/php5.5.10/php.ini
  2. Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.5.10/conf/php.ini

The right php.ini file is the second: Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.5.10/conf/php.ini

To prove this, create a .php file (call it as you like, for example "info.php") and put into it a simple phpinfo()

<?php
echo phpinfo();

Open it in your browser and search for "Loaded Configuration File": mine is "/Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.5.10/conf/php.ini"

The error was here; i edited Applications/MAMP/conf/php5.5.10/php.ini but this is the wrong file to modify! Infact, the right php.ini file is the one in the bin directory.

Take care of this so small difference that caused me literally 1 and a half hours of headaches!