How to find and edit “config.ini.php”: The Matomo configuration file

While Matomo offers many options in the dashboard, some things need to be managed a level higher, within a configuration file. Matomo’s primary configuration file is config.ini.php and often our documentation will suggest that you make updates to this file.

The specific location of the config.ini.php file may vary depending on the version of Matomo you use or sometimes, by your server configuration. This is because the file is created while installing Matomo, rather than having a fixed location within the application. Read on to learn how you can make edits to your Matomo configuration file, no matter which version you use.

Matomo Cloud

If you are using Matomo Cloud, then we manage all the server-side configuration on your behalf. If a configuration change is required and the functionality it enables is available on Matomo Cloud, you will need to reach out to our support team. You can do this by clicking on the help icon whilst logged in to your account and then sending a message through the contact form.

Matomo On-Premise

You are most likely to need to update your config.ini.php file if you are using Matomo On-Premise. The configuration file can do things like extend limits if your server has enough resources, or customise how your Matomo installation processes reports.

Generally speaking, you should be able to find the config.ini.php file within the /config/ folder in the root of your Matomo On-Premise installation. For a standard linux server, the full path is likely to be:

/var/www/html/matomo/config/config.ini.php

If you are using Docker, or another container system, your config.ini.php file will likely exist in a directory outside of the application. If this is the case, you will probably need to refer to the documentation or support for your specific vendor’s installation of Matomo.

Matomo for WordPress

If you are using Matomo for WordPress, then your configuration file is likely to be stored within the WordPress upload folder:

$WordPressRoot/wp-content/uploads/matomo/config/config.ini.php

If you are still having trouble locating it, you can use the plugin settings interface to help you locate it for your specific installation.