7 Tweaks for Your WordPress wp-config.php File.

2026 Update. This article was published in 2014; as of May 2026 context has been added based on current practices in Turkey's digital marketing and web technologies sector. The information below consists of practical recommendations under the Website Design & Development category that remain valid in 2026.

The wp-config.php file is the backbone of your entire WordPress installation. Most importantly, this file stores the values for the database, database users and passwords, and the host. It has also come to be used to handle the security and performance of WordPress websites.

Where is my wp-config.php file?

Some of you may ask this question. You can't have this file without an installation. However, you can find a sample of this file as wp-config-sample.php. By using this file, you can create a real wp-config.php file, and then continue with the WordPress installation on your website. This is an automatic process. Paste all WordPress files to the server using FTP and when you run the installer, it will ask for your database credentials and automatically create the wp-config file at the root.

With this blog post, I will explain seven nice tips related to this big file to make your WordPress more powerful.

How to skip FTP connection details?

You can bypass the FTP connection details when uploading plugins or upgrading WordPress by adding the following line to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'FS_METHOD', 'direct');

How to enable WordPress debugging?

To troubleshoot issues, you can enable WordPress Debug by adding the following lines to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
//define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );

The above lines of code create a log file in the wp-content directory under the webroot.

How to change the Site and WordPress URL?

The Site and WordPress URL can be changed by adding the following lines to wp-config.php:

define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://www.domain.com');
define('WP_HOME', 'http://www.domain.com');

These lines override the value defined in the wp_options table. Because if you are migrating your site to a new URL, this is helpful. Another method is to use it dynamically. This is to use these values by placing them in the SERVER variable.

define('WP_HOME', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );
define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );

How to increase (or decrease) memory for PHP?

While this tip is available in some server systems, it is still a big issue for WordPress users. You can increase the PHP memory for the WordPress application by adding the following lines:

define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '64M' );

How do I edit the Trash schedule?

When you want to delete user posts, pages, comments, etc. in WordPress, by default it deletes them after 30 days, sending them to the Trash. To change this duration, you can add the following line and change the day value according to your needs. In the example below, it has been reduced to 15 days.

define( 'EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS', 15 );

By providing 0 (zero) as the value in the example above, you can completely disable the Trash feature.

How can I remove automatic updates?

As of WordPress 3.7, Automatic Updates were introduced. By default, in this version minor core releases and translation files are updated. By bringing the following lines into wp-config.php, you can disable this feature:

define( 'AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true );

How to set autosave intervals?

When creating or editing posts, WordPress automatically saves typed revisions at certain intervals. The default value of the autosave interval can be increased or decreased from 60 seconds by adding the following line:

define( 'AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL', 180 );

Images from the article

Why this topic matters in 2026

In Turkey, the website design & development field went through three core shifts between 2024-2026: (1) mobile-first user behaviour reached 78% of the market, (2) AI-powered content production and analysis tools entered the mainstream, (3) with KVKK, e-Commerce 2.0 and Turkish Lira improvements, the cost/impact balance of digital presence for SMBs has fundamentally changed. The principles described in this article remain valid at the application level under 2026 conditions — only the tools and service providers used have been updated.

Quick checklist for 2026

• Mobile-first: Test design and content architecture first at 390-430px screen width; desktop is secondary.
• Performance budget: LCP < 2.0s, CLS < 0.05, INP < 150ms — Core Web Vitals 2026 thresholds have tightened.
• AI integration: Embed Claude/GPT-4 class assistants for content production, image optimisation and customer support; not as one-off prompts but as a workflow.
• Legal compliance: KVKK clarification text, cookie consent (TCF v2.2), email opt-in must be double opt-in (DOI).
• Measurement: The trio of GA4 + Meta Conversion API + server-side tracking is now standard; GA4 alone is insufficient.
• Branding: Rather than a single logo, dynamic brand systems (colour, typography, motion) are standing out on social channels.

Next step

To apply the topic of this article to your own project, you can request a free site analysis, send a brief directly, or schedule a one-on-one meeting. I respond to all evaluations within 2 business days, in a KVKK-compliant manner.

The article was first published on 17 Jul 2014, and was revised on 03 May 2026 to reflect 2026 conditions.