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IonCube Loader is required to run encrypted PHP files used by many premium CMS plugins and server applications. Installing it on Ubuntu 25.10 takes only a few steps.
Step 1: Update the System
Make sure your server packages are up to date:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yStep 2: Check Your PHP Version
You’ll need to know your current PHP version to download the right IonCube Loader:
php -vExample output:
PHP 8.3.2 (cli) (built: Sep 10 2025 12:03:14)
If PHP isn’t installed, install it first:
sudo apt install php php-cli php-common php-dev php-pear -y
Step 3: Download IonCube Loader
Go to the /tmp directory and grab the latest version directly from IonCube’s servers:
cd /tmp
wget https://downloads.ioncube.com/loader_downloads/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz
Step 4: Extract the Archive
Unpack the tarball:
tar xzf ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz
Then move into the folder:
cd ioncubeStep 5: Copy the Loader to PHP Extension Directory
Find your PHP extension directory:
php -i | grep extension_dir
Example output:
/usr/lib/php/20230831
Now copy the correct loader file (replace version number with your PHP version):
sudo cp ioncube_loader_lin_8.3.so /usr/lib/php/20230831/Step 6: Enable IonCube Loader
Edit your PHP configuration file (usually php.ini):
sudo nano /etc/php/8.3/cli/php.iniAdd this line at the top:
zend_extension = /usr/lib/php/20230831/ioncube_loader_lin_8.3.so
Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X)
Step 7: Restart Your Web Server
If you’re using Apache:
sudo systemctl restart apache2
If you’re using Nginx with PHP-FPM:
sudo systemctl restart php8.3-fpm
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Step 8: Verify Installation
Run:
php -v
You should see:
PHP 8.3.2 (cli) (built: Sep 10 2025)
with the ionCube PHP Loader (enabled)
Optional Step: Cleanup
Remove unnecessary files to keep your system tidy:
sudo rm -rf /tmp/ioncube /tmp/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz
You now have IonCube Loader correctly installed and optimized for Ubuntu 25.10 ready for encrypted PHP applications to run smoothly.
