To fix a fatal memory error in PHP when using WordPress on Windows (such as “Allowed memory size exhausted”), you need to increase your PHP memory limit. This issue happens when your website needs more memory than your server or PHP settings allow.

Edit wp-config.php:

• Locate the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory (often htdocs or public_html).
• Add this line just before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Save and close the file. This raises the PHP memory limit to 256 megabytes

Change php.ini (if needed):

• Find the php.ini file in your server or hosting environment (use your hosting control panel or locate it in your XAMPP installation, usually at xampp/php/php.ini).
• Open it and look for the line starting with memory_limit. Change it to:

memory_limit = 256M

• • • Save the file and restart Apache to apply changes.
    Edit .htaccess (if using Apache):
    • Open (or create) the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory.
    • Add this line (preferably after # END WORDPRESS):

php_value memory_limit 256M

• If your site still shows a memory error after these changes, your hosting provider might have a hard limit. In this case, contact them for support or consider upgrading your hosting plan.

If you want to create a local web server on your Windows PC, XAMPP is a great solution. It bundles together Apache, MySQL, PHP, and more—getting you set up for web development without any complicated setup.

Steps to install XAMPP:

• Go to the Apache Friends website and download the XAMPP installer for Windows.
• Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions. It’s fine to leave the default settings.
• Let the installation finish, then open the XAMPP Control Panel.
• Start Apache and MySQL by clicking their “Start” buttons.
• To check that everything works, type http://localhost in your web browser.

Now you have a local server environment ready for your web projects!

Setting Up WordPress on Your XAMPP Localhost

With XAMPP running, it’s easy to get WordPress working on your machine. This is great for testing websites before publishing them online.

How to install WordPress locally:

• Download WordPress from the official website and unzip it.
• Move the “wordpress” folder into the C:\xampp\htdocs directory (you can rename the folder if you wish).
• Go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin in your browser to make a new database (just give it a name and click “Create”).
• Visit http://localhost/wordpress (or your folder name) in your browser to begin the WordPress setup.
• Enter your database name, set a username (just use “root”), and leave the password blank for local use.

Follow the prompts, and you’ll have a local WordPress site up and running—ready for experiments, learning, or building your next big idea!