How to Enable GZIP Compression in cPanel for WordPress
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How to Enable GZIP Compression in cPanel for WordPress (Yash Host Guide)
If your WordPress website feels slow or doesn’t score well in speed tests (Google PageSpeed, GTmetrix, Pingdom), one of the simplest fixes is enabling GZIP compression.
GZIP reduces the size of your website files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, XML) before sending them to the visitor’s browser. This makes your site load faster, use less bandwidth, and improve Core Web Vitals.
At Yash Host, you can enable GZIP compression directly from cPanel without needing complex coding.
✅ Step 1: Log in to cPanel
- Open your hosting control panel at:
yourdomain.com/cpanel. - Enter your cPanel username and password (provided by Yash Host).
✅ Step 2: Open Optimize Website in cPanel
- Inside cPanel, go to the Software section.
- Click on Optimize Website.
This tool allows you to control how your website content is compressed before being delivered to visitors.
✅ Step 3: Enable GZIP Compression
- On the Optimize Website page, select:
- Compress All Content (recommended for WordPress).
- Click Update Settings.
This will turn on GZIP compression for all text-based resources on your site.
✅ Step 4: Verify GZIP Compression is Working
To make sure GZIP is active:
- Go to a free online GZIP test tool:
- Enter your website URL and test.
- You should see “GZIP Enabled” along with compression results (usually 60–80% size reduction).
✅ Step 5: Enable via .htaccess (Alternative Method)
If for some reason GZIP doesn’t enable via cPanel, you can add it manually:
- Go to File Manager in cPanel.
- Locate your .htaccess file in the root folder (
public_html). - Add the following code at the top:
# Enable GZIP Compression
<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css text/javascript application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/json application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-httpd-php
</IfModule>
- Save the file and test again using the GZIP checker.
✅ Step 6: Combine with WordPress Caching Plugin (Optional)
If you’re using caching plugins like LiteSpeed Cache (recommended on Yash Host servers), WP Rocket, or W3 Total Cache, GZIP compression will be automatically integrated along with additional performance features.
This combination ensures:
- Faster load times
- Better Google PageSpeed Insights score
- Improved Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, FID)
Benefits of GZIP Compression for WordPress
- Up to 70% smaller page size
- Faster loading websites
- Better SEO & Google rankings
- Reduced server bandwidth usage
- Improved user experience
⚡ Troubleshooting GZIP Issues
- If GZIP doesn’t activate, clear your WordPress cache and test again.
- Ensure mod_deflate is enabled on your server (Yash Host has it enabled by default).
- For sites using Cloudflare, GZIP may be controlled from Cloudflare settings (Auto Compression ON).
📌 Conclusion
Enabling GZIP compression in cPanel is one of the easiest and most effective ways to speed up your WordPress website. At Yash Host, this feature is included with every hosting plan, ensuring your website performs faster and ranks higher in search engines.
❓ FAQs on GZIP Compression
1. Do I need a plugin to enable GZIP compression in WordPress?
No. GZIP can be enabled directly from cPanel → Optimize Website or via .htaccess. Plugins like WP Rocket also support it.
2. Will enabling GZIP affect my website design?
No. GZIP only compresses data transfer, not how your site looks.
3. Is GZIP the same as Brotli compression?
No. GZIP is more common, while Brotli offers better compression but is not available on all servers.
4. Does Yash Host support GZIP by default?
Yes. GZIP is available in all Yash Host hosting plans, and you can enable it easily via cPanel.
5. Will GZIP compression improve SEO rankings?
Indirectly yes. Faster websites improve Core Web Vitals and user experience, which are ranking factors.