How to Enable Zip Archive in cPanel for Backup Plugins and More – WP Tips

Have you:
Spent a frustrating time searching, and looking at old instructions on how to enable 'php Zip' in Cpanel?

Some plugins need Archive zip to work

The Duplicator Plugin needs Archive Zip Enabled for Backup. When you click 'Create' and you get 'FAIL' and the error tells you you need to Enable PHP Extensions with EasyApache on WHM cPanel, this is what you need...

There may be others that need it too - I don't use them all as Duplicator by Snap Creek is efficient and fast.

Duplicator – WordPress Migration & Backup Plugin

Duplicator also needs enough memory to complete, so you can solve both of these problems all in one go.

Some shared hosts are still using default php version but if you are have the control you can change it.

( Thank you MightWeb hosting for the page that gave me this info.)

Increasing the PHP Memory Limit and Enable 'Zip'

To increase the PHP Memory Limit, and enable modules go into the "Select PHP Version"-section in cPanel. Once there, select any non-default version (the non-native 5.6 version, for example).
Click "Set as current"

There are a whole lot of check boxes on that page. The one labelled 'zip' should be ticked. If not, go ahead and tick it. You might need to Click 'Save' (bottom left on mine).

Now for the php memory limit:

Click "Switch to PHP Options" on the top right.
Set the "memory_limit" to whichever value you need it to be.Finally, click "Save".

You see a whole lot of complicated answers when you type 'how to enable zip archive in cpanel' in Google Search; those answers were needed not so long ago, but everything is being updated and upgraded at many hosts, so I hope this simple solution works for you.