How do I fix: Step 2:?

Step 2: In your PHP file that starts the session, include the custom session handler:

How do I fix: Step 3:?

Step 3: In your PHP file that uses the session, include the custom session handler and use it to start the session:

Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: How to change the session timeout in PHP?

Q: Best Solutions to Fix ItMethod 1: Using a Custom Session Handler?

Step 1: Create a new PHP file (e.g. session.php) and add the following code:

Extend PHP session timeout without modifying php.ini file.

Quick Answer: Use the session_start() function with the 'pconnect' parameter set to false and the 'timeout' parameter set to your desired value.

To extend the session timeout in PHP without modifying the php.ini file, you can use a custom session handler. Here's an example of how to do it:

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Method 1: Using a Custom Session Handler

Step 1: Create a new PHP file (e.g. session.php) and add the following code:

<?php</session.php>
/session.php
// Set the session timeout to 30 minutes
$sessionTimeout = 1800; // in seconds
// Create a new session handler
function sessionHandler($savePath, $flags) {
    global $sessionTimeout;

    // Set the session timeout
    $options = [SaveHandler::SESSION_USES_SESSION_CACHE_DRIVER => false,
                SaveHandler::SESSION_NAME => 'my_session',
                SaveHandler::SESSION_save_handler => 'user',
                SaveHandler::SESSION_USES_WIN32_REGISTRY => true,
                SaveHandler::SESSION_NAME => 'my_session',
                SaveHandler::SESSION_CACHE_TYPE => 'file',
                SaveHandler::SESSION_CACHE_URL => '/tmp/',
                SaveHandler::SESSION_TIME_LIMIT => $sessionTimeout
    ];

    return new SessionHandler($savePath, $flags, $options);
}

Step 2:

Step 2: In your PHP file that starts the session, include the custom session handler:

<?php
session_start();
require 'session.php';

Step 3:

Step 3: In your PHP file that uses the session, include the custom session handler and use it to start the session:

<?php
require 'session.php';
session_start();

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