Getting Rid of Annoying "EWWW Image Optimizer Requires exec()." Message

Imaging on Wordpress is really a big issue when it comes to page speed. When I must deactivate WP Smush It because it caused me a problem (Read How I Solve HTTP Error When Uploading Images in Wordpress), the blog's page speed decreases dramatically :(

So, I try to look across another options of image compressing plugin (which is free) and many people recommends EWWW Image Optimizer. Probably it was the best free plugin available on WP for keeping your images compressed.

Then I install it, but after installing the plugin (and activating it) shows the annoying message like "EWWW Image Optimizer Requires exec(). Your system administrator has disabled this function." or exec() is disabled in your server, please contact hosting provider blah blah blah something like that. As I only using cheap shared hosting (not VPS or Dedicated Server), I seek for a solution that works for shared hosting.

The solution is to remove exec from the disable_functions parameter in your php.ini file and then restart your web server process (apache or nginx), and/or possibly php-fpm if you use that. (Source: plugin author). But, it doesn't work with my cheap shared hosting.

Then, I found an angel named David Byrne that gives the tricky solution to (finally) enabling EWWW Image Optimizer on your Wordpress blog in shared hosting. Actually, Byrne tried it in a Reseller Hosting account, but I am the one who tried it in a Shared Hosting.

It will take only a minute to try and (maybe) with no loss. Maybe.

1. Login to your Cpanel.

2. After that, go to "Software & Services" Section.

Choose "Select PHP Version".

3. Switch to 5.5

4. Click "Switch to PHP settings"

Don't forget to save.

5. That's it. Problem magically solved :D

Hope this works on you :*