How to Enable Compression in WordPress: The 110% Guide to GZIP Compression

Enabling GZIP compression in WordPress is one of the most effective ways to improve website speed and performance. By compressing files before they are sent to the browser, GZIP reduces file sizes, leading to faster load times and a better user experience.

This guide provides a step-by-step approach to enabling GZIP compression for your WordPress site.

What Is GZIP Compression?

GZIP is a file compression method that reduces the size of text-based files, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, before they are transferred from the server to the user’s browser. Smaller files mean faster load times and improved site performance.

Benefits of GZIP Compression

1. Improved Load Times:
   • Compressed files are delivered faster to users.
2. Better SEO Rankings:
   • Search engines prioritize faster websites.
3. Reduced Bandwidth Usage:
   • Smaller files consume less server bandwidth.

Step 1: Check If GZIP Compression Is Enabled

Tools to Test GZIP Compression

1. Google PageSpeed Insights:
   • Provides performance insights and flags if GZIP is missing.
2. GTmetrix:
   • Reports on compression status under the “Serve resources compressed” section.
3. Check GZIP Compression:
   • Use online tools like GZIP Compression Test.

Step 2: Enable GZIP Compression via .htaccess

If your site is hosted on an Apache server, you can enable GZIP by modifying the .htaccess file.

Steps to Enable GZIP in .htaccess

1. Access your .htaccess file:
   • Use an FTP client or your hosting control panel.
2. Save and upload the file.
3. Test your site again using a GZIP compression testing tool.

1- Access your .htaccess file:
– Use an FTP client or your hosting control panel.
2- Add the following code at the top of the file:

# 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/x-javascript application/json
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/ttf font/otf font/eot font/woff font/woff2
</IfModule>

3- Save and upload the file.
4-Test your site again using a GZIP compression testing tool.

Step 3: Enable GZIP Compression on NGINX

For NGINX servers, GZIP can be enabled by editing the configuration file.

Steps to Enable GZIP in NGINX

1- Open your NGINX configuration file (usually located at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf).
2- Add the following code to the http block:

gzip on;
gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript text/xml application/xml application/xml+rss text/javascript;
gzip_proxied any;
gzip_min_length 1000;
gzip_comp_level 6;
gzip_vary on;

3- Save and restart NGINX:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

4- Verify compression using testing tools.

Step 4: Use a Plugin to Enable GZIP Compression

If you’re not comfortable editing server files, plugins can automate the process.

Recommended Plugins

1. WP Rocket
   • Automatically enables GZIP compression and optimizes other performance factors.
2. W3 Total Cache
   • Go to Performance > Browser Cache and enable the GZIP compression option.
3. Autoptimize
   • Compresses files and integrates well with other optimization plugins.

Steps to Enable Compression with WP Rocket

1. Install and activate WP Rocket.
2. Navigate to Settings > WP Rocket > File Optimization.
3. Ensure GZIP compression is enabled in the settings.
4. Test your site for GZIP compression.

Step 5: Verify Your Results

After enabling GZIP compression, it’s crucial to verify that it’s working correctly.

Steps to Verify

1. Test your site using:
   • Google PageSpeed Insights.
   • GTmetrix.
   • GZIP Compression Test.
2. Check for reduced file sizes and improved loading speeds.

Troubleshooting GZIP Compression

1. Compression Still Not Enabled

• Check Server Configuration:
  • Ensure your hosting provider supports GZIP compression.
• Contact Hosting Support:
  • Some shared hosting plans may require support intervention to enable GZIP.

2. Errors After Editing Files

• Restore Backups:
  • Revert to a backup version of your .htaccess or configuration file.
• Use a Plugin Instead:
  • Switch to a plugin-based approach if manual edits fail.

Conclusion

Enabling GZIP compression is an essential step in optimizing your WordPress website for speed and performance. Whether you choose to enable it manually via server configuration or through a plugin, the benefits are clear: faster load times, improved user experience, and better SEO rankings.

Start enabling GZIP compression today to take your WordPress site’s performance to the next level.