Recovering lost PHP source code from ionCube-encoded files
Updated 2026-10-21
If you own an ionCube-encoded application, or are authorized to maintain it, and the original source is gone, decoding rebuilds readable PHP from the file's bytecode. The output is functional source without the original comments and formatting, so test it before relying on it.
Is this allowed?
Recovering source you own or are authorized to work on is a recovery, maintenance or audit task. Decoding someone else's commercial software to avoid paying for it, or to remove its licensing, is not. Every order on this service requires you to attest that you own the code or have written authorization, and decoded output is never resold or shared. If you are unsure whether you have the right, ask the rights holder or a lawyer first.
What you get back
- Readable PHP rebuilt from the bytecode: functions, classes, control flow and string literals.
- Original comments and exact formatting are not in the bytecode, so they cannot be recovered. Some local variable names may be generic.
- Your project tree unchanged around it: plain PHP, templates, images and other assets are copied through, and decoded files replace their encoded originals in place.
- Files whose only sections are PHP 7.3 or PHP 8.x are left encoded and are not charged.
How to prepare a project
- Collect the whole application as one ZIP, keeping its folder structure. An order can be up to 2 GB, and ZIPs inside it are unpacked up to three levels deep.
- Run the free ionCube checker on the ZIP. It reports, file by file, which files can be decoded and estimates the cost, and it never uploads anything.
- Remove encoded files larger than 10 MB, which cannot be decoded, or split them out.
- Upload the ZIP, attest your rights, review the quote and pay. Download the decoded tree when the job finishes.
- Run the decoded application in a staging environment and test the paths you rely on before you deploy it.
After decoding
Put the recovered source under version control straight away so you never depend on the encoded copy again. If you are moving to a newer PHP version, run a static analyser such as PHPStan or a compatibility checker over the code and fix what it reports.
Questions
Will decoded code be identical to the original?
It is functionally equivalent where decoding succeeds, but comments and formatting are lost because they are not stored in the bytecode.
Can you decode a whole application at once?
Yes. Upload the project as a ZIP of up to 2 GB; the folder structure is kept and only decodable encoded files are charged.
What if some files fail?
Eligible failed orders are refunded under the published refund policy: pay-as-you-go orders to account credits, subscription orders by restoring quota.