How to Fix Laravel symlink() Error on Shared Hosting

Fixing "Call to undefined function Illuminate\Filesystem\symlink()" in Laravel

If you are deploying a Laravel application to a shared hosting environment, you’ve likely encountered this error while trying to run php artisan storage:link. This happens because many hosting providers disable the symlink() PHP function for security reasons.

Since the built-in Artisan command is blocked, we need a workaround. The most effective method that works on almost every server—including cPanel and Direct Admin - is the Cron Job Method.

The Quickest Solution: The Cron Job Method

A Cron Job executes commands directly through the server's shell. This bypasses the PHP restrictions that prevent Laravel from creating the symbolic link. Follow these three simple steps:

Step 1: Identify Your Paths

You need the absolute path of your server. Usually, your project is located in public_html. You will need to link your storage folder to your public folder using this structure:

• Target Folder: /home/username/public_html/storage/app/public
• Shortcut Location: /home/username/public_html/public/storage

Step 2: Create the Cron Job

1. Log in to your cPanel or hosting dashboard.
2. Navigate to the Cron Jobs section (found under "Advanced").
3. Set the frequency to Once Per Minute (* * * * *).
4. In the Command field, paste the following line (update "username" to your actual hosting username):

ln -s /home/username/public_html/storage/app/public /home/username/public_html/public/storage

Step 3: Run and Cleanup

After clicking "Add New Cron Job", wait exactly one minute. Once the minute has passed, check your public/ directory. You should see a new storage folder with a link icon.

IMPORTANT: Delete the Cron Job immediately after the folder appears. You do not want this command running every minute indefinitely.

Why does this happen?

"Shared hosts often include symlink in the disable_functions directive within the php.ini file to prevent certain types of directory traversal attacks."

By using the ln -s command via Cron, you are asking the Operating System (Linux) to create the link directly, which usually has higher permissions than the PHP script itself.

Alternative: The Route Method

If you cannot access Cron Jobs, you can try running the shell command through a temporary route in your routes/web.php file:

Route::get('/link-storage', function () {
    shell_exec('ln -s /home/username/public_html/storage/app/public /home/username/public_html/public/storage');
    return 'Storage link created successfully!';
});

Simply visit yourdomain.com/link-storage in your browser, and the link will be generated.

Troubleshooting Tip

If the command fails, ensure that there isn't already a folder or broken link named storage inside your public/ directory. If there is, delete it first and run the Cron Job again.