Speed is everything online. If your website takes too long to load, visitors bounce before they even see what you offer. One of the simplest but often overlooked ways to make your website faster is to use Brotli compression. This Google-developed algorithm can shrink your website files smaller than Gzip, meaning less data to send and faster loading times for your visitors.
Many modern web hosts already support it. You just need to check and switch it on. Let’s walk through how to see if Brotli is available on your host and how to enable it for a real-world speed boost.
Why Brotli Beats Gzip in Many Cases?
Gzip has been the go-to compression method for years, but Brotli often delivers better compression ratios, especially for static assets like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. That means smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality.
In plain terms: Brotli makes the web feel snappier. That’s a benefit you can’t overlook in a time when Core Web Vitals can affect SEO rankings.
Now that you know why Brotli is worth using, let’s take a look at the quick checks and setup steps to get it running on your hosting platform.
Step 1 – Check If Your Host Supports Brotli
Before you can use Brotli compression, you need to confirm it’s available. Here are a few ways to check:
Ask Your Host’s Support – Easiest method. Just open a ticket or chat and ask if Brotli compression is supported for your hosting plan.
Test with an Online Tool – Tools like GTmetrix or WebPageTest can show what compression method your site is using. Look under the “Response Headers” section for content-encoding: br (that “br” means Brotli).
Use Your Browser’s Developer Tools – Another quick way to confirm Brotli is in action is by checking directly through your browser’s built-in developer tools. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open your site in Chrome or Firefox.
- Press
F12to open DevTools, go to the Network tab, and reload your page. - Click on a resource (like your HTML file) and check the Headers section. If you see
content-encoding: br, Brotli is active.
Step 2 – Enable Brotli on Your Hosting Platform
The process of turning on Brotli isn’t the same for every hosting environment. Shared hosting providers may give you a simple toggle in cPanel, while VPS or dedicated servers usually require editing configuration files in Nginx or Apache. In other words, the exact steps vary depending on how much control you have over your server setup.
On cPanel Hosts
If your website is hosted on a cPanel-based server, enabling Brotli is usually straightforward since most settings are available through the dashboard.
- Log in to cPanel.
- Look for Optimize Website or Compression settings.
- If Brotli is supported, you’ll see it as an option. Enable it for “All Content” and save.
On Nginx Servers
If you manage your own VPS or dedicated server, add this to your Nginx config inside the http block:
brotli on;
brotli_static on;
brotli_comp_level 6;
brotli_types text/plain text/css application/javascript application/json image/svg+xml;Reload Nginx with:
sudo systemctl reload nginxOn Apache Servers
Enable the Brotli module:
sudo a2enmod brotliAdd this to your .htaccess or Apache config:
AddOutputFilterByType BROTLI_COMPRESS text/html text/plain text/css application/javascript application/json image/svg+xmlRestart Apache:
sudo systemctl restart apache2Step 3 – Test Your Website Again
Once Brotli is enabled, test your website again using GTmetrix, WebPageTest, or your browser’s DevTools. If you see content-encoding: br, your website is officially serving Brotli-compressed content.
You should notice faster load times, especially for repeat visitors or those with slower internet connections.
Things to Keep in Mind
Before you flip the switch and call it a day, there are a few details to keep in mind to ensure Brotli works smoothly across all devices and visitors.
- Fallback to Gzip – Some older browsers don’t support Brotli, so keep Gzip enabled as a backup.
- Static vs. Dynamic Content – Brotli shines for static files, but some configurations also support dynamic content compression.
- Compression Level – A level between 5–7 offers a good balance between compression ratio and CPU usage.
Final Thoughts
When you take the time to use Brotli compression, you’re investing in faster load times and a smoother browsing experience for your visitors. It’s a small tweak that delivers big results like lighter pages, better performance, and even a boost to your SEO efforts. If your host supports it, enabling Brotli is one of the easiest performance wins you can make. So don’t leave speed on the table. Check your hosting platform now and enable Brotli to see the difference in speed for yourself.
