apache 2.2 - index.php not automatically read by localhost

I just installed Apache, php and MySQL manually in windows 8. It works fine

but the problem is when i try to open the directory in browser it auto opens index.html but not index.php

for ex: i have following folder structure

htdocs->folder1->index.php

if i access "localhost/folder1/index.php" it loads fine, but if i access"localhost/folder1" then it will show all the files and folder in that folder.

Is there anyway I can make localhost open index.php open automatically and not show files inside that folder?

Answer

Check that the DirectoryIndex directive is set correctly in you apache configuration file e.g.

DirectoryIndex index.html index.cgi index.pl index.php index.xhtml index.htm