How to check and update your WordPress PHP version easily

The PHP version your site uses is the release of the PHP programming language that runs WordPress on the server. WordPress is written mostly in PHP, so every page load, login, and form submission passes through it. Like any software, PHP follows a lifecycle: newer releases add features and fixes, while older ones eventually stop receiving security patches. For UK small businesses, charities and sole traders who look after their own websites, it is also one of the easiest maintenance tasks to overlook.

This article shows four ways to check your WordPress PHP version, explains which release to aim for in 2026, and walks through the update in cPanel, Plesk, and popular managed hosts. You’ll also get a pre-update checklist, a testing routine, and a rollback plan for when a plugin misbehaves. It’s written for site owners rather than developers. Version facts come from PHP.net, WordPress.org and the WordPress Hosting Handbook.

Key takeaways

• Check your PHP version in Tools > Site Health > Info > Server.
• PHP 8.4 is a sensible target. PHP 8.1 and older are end of life, and 8.2 loses security support on 31 December 2026.
• Back up, update plugins, and test on staging before you switch.
• Speed gains are modest. Security and compatibility are the real reasons to update.

What Is PHP and Why Does WordPress Use It?

PHP is a server-side scripting language: it runs on your hosting server and builds each page before the visitor’s browser receives it. WordPress core, your theme, and your plugins are mostly .php files.

What Does PHP Do in WordPress?

When someone opens a post, PHP queries the database for content, loads your theme’s templates, runs plugin code, and hands finished HTML to the browser. It also powers contact forms and WooCommerce checkout, which is why the PHP version your site runs on affects speed, security, and plugin behaviour together.

How PHP Versions Work: Active Support, Security Fixes, and End of Life

According to PHP.net, each PHP branch gets two years of active support, then two years of critical security fixes, then reaches end of life (EOL) and gets nothing. That means your site’s PHP version has an expiry date even when the site looks healthy.

Why Updating PHP in WordPress Matters

Security and compatibility are the strongest reasons to update. Speed is a smaller, situational bonus.

Stronger Security and Fewer Vulnerabilities

After end of life, the PHP project stops shipping fixes, so newly found flaws stay open, and PHP.net warns users of those releases that they may be exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities. Plugin developers also drop support, and hosts can force the change: WP Engine, for example, upgrades sites automatically when a PHP version reaches end of life. A current release is only a foundation, so keep plugins updated and consider a security plugin.

Faster Performance and Page Speed

The gain is real but modest. In one hosting provider’s lab test of a default WordPress 6.8 install, PHP 8.4 and 8.5 served about 6.6% more requests per second than PHP 7.4, and another benchmark found PHP 7.4 about 5% behind. WooCommerce showed larger gains in testing. Results vary with page caching, plugins, and hosting, and benchmarks published by companies selling related services should be read with that in mind.

Plugin and Theme Compatibility

The PHP release on your server also decides which plugin versions you can install. Developers raise minimum requirements over time, so on an old release an update may refuse to install or a theme may throw errors.

Which PHP Version Should You Use for WordPress?

WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater, and its Hosting Handbook recommends 8.4 or later for production.

Supported vs. End-of-Life PHP Versions

Find your release below to see where it stands.

Source: PHP.net Supported Versions; end-of-life dates for 8.1 and older from the WordPress Hosting Handbook.

PHP 8.4 is a sensible default: the Hosting Handbook points to it, and PHP.net supports it through 2028. PHP 8.5 is supported by WordPress 6.9 and later, so move there once your plugins confirm support. The right WordPress PHP version is the newest one your host, theme, and plugins all support.

How to Check Your PHP Version (4 Methods)

The quickest way is Tools > Site Health > Info > Server, and it needs no extra software. Three other methods cover hosting panels, files, and the command line.

Method 1: Use the WordPress Site Health Tool

Site Health is built into WordPress 5.2 and later.

1. Log in to your WordPress admin.
2. Go to Tools > Site Health.
3. Open the Info tab, expand Server, and read the PHP version row.

Method 2: Check in Your Hosting Control Panel

In cPanel, open Software > Select PHP Version. Some hosts use MultiPHP Manager instead.

Method 3: Create a phpinfo File

Create phpinfo.php with the code below, upload it to your root directory (often public_html), visit yourdomain.com/phpinfo.php, and read the version. Delete the file right away, since the page exposes server details.

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Method 4: Use the Command Line

With SSH access, run php -v. On hosts running several PHP versions, the command line can differ from what your site uses, so trust Site Health if they disagree.

What to Do Before You Update PHP in WordPress

Four checks come first.

Create a Complete Backup of Your Site

Before you change anything, back up both the database and the files: plugins, themes, and uploads. Any backup tool that captures both will do.

Update Everything and Check Compatibility

Update WordPress core, themes, and plugins first, so you test current code against the new PHP. Then screen for problems:

• Replace themes and plugins that haven’t been updated in the past year.
• Renew expired licences on paid ones.
• Have a developer review custom PHP code.

Each plugin’s WordPress.org page also lists the PHP version it requires.

Check Extensions and Your Database

WordPress uses PHP extensions when they’re available, and a missing one can mean lost functionality. According to the WordPress Hosting Handbook, it requires mysqli and highly recommends others such as curl, imagick, mbstring, and zip. Ask your host about your database too, since MySQL 8.0 reached end of life in April 2026.

Test on a Staging Site

A staging site is a private copy of your website, and many hosts can create one with a click. Set the copy to the new PHP version and click through it. On very old sites, it is safer to step up one minor version at a time rather than jumping straight from 7.4 to 8.5.

How to Update Your PHP Version in WordPress (Step by Step)

You change PHP at your host, not in the WordPress dashboard. Dashboards get redesigned, so treat these paths as a map. In each case, the job is to find the PHP setting for your domain and choose a newer release.

Update PHP in cPanel or Plesk

cPanel:

1. Open MultiPHP Manager under Software.
2. Tick the box next to your domain.
3. Choose a release such as PHP 8.4 from the dropdown.
4. Click Apply.

Some setups use Select PHP Version with a “Set as Current” button instead.

Plesk: open Websites & Domains, click PHP Settings for your domain, pick a version under PHP support, and click OK.

Update PHP on Managed WordPress Hosts

• SiteGround: Websites > Site Tools > Devs > PHP Manager, then the pencil icon beside the version.
• Kinsta: MyKinsta > Sites > your site > Tools > PHP Engine.
• Bluehost: Websites > Settings under your site > Settings tab > PHP Version > Change. Older cPanel accounts use a different path.
• WP Engine: User Portal > your environment > PHP Selector.

Customers of other hosts should follow their provider’s own help article.

How to Test Your Website After a PHP Update

After the switch, confirm the new version by repeating Method 1. Then test:

• several pages, the contact form, and design display
• login and logout
• a test checkout, if you sell products
• the admin area, watching for warnings

Run PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix before and after. Expect modest, variable differences, and test more than once.

What to Do If a PHP Update Breaks Your WordPress Site

A White Screen of Death or fatal error usually points to an incompatible plugin or theme, not WordPress itself. If a PHP change causes this, work through these steps in order.

Step 1: Roll Back to the Previous PHP Version

Return to the same host panel, choose the earlier version, and reload. This rollback is a stopgap; an end-of-life version stays exposed until you fix the underlying problem.

Step 2: Enable Debug Mode and Find the Culprit

In wp-config.php, set the two lines below, switch to the new PHP version again, reload, then roll back. The error in wp-content/debug.log typically names the plugin or theme responsible. Afterwards, turn WP_DEBUG off and delete debug.log, since the file can expose server paths.

define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );
define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true );

Step 3: Deactivate the Culprit and Try Again

Rename its folder in wp-content/plugins (or themes), such as old-plugin to old-plugin-off, to deactivate it. Update PHP again and look for a maintained replacement. If problems persist, restore your backup or send the error log to your host or developer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Updating PHP in WordPress

Do I need to update PHP for WordPress?

Yes, if your current release has reached end of life, because those releases get no security fixes. On a supported release, you can plan the change instead of rushing it.

Is it safe to update PHP in WordPress?

It’s low risk when you prepare. A backup, updated plugins, and a staging test catch many problems before visitors see them.

Can updating PHP break my WordPress site?

Yes, usually through an old plugin or theme that uses code newer PHP no longer accepts. Roll back, read the debug log, and replace the culprit.

What is the recommended WordPress PHP version?

PHP 8.4 or later for production, according to the WordPress Hosting Handbook. WordPress.org’s baseline is 8.3 or greater.

Is updating PHP enough to make WordPress fast?

No. A newer release brings modest gains, and CSS, JavaScript, images, and caching still shape load times.

What should I do if my host only offers PHP 7.4?

Ask support for a modern version. If the host refuses, moving to a provider that offers supported releases is a reasonable step.

Conclusion

The PHP version behind your site is a maintenance item with a deadline, and updating it is a short, low-risk job when you prepare first. Open Site Health and note your version. If it’s 8.2 or older, set aside time to back up, test on staging, and move to PHP 8.4. On 8.3 or newer, note the support end dates so the next change is planned, not forced.