{"id":33920,"date":"2022-05-06T07:00:29","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T14:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=33920"},"modified":"2026-08-27T14:40:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T21:40:40","slug":"update-php","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/update-php\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Update Your PHP Version (&#038; How to Do It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regularly updating your site\u2019s copy of WordPress ensures that your website will have a high level of performance and security. If your site remains on an end-of-life PHP version, it may be exposed to unpatched security vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the short answer: WordPress recommends running PHP 8.3 or greater. You can check your current version in your dashboard under <i>Tools &gt; Site Health &gt; Info<\/i>, then switch to a newer version from your host\u2019s control panel in a few clicks. This quick update can contribute to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/improve-core-web-vitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">faster load times<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/ultimate-guide-ssl-tls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">improved security<\/a>, and support for new functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article will discuss what PHP is, and why you should consider updating it. Then, we\u2019ll show you how to check your current PHP version and upgrade it if needed. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<h2>Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/h2><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-an-introduction-to-php\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>An Introduction to PHP<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/214202188-PHP-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP<\/a> is a programming and scripting language that plays an important role in WordPress development. PHP takes data from the database and converts it into an HTML web page whenever someone visits your website. And it\u2019s everywhere: as of August 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/w3techs.com\/technologies\/details\/pl-php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">W3Techs<\/a> measures PHP in use on 70.3% of all websites whose server-side programming language it can identify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a website owner, you might never need to learn PHP coding. However, after downloading WordPress, you\u2019ll automatically receive all of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/guide-to-wp-functions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP files<\/a> that make up WordPress core:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1010\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp.jpg.webp\" alt=\"WordPress folder in FTP client\" class=\"wp-image-33942 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-1024x718.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-768x539.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-600x421.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-1200x842.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-730x512.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-784x550.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-877x615.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/1010;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although these files have been written for you \u2014&nbsp;and are just waiting for your content, themes, and plugins \u2014 there are some scenarios where you can benefit from editing PHP files:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Developing a custom theme or plugin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manipulating files on your server<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360021570592-Error-establishing-a-database-connection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Connecting a website to a MySQL database<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since PHP is one of the key languages behind WordPress, <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.wordpress.org\/workshop\/making-a-plugin-inside-the-dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">learning a little bit<\/a> about how to work with it will open up the scope of projects that you are able to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s likely that you won\u2019t have to edit your PHP files. Still, learning the language can be handy for developers who wish to create new software or customizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single__related-article\">\n\t<span>Related Article<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"single__related-article__wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single__related-article__title\">\n\t\t\tLearn WordPress, Fast: 25 Resources To Get You Started\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/learn-wordpress\/\" class=\"btn btn--sm btn--brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-you-should-update-your-php-version\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Why You Should Update Your PHP Version<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might already be familiar with the importance of updating your WordPress, themes, and plugins. It\u2019s also crucial to regularly update your PHP version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, WordPress recommends <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/about\/requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP 8.3 or greater<\/a>. WordPress will still run on PHP 7.4 and up, but the WordPress project notes that those older versions have reached official end of life and may expose your site to security vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the main benefits of upgrading your sites to a current PHP version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Better security:<\/b> Each PHP branch is fully supported for two years, then gets critical security fixes for two more. After that, it stops receiving patches \u2014 in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.php.net\/supported-versions.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">php.net\u2019s own words<\/a>, users of end-of-life releases \u201cmay be exposed to unpatched security vulnerabilities.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Improved performance:<\/b> Upgraded PHP can improve load times through internal code improvements and reduced memory usage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>More support:<\/b> As of August 2026, PHP 8.2 through 8.5 are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.php.net\/supported-versions.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">currently supported branches<\/a> \u2014 and only 8.4 and 8.5 still receive active bug fixes, while 8.2 and 8.3 get critical security fixes only.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your site is behind, you have plenty of company: W3Techs measures 28.9% of the websites that use PHP still running version 7 \u2014 a branch that no longer appears on php.net\u2019s supported versions list at all. Don\u2019t be part of that statistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take it from our Director of IT Operations, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/author\/dreamhostluke\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Luke Odom<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>\u201cRunning a modern, supported, version of PHP is one of the best things you can do for the health, security, and speed of your website. Let\u2019s compare an outdated PHP version to an old car. Sure, it will run and get you from point A to B, but without modern safety sensors, technology, fuel efficiency, and GPS navigation you may find yourself in some trouble a bit more easily.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Running a supported PHP version ensures that the branch still receives security fixes; performance effects depend on the release and workload. If your web host does not provide automatic updates for their customers, you can follow this manual process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"embed-container\"><iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G_O-mxZAk-g\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-check-your-current-php-version\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>How to Check Your Current PHP Version<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you get started, you should check which PHP version is currently supporting your website. If you\u2019re running WordPress 5.2 or higher \u2014 the release that added the Site Health pages, building on features introduced in 5.1 \u2014 you can view your PHP version in your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, go to <i>Tools &gt; Site Health<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"544\" height=\"428\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-tools-site-health.jpg.webp\" alt=\"WordPress Tools Site Health\" class=\"wp-image-33944 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-tools-site-health.jpg.webp 544w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-tools-site-health-300x236.jpg 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 544px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 544\/428;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the <i>Site Health<\/i> page, click on <i>Info<\/i>. Then find the <i>Server<\/i> section:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1541\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress.jpg.webp\" alt=\"view server Site Health in WordPress\" class=\"wp-image-33941 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1024x789.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-768x592.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1536x1184.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-600x463.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1200x925.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-730x563.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1460x1125.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-784x604.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1568x1209.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-877x676.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1754x1352.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1999px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1999\/1541;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, you should be able to see your current PHP version:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1588\" height=\"574\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version.jpg.webp\" alt=\"view your server's PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33940 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version.jpg.webp 1588w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-300x108.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1024x370.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-768x278.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1536x555.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-600x217.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1200x434.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-730x264.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1460x528.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-784x283.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1568x567.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-877x317.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1588px) 100vw, 1588px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1588px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1588\/574;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another simple method for checking your PHP version is using your web host\u2019s control panel. For DreamHost websites, click on the <i>Manage<\/i> button next to your domain:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1894\" height=\"908\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website.jpg.webp\" alt=\"manage websites in DreamPress Panel\" class=\"wp-image-33935 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website.jpg.webp 1894w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1024x491.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-768x368.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1536x736.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-600x288.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1200x575.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-730x350.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1460x700.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-784x376.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1568x752.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-877x420.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1754x841.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1894px) 100vw, 1894px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1894px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1894\/908;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, find the section labeled <i>PHP<\/i>. This will list your site\u2019s PHP version:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version.jpg.webp\" alt=\"modify your PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33936 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version.jpg.webp 1770w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-300x61.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1024x208.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-768x156.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1536x312.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-600x122.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1200x244.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-730x148.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1460x297.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-784x159.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1568x319.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-877x178.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1754x357.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1770px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1770\/360;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of August 2026, the newest PHP branch is 8.5, released in November 2025, and the oldest branch still receiving security fixes is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/php-8-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP 8.2<\/a>. If the version you see is older than 8.3 \u2014 WordPress\u2019s recommended minimum \u2014 you can proceed with the following steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-update-your-php-version-in-4-easy-steps\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>How to Update Your PHP Version (In 4 Easy Steps)<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you decide to update your version of PHP, we recommend taking a few precautions. Firstly, consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">backing up your website<\/a>. If anything goes wrong, you can roll back your version of PHP and then revert your site to the backed-up version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, make sure your website is fully up to date. In your dashboard, go to the <i>Updates<\/i> page and install the latest versions of WordPress, themes, and plugins:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1298\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin.jpg.webp\" alt=\"WordPress Proxy Cache plugin\" class=\"wp-image-33943 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1024x665.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-768x499.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1536x997.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-600x390.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1200x779.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-730x474.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1460x948.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-784x509.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1568x1018.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-877x569.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1754x1139.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1999px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1999\/1298;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After taking these preventative steps, you can start manually updating your PHP version. As a simpler alternative, you can also <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215722447-Contacting-DreamHost-via-email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact your hosting provider<\/a>. The host can typically handle this process for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-create-a-staging-site\"><b>Step 1: Create a Staging Site<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Updating your PHP version can cause software conflicts on your website. Therefore, it\u2019s wise to test the update in a staging environment. This creates a separate, safe environment to implement changes rather than breaking your live site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your hosting provider, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/website-staging-beginners-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">create a staging site<\/a> through your control panel. For this tutorial, we\u2019ll be using the DreamHost panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DreamPress<\/a>, DreamHost\u2019s managed WordPress hosting, you can set up your staging site in minutes. Simply open your control panel and navigate to <i>WordPress &gt; Managed WordPress &gt; Manage<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"736\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel.jpg.webp\" alt=\"DreamPress managed WordPress settings in Panel\" class=\"wp-image-33934 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1024x377.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-768x283.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1536x566.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-600x221.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1200x442.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-730x269.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1460x538.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-784x289.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1568x577.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-877x323.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1754x646.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1999px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1999\/736;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the next page, go to <i>Staging<\/i>. Then, click on <i>Create Staging Site<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1910\" height=\"1260\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress.jpg.webp\" alt=\"create a one click staging site with DreamPress managed WordPress hosting\" class=\"wp-image-33931 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress.jpg.webp 1910w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1024x676.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1536x1013.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-600x396.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1200x792.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-730x482.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1460x963.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-784x517.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1568x1034.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-877x579.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1754x1157.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1910px) 100vw, 1910px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1910px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1910\/1260;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This will set up your staging site on an automatically generated subdomain. After this, you can update your PHP version without changing your live site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-2-change-your-php-version\"><b>Step 2: Change Your PHP Version<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter your hosting provider, you can usually <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/214895317-How-do-I-change-the-PHP-version-of-my-site-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">change your website\u2019s PHP version<\/a> through your control panel. This process will look different based on your host, but you\u2019ll want to look for a MultiPHP Manager or PHP Selector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To edit your DreamHost staging site, you can simply scroll down to the <i>Configure PHP<\/i> section. This section will list your current PHP version and the most recent update option:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1074\" height=\"550\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1.jpg.webp\" alt=\"change PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33929 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1.jpg.webp 1074w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-768x393.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-600x307.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-730x374.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-784x401.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-877x449.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1074px) 100vw, 1074px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1074px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1074\/550;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To update PHP, click on <i>Change PHP<\/i> to the newest version your panel offers (<i>v8.1<\/i> when we captured these screenshots). If successful, this section will indicate that your site is up to date:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1078\" height=\"542\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version.jpg.webp\" alt=\"configure your PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33930 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version.jpg.webp 1078w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-1024x515.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-600x302.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-730x367.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-784x394.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-877x441.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1078px) 100vw, 1078px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1078px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1078\/542;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although we strongly encourage you to test PHP version changes in a staging environment, you can modify your PHP version on your live website. To do this, go to <i>Manage Websites <\/i>in your DreamHost Panel. Then, scroll down to <i>PHP<\/i> and click on the arrow to <i>Modify<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1776\" height=\"920\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version.jpg.webp\" alt=\"select PHP version in the DreamHost panel\" class=\"wp-image-33933 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version.jpg.webp 1776w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1024x530.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1536x796.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-600x311.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1200x622.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-730x378.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1460x756.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-784x406.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1568x812.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-877x454.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1754x909.jpg.webp 1754w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1776px) 100vw, 1776px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1776px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1776\/920;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lastly, select the new version you want to run on your website. Click on <i>Change PHP Version<\/i> to finish the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-3-look-for-conflicts\"><b>Step 3: Look for Conflicts<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After updating your PHP version, we recommend reviewing your plugins and themes for conflicts. Upgrading PHP may cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">common problems<\/a> such as the White Screen of Death or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">500 internal server errors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you updated a staging environment or your live site, visit the front end to see if everything is functioning correctly. If you notice any errors after browsing the website, you\u2019ll need to begin troubleshooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One common reason for WordPress errors is a plugin conflict. When issues arise, try deactivating all of your plugins using the <i>Bulk Actions<\/i> on your <i>Plugins<\/i> page:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1494\" height=\"798\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins.jpg.webp\" alt=\"deactivate WordPress plugins\" class=\"wp-image-33932 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins.jpg.webp 1494w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-600x320.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1200x641.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-730x390.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1460x780.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-784x419.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-877x468.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1494px) 100vw, 1494px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1494px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1494\/798;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To target the conflicting plugin, reactivate each plugin one by one. Then, you can download a similar plugin or delete it if it\u2019s unnecessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you face additional problems like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/fix-wordpress-fatal-error-maximum-execution-time-exceeded\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">exceeded maximum execution time<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/briefly-unavailable-for-scheduled-maintenance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">maintenance mode errors<\/a>, you might need to edit your <i>wp-config.php<\/i> file. This process could require more extensive troubleshooting, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-memory-limit-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">increasing your PHP memory limit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single__related-article\">\n\t<span>Related Article<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"single__related-article__wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single__related-article__title\">\n\t\t\t503 Service Unavailable Error: How To Fix It in WordPress\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/?p=58050\" class=\"btn btn--sm btn--brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-4-publish-changes-to-your-live-site\"><b>Step 4: Publish Changes to Your Live Site<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you implemented a new PHP version on a staging site, it\u2019s time to publish this change on your live website. Usually, you can do this in your host\u2019s control panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, DreamHost provides a simple one-click transfer of your staging data to your website. Once you\u2019re sure you\u2019ve targeted any potential conflicts, you can click on <i>Publish Staging to Live<\/i>:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"594\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live.jpg.webp\" alt=\"push staging environment to live\" class=\"wp-image-33939 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live.jpg.webp 822w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-600x434.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-730x528.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-784x567.jpg.webp 784w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 822px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 822\/594;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that publishing staging content doesn\u2019t necessarily change the live site\u2019s PHP setting. Use your host\u2019s documented process to select the tested PHP version for the live site, then repeat your front-end and dashboard checks. Keep your backup and rollback plan available in case the production environment behaves differently than staging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-faqs-about-updating-your-php-version\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>FAQs About Updating Your PHP Version<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-php-version-does-wordpress-recommend\"><b>What PHP version does WordPress recommend?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or greater. WordPress can still run on PHP 7.4 and newer releases, but PHP 7.4 and other end-of-life branches may expose your site to unpatched security vulnerabilities, so WordPress strongly recommends upgrading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-latest-version-of-php\"><b>What is the latest version of PHP?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PHP 8.5, released on November 20, 2025, is the newest branch. As of August 2026, four branches are supported: PHP 8.4 and 8.5 receive active bug fixes, while PHP 8.2 and 8.3 receive critical security fixes only. Each PHP branch gets two years of active support plus two more years of security-only support before reaching end of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-php-8-faster-than-php-7\"><b>Is PHP 8 faster than PHP 7?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For typical websites, they\u2019re closer than the hype suggests. PHP 8.0 introduced JIT (just-in-time) compilation, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.php.net\/releases\/8.0\/en.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the official release announcement<\/a> reports about 3 times better performance on synthetic benchmarks and a 1.5\u20132 times improvement on some specific long-running applications \u2014 while typical application performance is on par with PHP 7.4. The stronger reason to move to PHP 8 is support: no PHP 7 branch appears on php.net\u2019s supported versions list anymore, so PHP 7 no longer receives security fixes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-will-updating-php-break-my-wordpress-site\"><b>Will updating PHP break my WordPress site?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It usually goes smoothly, but there\u2019s no guarantee \u2014 an outdated theme or plugin can throw errors on a newer PHP version. Protect yourself by backing up your site, updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins first, and testing the change on a staging site. If something breaks, roll back your PHP version, restore your backup if needed, and troubleshoot plugin conflicts one at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-if-i-cant-upgrade-to-a-supported-php-version-yet\"><b>What if I can\u2019t upgrade to a supported PHP version yet?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask your host about your options. If your site is hosted at DreamHost, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/products\/php-extended-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP Extended Support<\/a> provides critical security patches for end-of-life versions (PHP 5.6 through 8.1) while you plan your upgrade. It\u2019s a temporary bridge, not a destination: it requires an active DreamHost hosting plan, it won\u2019t improve performance, and it\u2019s automatically removed from your account once your sites move to a supported version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-ready-for-an-upgrade\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Ready for an Upgrade?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might be hesitant to update your PHP version because you\u2019re worried about breaking your site. However, PHP updates ultimately improve the security and performance of your website. You can easily avoid any conflicts by testing changes before making them live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To review, here are the four steps you can take to update the PHP version of your website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create a staging site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Change your PHP version.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look for conflicts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publish changes to your live site.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although you can manually update your PHP version, you don\u2019t have to babysit every release. At DreamHost, compatible sites are automatically upgraded to supported PHP versions each year \u2014 and if an upgrade fails, we roll the site back to prevent downtime. And if you\u2019d rather hand off updates and upkeep entirely, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/pro-services\/management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website management pros<\/a> can take it from here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"article-cta-shared article-cta-small\"\n>\n    <div class=\"tr-img-wrap-outer jsLoading\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-img-lazy \" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder-x2.webp 2x\"  alt=\"Ad background image\" \/><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"content-btm\">\n    <h2\n      class=\"h2--md\"\n    >\n      Website Management Made Easy\n    <\/h2>\n    <p\n      class=\"p--md\"\n    >\n      Let us handle the backend \u2014 we\u2019ll manage and monitor your website so it\u2019s safe, secure, and always up.\n    <\/p>\n\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/pro-services\/management\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Learn More                    <\/a>\n\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Regularly updating your site\u2019s copy of WordPress ensures that your website will have a high level of performance and security. If your site remains on an end-of-life PHP version, it may be exposed to unpatched security vulnerabilities. Here\u2019s the short answer: WordPress recommends running PHP 8.3 or greater. You can check your current version in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1062,"featured_media":86999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"How to Update PHP (& Check Your Version) - DreamHost","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"Learn how to update PHP: check your current version, then upgrade it in a few clicks for faster load times and stronger security.","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"How to Update PHP (& Check Your Version) - DreamHost","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"Learn how to update PHP: check your current version, then upgrade it in a few clicks for faster load times and stronger security.","toc_headlines":"[[\"h-an-introduction-to-php\",\"An Introduction to PHP\"],[\"h-why-you-should-update-your-php-version\",\"Why You Should Update Your PHP Version\"],[\"h-how-to-check-your-current-php-version\",\"How to Check Your Current PHP Version\"],[\"h-how-to-update-your-php-version-in-4-easy-steps\",\"How to Update Your PHP Version (In 4 Easy Steps)\"],[\"h-faqs-about-updating-your-php-version\",\"FAQs About Updating Your PHP Version\"],[\"h-ready-for-an-upgrade\",\"Ready for an Upgrade?\"]]","hide_toc":false,"show_updated_at":"1","footnotes":""},"categories":[550,804],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","category-web-hosting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Update PHP (&amp; 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