How to Check and Update Your PHP Version on WordPress

Key takeaways

• Check the version in two minutes. The number sits under Site Health, Info, Server, which is also the spot WordPress.org sends owners to.
• Match your branch to its fix. The 21 October 2026 releases are the matching fixed release, per php.net, and any lower number on the same branch is exposed.
• Which release to pick. WordPress.org points to PHP 8.3 or newer. Kinsta favours 8.4 as the steadier default and calls 8.3 fine for plugin-heavy sites.
• Old PHP still runs WordPress, which is a trap. WordPress.org says the software still runs on 7.4, yet PHP's maintainers have stopped patching 8.1 and every release before it.
• Back up and test first. Update WordPress, themes and plugins, take a backup, and rehearse the new PHP on a test copy where your host allows it.
• The switch happens at your host. The server runs PHP, which means the switch is made in your host's panel, or by the host on request.

Step 1: find your PHP version

Inside the WordPress dashboard:

1. Open Tools, then Site Health.
2. Click the Info tab.
3. Expand Server and find PHP version.

If your host's control panel shows it too, the two should match. WordPress.org's own note says that if the number is at or above 8.3 you do not need to update at this time, but the October 2026 flaws make the last part of the version matter too, such as the 36 in 8.3.36.

Step 2: match your branch to its patched release

Two cautions. PHP's own team has dropped 8.1 and older. Certain Linux distributions and paid long-term support vendors still port fixes back, which makes your host the right person to ask. Also, a ported-back fix may leave the old version number in place, so the number by itself cannot prove you are safe or exposed.

Sitting on PHP 8.2? Per the Kinsta table its security support stops in December 2026, so aim for 8.3 or 8.4 with this change.

Step 3: prepare before you switch

WordPress.org's guide lists four steps, and Kinsta adds a fifth.

1. Back up the whole site. A backup lets you roll back if anything goes wrong. Rolling back also needs your host to restore the previous PHP version.
2. Update WordPress, themes and plugins. In the dashboard, open Dashboard, then Updates, and update everything, then click around the site to check it still works.
3. Check compatibility. WordPress.org suggests the PHP Compatibility Checker plugin. It says the plugin is not perfect and can miss things or raise false alarms.
4. Fix what it finds. Ask the theme or plugin author, or replace the plugin with a maintained one that does the same job.
5. Use a staging site if you can. Kinsta recommends a staging copy so you can test the newer PHP away from the live site.

Plugins most likely to cause trouble, in Kinsta's words, are older commercial plugins with legacy code, niche add-ons from small teams, and anything not updated in the past year. Kinsta also says PHP 8.4 introduced a deprecation that currently affects some popular plugins and fills error logs with warnings, which it says will become fatal errors in a later PHP version.

Step 4: change the version at your host

How you do this depends on the host. WordPress.org says PHP is installed on the server, so you either use your host's settings or ask the host to do it, and it keeps a list of hosts that have published instructions.

As one example, on Kinsta you go to WordPress Sites, pick the environment, open Tools, and press Change on the PHP settings card. Kinsta says the change can take up to three minutes and restarts the PHP engine, with a couple of seconds of downtime for the WordPress admin only.

If your host has no switch, email them. This works on any host:

Hello, I want my WordPress site to run on a supported, fully patched PHP version after the 21 October 2026 security release. Which PHP version does my site use now, and can you move it to 8.3 or higher with the fixed patch level? Please tell me when it is done.

Step 5: test the site

• Load the home page, a blog post, a contact form and, if you sell, a test checkout.
• Log in to the admin and open the plugin and theme screens.
• If you see a white screen or a 500 error, Kinsta's advice is to deactivate plugins and switch them back on one at a time, and to check the error log to find the culprit.
• If one plugin will not run on the new version, update it, ask the author, replace it, or as a last resort go back one PHP version until it is fixed. Kinsta does not recommend staying on an older version.

Step 6: confirm the fix is in

Return to the same Site Health screen and read the PHP version once more. You want the fixed patch number or newer for your branch, such as 8.3.36 or higher. After that, get your host to confirm in writing that the security fix is in place, since a few distributions port fixes back without touching the version number. Our host questions guide lists what to ask.

When an immediate update is not possible, our main guide to the PHP vulnerability of October 2026 covers the risks and the temporary settings in full. Related reading: WordPress PHP requirements, checking PHP versions and who patches PHP.

Want more detail on a single part of the job? These guides go deeper: how to check plugins work with PHP 8.3, how to back up WordPress before a PHP update, how to test a PHP update on a staging site, fixing the critical error after a PHP update, upgrading safely from PHP 7.4.

How we help

Amariq builds and looks after WordPress sites. PHP, plugin and theme updates follow a routine we keep tight: a backup, a brief plugin list, then tests on either side of the switch. You can read about the work on our WordPress development and Webflow maintenance pages. Done with server upkeep? Webflow migration takes a WordPress site to a platform with no PHP at all, and the URLs stay the same. For the money side, see where this task fits in a year of upkeep in our website maintenance costs guide. Prefer not to do the switch yourself? Our PHP update service covers the backup, the change and the testing, and our guide to hiring a helper shows what to expect.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the PHP version shown in WordPress?

Open Site Health in the dashboard, go to the Info tab and look inside the Server block. A host's panel is the second place to look.

What PHP version should WordPress use in 2026?

Right now WordPress.org advises running PHP 8.3 or above. Kinsta recommends 8.4 as the safer default, with 8.5 a good option if your stack supports it. For the October 2026 flaws, use at least the fixed release on your branch.

Will updating PHP break my site?

It can, because themes and plugins may use code that newer PHP no longer accepts. WordPress.org says reputable plugins almost certainly work, but should be tested. Back up first and test on staging if you can.

Can I update PHP without my host?

Usually not. Because PHP lives on the server, only your host's settings or the host itself can change it. If you manage your own server, you update the PHP packages yourself.

What if my host is slow to update?

Ask in writing for a date. A vague answer combined with a PHP number under the patched releases is a reason to consider another host or a managed plan. WordPress.org suggests that self-managed hosting on anything older than PHP 8.2 should consider going offline during the update.

Do I need to update WordPress too?

Not for these flaws, since WordPress.org says none is required or planned. Updating WordPress, themes and plugins first is still sensible, because it is the opening step before any PHP change.

Can I roll back if it fails?

Yes, as long as a backup exists and your host is able to restore the earlier PHP version. WordPress.org says to contact the host to move PHP back, then restore the backup.