If your site is on PHP 8.1 or older, it’s running on software that no longer gets security fixes. If it’s on 8.2, that stops at the end of December 2026. That’s why your developer keeps bringing it up.
What PHP is
WordPress is written in a programming language called PHP. Every time someone loads a page, your web server runs that PHP code to build the page. So PHP is the engine, WordPress is the car built around it, and your theme and plugins are everything bolted on.
PHP is installed on your hosting server, not inside WordPress. That’s why updating WordPress doesn’t update PHP, and why the PHP version is set in your hosting control panel.
Which versions are supported right now
Each PHP version gets about two years of active development, then two years of security fixes only, then nothing. This is where things stand according to the official PHP supported versions page, at the time of writing in November 2026:
| Version | Status | Security fixes until |
|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Active support | 31 December 2029 |
| 8.4 | Active support | 31 December 2028 |
| 8.3 | Security fixes only | 31 December 2027 |
| 8.2 | Security fixes only | 31 December 2026 |
| 8.1 and older | Unsupported | Already ended |
WordPress itself recommends PHP 8.3 or greater. It will still run on older versions, but older doesn’t mean safe.
Why old PHP is a problem
Security. When a flaw is found in an unsupported PHP version, nobody fixes it. Your WordPress and plugins can be perfectly up to date and the server underneath can still have a known hole.
Plugins stop supporting it. Plugin and theme developers drop old PHP versions over time. Eventually you can’t install updates for the plugins you rely on, which leaves you stuck on old plugin versions too. That’s how one old setting turns into a site that can’t be updated at all.
Speed. Newer PHP versions are generally faster at running WordPress. The difference between a very old version and a current one is often noticeable without any other changes.
Hosts force the issue. Many hosts eventually move everyone off old versions. If that happens to a site with incompatible plugins, it breaks on the host’s schedule, not yours.
How to check your PHP version
The easiest way is inside WordPress:
- Log in and go to Tools > Site Health.
- Click the Info tab.
- Expand the Server section and look for PHP version.
Site Health will also warn you on its Status tab if your version is outdated. The WordPress Site Health documentation explains the other checks on that screen.
You can also see it in your hosting control panel. In cPanel it’s usually under “Select PHP Version” or “MultiPHP Manager”. Other hosts have their own name for it.
How to update safely
Changing the PHP version is one click in most hosting panels. The risk is that an old plugin or theme uses code the new version doesn’t accept, and the site shows an error or a blank page. These steps avoid that.
- Take a full backup. Files and database, stored off the server.
- Update everything else first. WordPress core, every plugin, the theme. Most compatibility problems are already fixed in newer plugin versions.
- Remove what you don’t use. Deactivated plugins and old themes can still cause errors.
- Test on staging if you have it. Switch the staging copy to the new PHP version and click through the site. Our guide to WordPress staging sites covers how.
- Step up one version at a time if you’re coming from something very old. 7.4 to 8.0 to 8.1 and so on makes it easier to see what broke.
- Change the version on live, during a quiet period.
- Check the site immediately. Homepage, a few inner pages, forms, checkout if you have a shop, and the WordPress admin.
- If it breaks, switch back. The change is reversible in the same panel. WordPress may also email the site admin a “recovery mode” link that lets you log in and deactivate the plugin causing the error.
The usual culprits are old page builders, abandoned plugins and custom code a previous developer added to the theme. If one plugin won’t run on a supported PHP version, it’s time to replace it, and finding a like-for-like swap is a common WordPress fix for us.
Frequently asked questions
Will my host update PHP for me?
Some do it automatically, some only when an old version is retired, and some never. Check your hosting panel rather than assuming.
My site works fine on old PHP. Why change?
It works fine until a vulnerability is found that nobody will patch, or until a plugin update needs a newer version. Moving on your own schedule is far less stressful than moving after something breaks.
Can I go straight to PHP 8.5?
If every plugin and your theme support it, yes. On older sites we usually aim for 8.3 or 8.4, which most well-maintained plugins handle comfortably, then move up later.
What to do this week
Check Site Health. If you’re on 8.2 or older, book in the update before the end of the year, starting with a backup.
PHP updates are part of what we handle for sites on our hosting and care plans, so clients don’t have to track version dates. If your site is on a subscription platform where you can’t see or change any of this, renting vs owning your website and our website ownership page explain the alternative. Can’t find the PHP version anywhere in your dashboard? We’re happy to check your site for you.