{"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":"2025-05-21T21:11:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T04:11:17","slug":"update-php","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/update-php\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Update Your PHP Version (&#038; How to Do It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Regularly updating your site\u2019s copy of WordPress ensures that your website will have a high level of performance and security. If you forget to update your site\u2019s PHP version though, you\u2019re leaving your site vulnerable to both hackers and potential performance bottlenecks. Yikes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, it\u2019s fairly easy to check your site\u2019s current PHP version and proceed with upgrades if it&#8217;s outdated. This process 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>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><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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\/wordpress\/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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp.jpg\" alt=\"WordPress folder in FTP client\" class=\"wp-image-33942 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-1024x718.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-768x539.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-600x421.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-1200x842.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-730x512.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-folder-ftp-784x550.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-database-connection-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Connecting a website to a MySQL database<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>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>It\u2019s likely that you won&#8217;t 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-dev.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>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>Currently, WordPress recommends upgrading your PHP version to <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/about\/requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">at least 7.4,<\/a> with even greater performance possible with 8.0. This isn\u2019t required, but older versions may have reached their end of life, meaning they no longer have active support for bug fixes or security updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the main benefits of upgrading your sites to the latest PHP version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Better security:<\/b> Older PHP versions can be <a href=\"https:\/\/cybernews.com\/security\/unpatched-and-unprotected-more-than-80000-php-servers-are-vulnerable-to-cyberattacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">more vulnerable to cyberattacks<\/a>.<\/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> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.php.net\/supported-versions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Currently supported versions<\/a> have active support, with regular bug fixes and security patches.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>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><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>Ultimately, your website will be faster and more secure when it\u2019s running on the latest version of PHP. If your web host does not provide automatic updates for their customers, you can follow this manual process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><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=\"1\"><\/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>Before you get started, you should check which PHP version is currently supporting your website. If you\u2019ve installed WordPress 5.0 or higher, you can view your PHP version in your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-tools-site-health.jpg\" alt=\"WordPress Tools Site Health\" class=\"wp-image-33944 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-tools-site-health.jpg.webp 544w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress.jpg\" alt=\"view server Site Health in WordPress\" class=\"wp-image-33941 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1024x789.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-768x592.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1536x1184.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-600x463.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1200x925.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-730x563.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1460x1125.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-784x604.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-1568x1209.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/server-site-health-good-wordpress-877x676.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version.jpg\" alt=\"view your server's PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33940 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version.jpg.webp 1588w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-300x108.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1024x370.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-768x278.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1536x555.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-600x217.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1200x434.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-730x264.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1460x528.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-784x283.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/see-server-php-version-1568x567.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website.jpg\" alt=\"manage websites in DreamPress Panel\" class=\"wp-image-33935 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website.jpg.webp 1894w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1024x491.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-768x368.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1536x736.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-600x288.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1200x575.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-730x350.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1460x700.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-784x376.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-1568x752.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-panel-manage-website-877x420.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version.jpg\" alt=\"modify your PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33936 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version.jpg.webp 1770w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-300x61.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1024x208.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-768x156.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1536x312.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-600x122.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1200x244.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-730x148.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1460x297.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-784x159.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-1568x319.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/modify-php-version-877x178.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The latest PHP release is 8.1 (with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/php-8-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHP 8.2<\/a> on the way). If you have a version older than 8.0 \u2014 the version that the WordPress project suggests \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>Once you decide to update your version of PHP, we recommend taking a few precautions. Firstly, consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/10-important-reasons-to-perform-website-backup\/\" 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>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin.jpg\" alt=\"WordPress Proxy Cache plugin\" class=\"wp-image-33943 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1024x665.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-768x499.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1536x997.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-600x390.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1200x779.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-730x474.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1460x948.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-784x509.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-1568x1018.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/wordpress-proxy-cache-plugin-877x569.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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>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>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>If you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">managed DreamHost plan<\/a>, 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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel.jpg\" alt=\"DreamPress managed WordPress settings in Panel\" class=\"wp-image-33934 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel.jpg.webp 1999w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1024x377.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-768x283.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1536x566.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-600x221.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1200x442.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-730x269.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1460x538.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-784x289.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-1568x577.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreampress-managed-wordpress-panel-877x323.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress.jpg\" alt=\"create a one click staging site with DreamPress managed WordPress hosting\" class=\"wp-image-33931 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress.jpg.webp 1910w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1024x676.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1536x1013.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-600x396.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1200x792.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-730x482.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1460x963.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-784x517.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-1568x1034.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/create-staging-site-one-click-staging-dreampress-877x579.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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>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>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1.jpg\" alt=\"change PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33929 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1.jpg.webp 1074w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-768x393.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-600x307.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-730x374.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/change-php-version-8-1-784x401.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>To update PHP, click on <i>Change PHP to v8.1<\/i>. 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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version.jpg\" alt=\"configure your PHP version\" class=\"wp-image-33930 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version.jpg.webp 1078w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-1024x515.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-600x302.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-730x367.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/configure-change-php-version-784x394.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version.jpg\" alt=\"select PHP version in the DreamHost panel\" class=\"wp-image-33933 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version.jpg.webp 1776w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1024x530.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1536x796.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-600x311.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1200x622.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-730x378.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1460x756.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-784x406.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-1568x812.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/dreamhost-panel-select-php-version-877x454.jpg.webp 877w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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>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\/how-to-fix-wordpress-internal-server-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">500 internal server errors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins.jpg\" alt=\"deactivate WordPress plugins\" class=\"wp-image-33932 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins.jpg.webp 1494w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-600x320.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1200x641.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-730x390.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-1460x780.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/deactivate-wordpress-plugins-784x419.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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>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\/how-to-fix-wordpress-error-unavailable-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\tHow To Fix the 503 Service Unavailable Error in WordPress\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/503-service-unavailable-error\/\" 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>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>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\/uploads\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live.jpg\" alt=\"push staging environment to live\" class=\"wp-image-33939 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live.jpg.webp 822w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-600x434.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2022\/05\/push-staging-to-live-730x528.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.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><\/div>\n\n\n<p>This will successfully update your website\u2019s PHP version. Since you used a staging site, you won\u2019t have to worry about unexpected errors!<\/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>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>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>Although you can manually update your PHP version, you might want to avoid doing this for every new development. Here at DreamHost, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/pro-services\/management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website Maintenance<\/a> plans now include automatic PHP updates! This way, you can sit back, relax, and leave this process to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/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-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder.webp 1x, https:\/\/www-dev.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>\n","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 you forget to update your site\u2019s PHP version though, you\u2019re leaving your site vulnerable to both hackers and potential performance bottlenecks. Yikes! Fortunately, it\u2019s fairly easy to check your site\u2019s current PHP version and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1062,"featured_media":33923,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"An outdated PHP version could leave you vulnerable to hacks and performance issues. In this post, we cover reasons to upgrade and how to do it. Let's dive in.","toc_headlines":"[[\"h-an-introduction-to-php\",\"<b>An Introduction to PHP<\/b>\"],[\"h-why-you-should-update-your-php-version\",\"<b>Why You Should Update Your PHP Version<\/b>\"],[\"h-how-to-check-your-current-php-version\",\"<b>How to Check Your Current PHP Version<\/b>\"],[\"h-how-to-update-your-php-version-in-4-easy-steps\",\"<b>How to Update Your PHP Version (In 4 Easy Steps)<\/b>\"],[\"h-ready-for-an-upgrade\",\"<b>Ready for an Upgrade?<\/b>\"]]","hide_toc":false,"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 Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Update Your PHP Version - DreamHost<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An outdated PHP version could leave you vulnerable to hacks and performance issues. In this post, we cover reasons to upgrade and how to do it. Let&#039;s dive in.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/update-php\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why You Should Update Your PHP Version (&amp; How to Do It)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An outdated PHP version could leave you vulnerable to hacks and performance issues. In this post, we cover reasons to upgrade and how to do it. 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