How to check & update PHP

PHP is the coding language that WordPress is built on. WordPress recommends PHP 8.1 or newer for a safe, secure, and fast WordPress website.

How to check what PHP version your site is using

1. In your WordPress Dashboard, go to Tools > Site Health.
2. Toward the top of the page, click Info.
3. You should see a list of several options. Select Server.
4. The version of PHP your site is using will be listed next to "PHP Version."
5. If you're running anything below 8.1, proceed to the next section:

Before updating your PHP version

Click here for important steps to take before updating your PHP version.

How to update your PHP version

Updating your PHP version will always be done via your hosting provider. Therefore, instructions will vary depending on what host you have. Click here to access a list of PHP update instructions for the most common hosts.

If you have any trouble updating the PHP, contact your hosting provider directly.

PHP 8

As of fall 2023, we are now recommending PHP 8.1+ for all sites. Our themes have been tested with and are compatible with PHP versions up to 8.3.2. PHP 8 was a major update released recently. All of our themes are compatible with PHP 8. However, there are many plugins that are not yet compatible with PHP 8 (note: all plugins recommended for our themes are PHP 8-compatible). If you have an existing site with a lot of plugins installed, we would recommend waiting and staying at 7.4. For a new site, PHP 8+ is a great option! Generally the higher the PHP = the faster your site.