How to change your PHP version

PHP & Development··· 1,096 views· 3 min read

You can choose which PHP version your site runs on, from the older releases up to the most recent ones, and turn extensions on or off - all from cPanel, without asking us.

Changing the version

1 In cPanel, open Select PHP Version.
2 Pick the version from the list at the top and click Set as current.
3 Reload your site and check it still works. The change takes effect immediately.

Enabling an extension

1 On the same page, the Extensions tab lists everything available for the chosen version.
2 Tick what your application needs - common ones are imagick, soap, intl and zip.
3 Changes save on their own; no restart needed.

Which version should you use

1 Follow what your application asks for. WordPress, Laravel and the rest publish the versions they support.
2 Prefer a recent version - it's faster and, more importantly, still receives security fixes.
3 Old versions are there for compatibility, not as a good choice. Anything below 8.0 no longer gets official security updates.
Changed the version and the site broke? Go back to the previous version in the same place - it's instant and reversible. Then check the site's error log to see which function is missing before trying again.
Testing before committing. If the site is important, test the new version on a copy in a subdomain first - see how to create a subdomain.

Not sure which version your application needs? Ask us.

Open a support ticket

Where to see it in your account

  • The list at the top of Select PHP Version is the real list for your server. We do not repeat version numbers here because they can differ between servers and change over time.
  • The version marked as current is the one your site uses today. You can choose a different one for each domain.
  • If your cPanel also shows MultiPHP Manager, it lists your domains and the version each one uses, and lets you change them there.
  • If a version your application needs is not in the list, open a ticket and tell us which one.

SEE ALSO

How to install WordPress in a few clicks

Creating databases and using phpMyAdmin

FTP accounts and connecting with FileZilla

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