How to Change Your PHP Version in cPanel

cPanel lets you change the PHP version for your website. Different PHP versions are required by different applications — for example, WordPress 6.x requires PHP 7.4 or higher, and newer versions may require PHP 8.0+. This guide shows you how to check and change your PHP version.

Step 1: Check Your Current PHP Version

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. In the Software section, click MultiPHP Manager.
3. Your current PHP version is displayed next to each domain.

Step 2: Change the PHP Version

1. In MultiPHP Manager, select your domain from the list (check the box next to it).
2. From the PHP version dropdown, select the version you want.
3. Click Apply.
4. The change takes effect immediately.

Step 3: Verify the Change

1. Create a file called phpinfo.php in your public_html folder with this content: <?php phpinfo(); ?>
2. Visit yourdomain.com/phpinfo.php in your browser.
3. Confirm the PHP version at the top of the page.
4. Delete the phpinfo.php file after checking — it exposes server details to the public.

Recommended PHP Versions

• PHP 8.2 or 8.3 — Recommended for most modern applications. Best performance and security.
• PHP 8.1 — Good for most WordPress sites and plugins.
• PHP 7.4 — Minimum recommended version. Only use if your application does not support PHP 8.
• PHP 7.3 and below — End of life. Do not use — security vulnerabilities are no longer patched.

Important Notes

• Always check your application's requirements before changing PHP. Some older plugins or themes may not be compatible with PHP 8.
• You can set different PHP versions per domain (and per addon domain/subdomain) using MultiPHP Manager.
• After changing PHP, test your website thoroughly — check all pages, forms, and functionality.
• If your site breaks after a PHP upgrade, you can downgrade using the same steps.
• Some PHP extensions (like ionCube) may not be available on all PHP versions. Contact support if you need a specific extension.

Troubleshooting

• Website shows a blank white page after changing PHP: A plugin or theme is incompatible with the new PHP version. Switch back to the previous PHP version, then update your plugins and themes before trying again.
• "Fatal error: Uncaught Error" messages: Your code uses deprecated PHP functions that were removed in the newer version. Update your application or downgrade PHP until the application is updated.
• Cannot find MultiPHP Manager in cPanel: Your hosting provider may not have enabled it. Contact support to request the PHP version change.
• WordPress shows "Your PHP version appears to be outdated": Go to WordPress Dashboard → Updates and follow the prompts to update WordPress and resolve compatibility issues.
• Need a PHP extension that is not enabled: Go to cPanel → MultiPHP Manager → PHP Extensions (or Select PHP Version → Extensions) to enable/disable extensions for your account. If the extension you need is not listed, contact support.

Need help? Contact our support team.