The quickest way to see the PHP version used by your WordPress site is Tools > Site Health > Info in the WordPress dashboard. Expand Server and read the PHP version, including the full major, minor and patch number when WordPress displays it. This is the PHP runtime serving your website, not necessarily a different PHP installation you may have on your computer.
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Check the PHP version in WordPress
WordPress includes the authoritative dashboard view in its Site Health screen. The screen reports the server configuration that WordPress is actually using and does not change any settings.
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- Sign in to your WordPress administrator dashboard.
- In the left-hand menu, select Tools.
- Select Site Health.
- Open the Info tab.
- Find and expand the Server section.
- Read the value beside the PHP version entry. Record the complete major, minor and patch number if one is shown, such as a value in the form
8.x.y.
WordPress documentation identifies this exact location—Tools > Site Health > Info—and the Server section contains PHP and other server details. The value is the PHP runtime used by the web server for WordPress.
What the value means
It is the web server’s PHP runtime
PHP is the server-side language WordPress uses to execute core files, themes and plugins before returning a page to a visitor. The version shown under Server is therefore the runtime relevant to requests handled by that WordPress installation.
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A different PHP version in a local development tool, command-line shell or another application on the same hosting account does not automatically mean that the website uses that version. For a production site, use the value reported by Site Health or the host’s setting for the website’s web server.
Major, minor and patch numbers matter
Keep the complete version when it is available. The major and minor numbers identify the PHP release family, while the patch number can identify later fixes within that family. When asking a host or a plugin developer for compatibility help, provide the full value rather than saying only “PHP 8” or “PHP 7.”
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WordPress.org’s current Requirements page recommends PHP 8.3 or greater. That recommendation is a target for a supported, maintained environment; it is not a claim that every existing theme or plugin is compatible with every PHP release immediately.
WordPress also documents that PHP 7.4 and newer can still run in legacy environments. Those releases have reached official end of life, however, so they no longer receive the normal upstream protection and may leave a site exposed to security vulnerabilities. Treat a result in that range as a reason to plan an upgrade, not as confirmation that the site is in a healthy long-term state.
Use Site Health to assess the result
After recording the version, compare it with four things before deciding what to do next:
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- WordPress core: whether the installed WordPress release supports the PHP version you want to use.
- Theme and plugin compatibility: whether the extensions that provide your site’s features have been updated for that PHP release.
- Lifecycle status: whether the PHP branch still receives security updates or is already end of life.
- Operational safety: whether you have a current backup and a way to check the site after a server-side change.
Site Health may display a recommendation or warning when the runtime is below WordPress’s preferred level. A warning means the environment deserves review; it does not identify which particular plugin or theme will fail after an upgrade.
If you cannot access wp-admin
PHP is selected at the server level by the hosting company. WordPress cannot always change it from inside the dashboard, and a user who cannot sign in cannot use Site Health’s normal path.
Look in the hosting control panel
Sign in to the hosting account and look for a section labelled PHP, PHP version, PHP settings, MultiPHP or a similar server-management option. Hosting interfaces differ, so the exact label and location depend on the provider. The setting may be attached to a domain, a site, a virtual host or an individual directory.
Read the version assigned to the domain that serves WordPress. If the panel lists several domains or applications, do not assume that the account-wide default applies to this particular site.
Ask hosting support
If the panel does not expose the setting, ask support which PHP version is assigned to the WordPress site’s web server and whether a supported PHP 8.3-or-newer option is available. Include the site’s domain and, if possible, the version currently reported by WordPress. Support can confirm the server-level value and explain any account or plan restriction.
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Why a host panel may not tell the whole story
A host can offer several PHP versions while assigning a different one to each domain. Conversely, a selector may change a configuration without immediately proving that every request is using the new runtime. Confirm the result in WordPress’s Server section after the host reports that the change is complete.
If “Site Health” is missing
WordPress 5.2 and later
WordPress 5.2 and later include the Site Health tools. On those releases, the expected path is Tools > Site Health > Info > Server. If the menu is absent even though the version should include it, check whether your account has administrator access and whether a security or management plugin is hiding dashboard menus.
Older WordPress releases
Older versions do not include the same built-in screen. The WordPress Hosting Team documents the community Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin as an option for exposing comparable health information on those installations. Install it only from a source you trust, activate it according to its documentation, and remove or replace it after bringing the old WordPress installation up to date where possible.
An old core version is itself a maintenance concern. The plugin can help reveal server details, but it does not make an obsolete WordPress release, theme or plugin safe to run indefinitely.
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Choose the right way to check
| Access route | Best use | What it establishes | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress dashboard: Tools > Site Health > Info > Server | You can sign in as an administrator | The PHP runtime WordPress reports for the web server | Unavailable if you cannot reach wp-admin |
| Hosting control panel | You have hosting access but not WordPress access | The PHP version assigned by the host to a domain or site | Labels and scope vary by provider; the assigned setting should be confirmed in WordPress afterward |
| Hosting support | The panel hides PHP controls or the assignment is unclear | The server-level version and whether another supported branch can be selected | Requires the provider to respond and may be constrained by the hosting account |
| Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin | An older WordPress release lacks Site Health | Comparable health and server information after installation | It is a workaround for older core versions, not a substitute for updating the site |
What to do before changing PHP
Finding the version and changing it are separate tasks. Site Health is primarily an information screen; it reports configuration but does not change the server.
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Make a recovery plan
- Create a current backup of the database and WordPress files, and verify that you know how to restore it.
- Note the current PHP value, WordPress version, active theme and active plugins.
- Update WordPress core, the active theme and plugins through their normal update channels before attempting a PHP migration, unless a known compatibility issue requires a different order.
- Check the documentation or support channel for any extension that has not been maintained or that specifies a PHP limit.
- If your host offers staging, test the PHP change there first. A staging result is useful evidence, but it does not replace checking the live domain after the change.
These are operational precautions rather than a promise from WordPress of a universal upgrade procedure. The safest sequence depends on the site’s code, its host and the available recovery tools.
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- Record the baseline. Write down the exact version from Tools > Site Health > Info > Server, along with the WordPress, theme and plugin versions.
- Back up the site. Ensure the backup includes both the database and the files and that its restoration method is available before you touch the server setting.
- Bring software up to date. Apply compatible WordPress, theme and plugin updates. Remove extensions that are abandoned or no longer needed rather than carrying them into a new runtime.
- Use the host’s PHP selector or support channel. Select the desired supported branch for the correct domain or ask the host to make the assignment. WordPress itself cannot perform this server-level action.
- Check the public site and dashboard. Load representative pages, sign in to wp-admin, open Site Health, and confirm that the Server section reports the intended version.
- Check important functions. Test forms, logins, checkout or other business-critical workflows that depend on plugins. Review server and WordPress error logs if the host provides them.
- Recover deliberately if necessary. If the site fails, use the host’s documented rollback option or restore the backup, then identify the incompatible component before attempting another change. Do not repeatedly switch versions without recording what changed.
Changing a selector alone does not complete a migration. The site also needs current WordPress software, compatible themes and plugins, a backup and a post-change check.
Common problems and their fixes
The PHP entry is not visible
Make sure you are on the Info tab rather than the Status tab, then expand Server. If the section is still unavailable, confirm administrator permissions and ask the host for the domain’s assigned runtime.
The version differs between two sites on one account
PHP can be assigned per domain or application. Check each WordPress installation separately and avoid applying the value from one domain to another.
The host says the version changed, but WordPress still reports the old one
Return to Site Health and refresh the Server information. If it remains unchanged, verify that the host changed the correct domain, that the request is reaching the intended server and that the provider’s change has finished. Support can resolve an assignment or caching issue that WordPress cannot diagnose from the dashboard alone.
The new version causes a fatal error or broken feature
Use the recovery plan: roll back through the host’s supported method or restore the backup, then update or isolate the theme or plugin that is incompatible. Keep a record of the old and new PHP values and the exact symptom. A PHP warning does not by itself identify the offending extension.
The site is on PHP 7.4 or another end-of-life branch
Do not treat continued operation as a security endorsement. Inventory the core, theme and plugin compatibility, back up the site and work with the host on a supported branch. If the provider cannot offer a maintained PHP version, the hosting environment may need to be replaced or migrated.
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How WordPress evaluates PHP compatibility
WordPress core includes the wp_check_php_version() function. It evaluates the runtime value PHP_VERSION and returns information covering the recommended version, minimum version, active support, security updates and whether the current version is acceptable. That logic helps WordPress produce environment guidance, but it cannot repair incompatible third-party code or override a server’s PHP assignment.
Use the function’s result and Site Health warnings as decision signals. For a production change, also consider the actual extensions installed on the site, the host’s available branches and the recovery steps you have prepared.
One-minute checklist
- Open Tools > Site Health > Info > Server.
- Record the complete PHP version shown.
- Compare it with WordPress’s current recommendation of PHP 8.3 or greater and with the lifecycle status of your branch.
- Check WordPress core, theme and plugin compatibility before changing anything.
- Back up the database and files.
- Change PHP through the hosting panel or provider support, because PHP is controlled at server level.
- Reopen Site Health and test the site’s important functions after the change.
The Bottom Line
For most sites, the definitive check is Tools > Site Health > Info > Server. If you cannot access WordPress, use the host’s domain-level PHP setting or ask support. Record the result, compare it with the PHP 8.3-or-newer recommendation and upgrade only after checking compatibility and preparing a backup.
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