Is your website running an out-of-date version of PHP?

PHP is the programming language behind WordPress, WooCommerce, Drupal, Joomla and a huge number of small business websites. Like any software, it has security flaws, and the PHP team fixes them. But they only fix them for recent versions.

Which PHP versions are still supported?

Each PHP version gets two years of active support, then two years of security-only fixes. After that it is 'end of life': newly discovered flaws are never fixed. As of late 2026:

• PHP 8.4 and 8.5: fully supported
• PHP 8.3: security fixes only, until 31 December 2027
• PHP 8.2: security fixes only, until 31 December 2026
• PHP 8.1, 8.0, 7.x and older: end of life, no security fixes

Always check php.net/supported-versions for the current picture.

Why so many sites are behind

Hosting companies rarely force an upgrade, because newer PHP versions can break old themes or plugins. So a site built five years ago may still be on the PHP version it launched with, and nobody notices until something goes wrong.

How to check your PHP version

• Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, IONOS, etc.) and look for 'PHP version' or 'PHP settings'. In Plesk, it's in the PHP settings for your domain.
• In WordPress, go to Tools → Site Health → Info → Server. In Drupal, go to Reports → Status report. In Joomla, go to System → System Information.
• Run our free quick check. If your server publicly advertises its PHP version, we'll show it, along with whether it's still supported. It also spots WordPress, Drupal and Joomla, flags end-of-life versions, and shows who appears to host your site and whether it uses Plesk.

What to do if you're out of date

Upgrading is often one setting in your hosting panel, but test first. Take a backup, update your plugins and theme, then switch PHP versions and check your key pages (homepage, contact form, checkout). If anything breaks, you can switch back while it's fixed.

If you'd rather not risk it, our Essential Assessment checks your PHP version, plugins and setup, and gives you a clear, step-by-step upgrade plan.