How to check your WordPress PHP Version

Did you know that almost 3 out of 4 WordPress sites are running on an old PHP version (75%).? PHP 8.0 and below have reached end-of-life support.?

It’s good to check your WordPress PHP version is on a supported PHP version - Currently PHP 8.1+

How to check your PHP version:

• In the backend of WordPress go to Tools > Site Health > Info > Server
• Here is a step by step guide on how to find this information in Site Health: https://app.tango.us/app/workflow/How-to-check-your-website-PHP-Version---WordPress-41838f42e5ba47a79c37e69f922255f3

Check with your hosting provider:

• You can always reach out to your hosting provider to find out what your PHP version is.?

Before you update your PHP version:

• Always check you have a current backup
• You can test your PHP version on a staging site to ensure it runs smoothly
• Make sure all plugins, themes and WordPress versions are up to date before updating your PHP version

How do I know if the plugins or themes are compatible with the latest version?

• The best option is to test on a staging site
• You can try this plugin https://wordpress.org/plugins/php-compatibility-checker/ which check all code on your site and flags possible issues.

After updating your PHP version:

• Check the site to see if it’s viewing as expected - before sure to check 15 min later incase the php version takes a while to update.
• Make sure you take a close look and check multiple pages on your site.

Benefits of updating your PHP version:

• Reduce vulnerabilities
• Improve site speed and performance - PHP 8.2 is significantly faster than the previous versions with faster execution times and less memory usage
• Improve the overall security of your site keeping your data safe
• Newer versions are better at countering hackers
• New features and improvements - for example, preloading

If you need help updating your PHP version, feel free to contact me and I can help you. Some old website servers won't have the latest PHP versions - if this is the case we can also assist you with hosting with all the latest technology available.?

If you have any questions let me know.