How to Upgrade PHP on WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you manage your website using WordPress, you might have come across the term PHP. WordPress and many other well-known content management systems are powered by PHP, a server-side scripting language. Your WordPress website must upgrade its PHP to assure compatibility, security, and speed enhancements.

Check the WordPress Requirements

Checking the WordPress prerequisites is essential before you upgrade PHP. To find out what PHP version is required for your WordPress installation, visit the official WordPress website or go to the documentation. It is advised to upgrade to the most recent stable version for maximum security and performance.

Create a Backup

It's imperative to make a backup of your website before upgrading PHP, just like with any important modifications. This preventative approach makes sure that you can recover your website if any problems crop up while performing the upgrade. Using plugins like UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy or manually exporting your database through phpMyAdmin, you can easily back up your WordPress files and database.

Update Themes and Plugins

Make sure all of your themes and plugins are current before upgrading PHP. The use of outdated themes or plugins may cause compatibility problems or potential errors on your website because they are incompatible with the latest PHP version. The newest versions of your themes and plugins should be used to reduce problems with the upcoming PHP upgrade.

Test in a Staging Environment

Before installing the PHP upgrade on your live website, it is always advisable to test it in a staging environment. A staging environment is a copy of your website where you can test changes and see how they affect the site without making any changes to the live version. Staging environments are provided by many hosting companies, or you can create one using plugins like WP Staging or Duplicator.

Check Theme and Plugin Compatibility

Once the staging environment is configured, turn it on and thoroughly test your website. Check your themes and plugins for compatibility concerns. Check to make sure all features are operational and that no broken or error messages are present. If you run into any issues, think about contacting the theme or plugin developers for assistance or, if necessary, looking for different choices.

Upgrade PHP Version

It's time to update the PHP version of your live website now that compatibility has been confirmed and the changes have been tested in the staging environment. Depending on your hosting company, the procedure could be different, although most contemporary hosting panels provide an easy option to upgrade PHP.

cPanel

Find the "Select PHP Version" or "PHP Configuration" option if your hosting uses cPanel. You can then select the desired PHP version and make the modifications from there.

Managed WordPress Hosting

Personalized dashboards are common on managed WordPress hosting. In the control panel, look for a PHP version setting or ask their support for assistance.

Command Line/SSH

You can SSH onto your server and use programs like PHP -v to verify the current version and phenom or a2enmod to enable the appropriate version for advanced users who are familiar with using the command line.

Optimize WordPress

Take advantage of the chance to optimize your WordPress installation after you have successfully upgraded PHP and verified that everything is working as it should. carry out actions such as:

Update WordPress

Use the most recent WordPress version to take advantage of bug fixes, security updates, and new features.

Remove Unused Themes and Plugins

To streamline your WordPress installation and enhance efficiency, remove any themes or plugins you are no longer using.

Optimize Database

Utilise plugins like WP-Optimize or WP-Sweep to optimize the structure of your WordPress database and remove extraneous data.

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