PHP is one of the most important components of WordPress, as it powers the core functionality and features of the platform. However, many WordPress users are unaware of the benefits of keeping their PHP version up to date, or how to do it.
In this blog post, we will explain why you should upgrade PHP on WordPress, how to check your current PHP version, and how to update it using cPanel. By following these steps, you can make your WordPress website faster, more secure, and more compatible with the latest WordPress features.
Why You Should Upgrade PHP on WordPress
PHP is a programming language that WordPress uses to run its code and interact with the database. It is constantly being improved and updated by its developers, who release new versions with better performance, security, and compatibility.
By upgrading PHP to WordPress, you can enjoy the following benefits.
Faster website speed
Newer versions of PHP are more efficient and can execute code faster than older ones. This means your website can load faster and handle more traffic without slowing down. According to WordPress.org, updating to WordPress’s recommended PHP version (currently 7.4 or higher) can deliver a performance increase that will benefit all visitors to your website.
Improved security
Newer versions of PHP also have the latest security features and fixes for known vulnerabilities. This makes your website more resistant to hacking attempts and malware infections. Older versions of PHP (lower than 7.4) do not have this, so updating is essential to keep your WordPress site secure.
Better compatibility
WordPress itself and many plugins and themes require a certain minimum PHP version to work properly. By upgrading PHP on WordPress, you can ensure that your website is compatible with the latest WordPress features and updates, as well as avoid potential errors and conflicts with plugins and themes.
How to Check Your Current PHP Version
Before you upgrade PHP on WordPress, you need to know what version of PHP your website is currently using. This will help you determine if you need to update it or not, and what version you should choose.
There are several ways to check your PHP version, but one of the easiest ones is to use the Site Health tool in WordPress.
To do this, follow these steps:
Log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Tools > Site Health from the sidebar menu.
Click on the Info tab at the top of the page.
Scroll down to the Server section and look for the PHP version field. This will show you the current PHP version used by your server.
Alternatively, you can also use a plugin like Display PHP Version or WP HealthCheck to check your PHP version from your dashboard.
If your PHP version is at or higher than 7.4, then you don’t need to update it at this time. However, if it is lower than 7.4, then you should upgrade it as soon as possible.
How to Upgrade PHP on WordPress Using cPanel
One of the most common ways to upgrade PHP on WordPress is to use cPanel, which is a web hosting control panel that allows you to manage various aspects of your hosting account.
Most WordPress hosting providers offer cPanel access to their customers, and many of them also let you change your PHP version from there. However, the exact steps may vary depending on your hosting provider and cPanel interface.
Here is a general guide on how to upgrade PHP on WordPress using cPanel.
Log in to your cPanel account using the credentials provided by your hosting provider.
Scroll down to the Software section of the cPanel home screen and click on Select PHP Version.
Select the PHP version that you want to use from the drop-down list. You can choose from different versions ranging from 5.6 to 8.0. We recommend choosing 7.4 or higher for optimal performance and security.
Click on Set as current to update the PHP version.
The PHP version is now updated to the latest version or selected version.
Return to WordPress and check if everything is working fine. If you encounter any issues or errors, you may need to deactivate some plugins or themes that are not compatible with the new PHP version.
Conclusion
Upgrading PHP on WordPress is an important task that can improve your website’s speed, security, and compatibility. By following this guide, you can easily check your current PHP version and update it using cPanel.
However, before you upgrade PHP on WordPress, make sure you back up your website files and database in case something goes wrong. You can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to create and restore backups of your WordPress site.
We hope this blog post has helped you learn how to upgrade PHP on WordPress. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. And if you need more help with WordPress, check out our other blog posts on how to upgrade WordPress, how to upgrade WordPress version, whether can you upgrade WordPress later, upgrade WordPress to PHP, and upgrade WordPress website. Happy WordPressing!
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Privacy Policy
Last Updated On 10-Apr-2024
Effective Date 10-Apr-2024
This Privacy Policy describes the policies of Infydots Technologies, 206, The Platina, Dr Yagnik Rd, Opp. Jagnath Temple, Sardarnagar, Rajkot, Gujarat 360002, India, email: info@infydots.com, phone: +91 9924064972 on the collection, use and disclosure of your information that we collect when you use our website ( https://www.infydots.com/ ). (the “Service”). By accessing or using the Service, you are consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not consent to the same, please do not access or use the Service.We may modify this Privacy Policy at any time without any prior notice to you and will post the revised Privacy Policy on the Service. The revised Policy will be effective 180 days from when the revised Policy is posted in the Service and your continued access or use of the Service after such time will constitute your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. We therefore recommend that you periodically review this page.
Information We Collect:
We will collect and process the following personal information about you:
Name
Email
Mobile
How We Use Your Information:
We will use the information that we collect about you for the following purposes:
Marketing/ Promotional
Testimonials
Customer feedback collection
Support
If we want to use your information for any other purpose, we will ask you for consent and will use your information only on receiving your consent and then, only for the purpose(s) for which grant consent unless we are required to do otherwise by law.
How We Share Your Information:
We will not transfer your personal information to any third party without seeking your consent, except in limited circumstances as described below:
Analytics
We require such third party’s to use the personal information we transfer to them only for the purpose for which it was transferred and not to retain it for longer than is required for fulfilling the said purpose.We may also disclose your personal information for the following: (1) to comply with applicable law, regulation, court order or other legal process; (2) to enforce your agreements with us, including this Privacy Policy; or (3) to respond to claims that your use of the Service violates any third-party rights. If the Service or our company is merged or acquired with another company, your information will be one of the assets that is transferred to the new owner.
Retention Of Your Information:
We will retain your personal information with us for 90 days to 2 years after users terminate their accounts or for as long as we need it to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected as detailed in this Privacy Policy. We may need to retain certain information for longer periods such as record-keeping / reporting in accordance with applicable law or for other legitimate reasons like enforcement of legal rights, fraud prevention, etc. Residual anonymous information and aggregate information, neither of which identifies you (directly or indirectly), may be stored indefinitely.
Your Rights:
Depending on the law that applies, you may have a right to access and rectify or erase your personal data or receive a copy of your personal data, restrict or object to the active processing of your data, ask us to share (port) your personal information to another entity, withdraw any consent you provided to us to process your data, a right to lodge a complaint with a statutory authority and such other rights as may be relevant under applicable laws. To exercise these rights, you can write to us at info@infydots.com. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law.You may opt-out of direct marketing communications or the profiling we carry out for marketing purposes by writing to us at info@infydots.com.Do note that if you do not allow us to collect or process the required personal information or withdraw the consent to process the same for the required purposes, you may not be able to access or use the services for which your information was sought.
Cookies Etc.
To learn more about how we use these and your choices in relation to these tracking technologies, please refer to our Cookie Policy.
Security:
The security of your information is important to us and we will use reasonable security measures to prevent the loss, misuse or unauthorized alteration of your information under our control. However, given the inherent risks, we cannot guarantee absolute security and consequently, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us and you do so at your own risk.
Third Party Links & Use Of Your Information:
Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not address the privacy policy and other practices of any third parties, including any third party operating any website or service that may be accessible via a link on the Service. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.
Grievance / Data Protection Officer:
If you have any queries or concerns about the processing of your information that is available with us, you may email our Grievance Officer at Infydots Technologies, 206, The Platina, Dr Yagnik Rd, Opp. Jagnath Temple, Sardarnagar, Rajkot, email: info@infydots.com. We will address your concerns in accordance with applicable law.