Checking the PHP version for your WordPress website is necessary in some cases.
First of all, you know that WordPress is run by PHP server-side language. According to PHP, they prefer to use the latest version of it. At the same time, some plugins, including WooCommerce, require the most recent version of PHP.
Additionally, as WordPress is run by PHP, if you install PHP (Most Recent Version), it will enrich the security of your website. For this reason, the experts suggest to do it.
Need to mention, WordPress always use PHP as their coding language. Things happen for all of their themes and plugins.
So, if any ask, why is PHP WordPress? The answer is—WordPress is nothing but a Content Management system of PHP programming language.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to check the PHP version of your WordPress website.
Why do You need To Install The Latest Version of PHP?
Yes! It is a good question. First, I will tell you, it is required to speed up your WordPress website. As WordPress ensures the highest security, it also suggests to do it. Similarly, some WordPress plugins where security is a must need, you can’t install it on your website—for example, WooCommerce, Some Security Plugins, etc. Getting data from the database, latest version of PHP will surely help.
If you see the below stats, you will understand how updated PHP helps to improve WordPress speed.
We see PHP 7 is the newest version of PHP now. In the next year, PHP declares PHP 8.0 for its users. Now let’s know how to check the PHP version of PHP.
Checking PHP Version of WordPress website:
In my case, I get the Four most reliable and easy methods of checking the PHP version of WordPress. Let’s discuss this in detail.
1. Check PHP Version From Site Health➝Tools
It is one of the easiest ways to get the PHP version from the WordPress dashboard. To check it…
- Go to Tools first, then from submenu Site Health, click on here.
- It may take 10 seconds to bring all your site’s information. Don’t close the window. Now, go to the Info tab from here. Please check the screenshot.
- From there you will get all types of information on your website. As we need to check the PHP version, click on (expand) Server section. Here, you will see all the information about your server-side language. That means PHP.
And that’s it to get the PHP version easily.
If you are not the admin of a WordPress website, you may not get this option. In this case, you may follow the below methods. It will surely help to find out the version of your PHP of your WP website.
2. Get PHP Version From Hosting Cpanel
You can get your PHP version status from cPanel also. It is another easy method. You do not need to touch any code at all. Though it may vary from hosting provider to provider. If you use a hosting that uses cPanel, you can check it easily.
- First login to cPanel dashboard using username and password. In general, you will get the cPanel login panel from www.example.com/cpanel. Change example with your website address. Confirm your cPanel login URL and do it accordingly.
- Now check and click on the icon Select PHP Version. You may search it on the search bar if you do not get it as an icon. If you can’t check the version from here, you may need to contact the hosting provider. Although you can check it from the MultiPHP Manager also.
- Even you can upgrade the PHP version as well from MultiPHP Manager. We always recommend to contact with hosting provider to change anything of it.
Hope, now you have got the version of PHP from cPanel. If not, you can try the below one.
3. Get From URL Of Your Website by Writing A Line Of Simple PHP Code
If you have not access of cPanel or you are getting quick support from the hosting provider, you may follow this method via FTP client. It is another easy method. You have to create a file with a small line of code. Do it as like the mentioned below.
- Open any Text Editor on your computer—for example, Notepad.
- Now create a new file named phpversion.php
- Now write the below code into that file. You can copy and paste for doing it quickly.
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
- Save the file now.
- At this time, login to your FTP client with your username and password.
- In the WordPress directory (root) of your file (/public_html), upload the above-created file named phpversion.php
- When uploading is complete, open a web browser from your computer.
- Now type www.example.com/phpversion.php into the web browser. In my case, www.speedhost.com.bd/phpversion.php
- It will display all the detailed information related to PHP. You will get the PHP version as well.
I hope now you will get the version information of PHP without any hassle. If happens, let’s check another straightforward method.
4. Get PHP Version Using Plugin
I rarely suggest to use a plugin to get the version of PHP in WordPress. Generally, you will find the information following the above methods easily. In case of failure in all the above ways, you may check to install a simple plugin. You will get Version Info or Display PHP Version plugin to do it.
- Just install any of the mentioned plugins. It will display the important version in the dashboard. You may uninstall the plugin when you have no need for it because some of the plugins may cause security issues in your website.
Is it not very simple?
To Sum It Up:
I give important here to use the most reliable and newest version of PHP. For this reason, I face many questions from others about how to check the PHP version in WordPress! I hope it would help all the WordPress users. If you have any further questions related to website management, hosting or speeding up of your website, you may contact us anytime. We are always ready to support you. Thanks a lot for staying with us.
