WordPress PHP Requirements: Minimum and Recommended PHP Version for WordPress 7

WordPress 7.0 and 7.1 require at least PHP 7.4 and recommend PHP 8.3 or newer. PHP 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 are all fully supported. For most sites the sensible choice is PHP 8.4; for new or lean sites, PHP 8.5. Anything on PHP 8.2 or older should move now, because 8.2 gets its last security fixes on December 31, 2026.

Below: the full support table, which version to pick for your kind of site, what changed in WordPress 7.0, and a safe way to switch.

WordPress 7 PHP support at a glance

You may still read that PHP 8.4 and 8.5 have only "beta support" in WordPress. That was true earlier, but WordPress retired the "beta support" label in May 2026; its compatibility table now lists 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 as fully supported. For every PHP branch's dates, see our PHP end of life schedule.

Which PHP version your WordPress site should run

• Most sites: PHP 8.4. Fully supported, security fixes until the end of 2028, and old enough that almost every maintained plugin and theme has been tested on it.
• New sites, or sites with a small set of well-maintained plugins: PHP 8.5. It's what Ubuntu 26.04 ships and has security fixes until the end of 2029.
• Sites with old or abandoned plugins: PHP 8.3, for now. The smallest step from 8.1 or 8.2, supported until the end of 2027. Use the time to replace the plugins holding you back.
• Anything on 8.2 or older: move now. The PHP upgrade steps show how on a VPS.

Core isn't what decides this; plugins and themes are. WordPress core is tested against every supported PHP version. Plugins are only as well tested as their developers make them.

What WordPress 7.0 changed, and what it didn't

WordPress 7.0 shipped on May 20, 2026 and raised the minimum PHP version from 7.2.24 to 7.4.0, the first increase since WordPress 6.6. WordPress Core announced it in January 2026, when PHP 7.2 and 7.3 together were under 4 percent of monitored installs. The recommended version stayed at PHP 8.3.

Sites on PHP 7.2 or 7.3 don't break. They simply aren't offered WordPress 7.0 and stay on the 6.9 branch, which still receives security fixes for now. Every branch eventually loses that backported support, so treat it as a deadline.

Some articles claimed WordPress 7.0 also raised the minimum MySQL version, some saying to 8.0. That isn't in the official WordPress 7.0 server compatibility page, and at least one source later corrected the claim. The recommended databases, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6, are unchanged.

Meeting the minimum isn't the same as being safe. PHP 7.4 has been out of security support for years, so a site that qualifies for WordPress 7.0 on 7.4 is still running unpatched PHP.

How to check which PHP version your site runs

In the dashboard, go to Tools → Site Health → Info and open Server. "PHP version" is the version actually serving your site. If it's below 8.3, Site Health also shows a recommendation on the Status tab. If you manage several sites, check each one: a host's default can differ from what an individual site uses.

On a VPS, the version Nginx or Apache uses can differ from php -v on the command line. Check the running PHP-FPM service (systemctl list-units 'php*-fpm*') or trust Site Health.

How to switch PHP versions without breaking WordPress

1. Update everything first. WordPress, plugins and themes. Many PHP warnings are already fixed in a newer plugin version.
2. Look for plugins that are no longer maintained. On each plugin's WordPress.org page, check "Last updated" and "Tested up to". A plugin not updated in two years is the most likely thing to break.
3. Test on a staging copy if you have one. Most hosts can clone a site in one click. Switch staging to the new PHP version and turn on logging in wp-config.php:

   define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

   This writes problems to wp-content/debug.log without showing them to visitors.
4. Click through what matters: the home page, a post, search, contact forms, WooCommerce checkout and account pages, the editor and media uploads. Then read debug.log.
5. Switch production in your host's control panel, or on a VPS by installing the new PHP-FPM version and pointing the web server at it (step by step in our PHP upgrade guide). Keep the old version installed for a few days so you can switch back.

Reading what debug.log tells you

• "PHP Deprecated: …": not a problem today. The code uses something PHP will remove in a future version, so report it to the plugin developer. On PHP 8.4 the most common one is about implicitly nullable parameters.
• "PHP Warning: …": worth looking at, especially if it repeats on every page.
• "PHP Fatal error: …": something broke. The message names the file, which tells you which plugin or theme is responsible. Switch back, update or replace that plugin, and try again.

Does a newer PHP make WordPress faster?

Usually somewhat, but don't expect a big jump between 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5. The large gains came with PHP 7 and 8.0. Caching makes much more difference today: a page cache, plus a persistent object cache like Redis for busy or logged-in sites (see Redis object cache without running out of memory). Upgrade PHP for security and support; tune caching for speed.

FAQ

What is the minimum PHP version for WordPress 7?

PHP 7.4. WordPress recommends 8.3 or newer.

What is the recommended PHP version for WordPress?

PHP 8.3 or newer. In practice, 8.4 for most sites and 8.5 for new or lean ones.

Is PHP 8.5 safe for WordPress?

For core, yes: WordPress 7.0 and 7.1 list 8.5 as supported. Whether your site is safe on it depends on your plugins and theme, so test first.

Do I need to upgrade MySQL for WordPress 7.0?

No. The official requirements didn't change the database minimum. MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 remain the recommendation.

Should I use PHP 8.6 when it comes out?

Not straight away. It's due on November 19, 2026, and WordPress hasn't listed it as supported yet. Wait until WordPress and your important plugins say they support it.

My host only offers PHP 8.1. What should I do?

PHP 8.1 has been end of life since December 31, 2025. Ask your host when newer versions will be available. If they can't say, that's a good reason to move hosts.

Checked on 2 November 2026 against WordPress's PHP compatibility table, its requirements page and php.net's supported versions page. Sources: Make WordPress Core; WordPress 7.0 server compatibility.

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