What PHP version does WordPress require?

WordPress 7.1 requires at least PHP 7.4. WordPress 6.7–6.9 requires PHP 7.2.24, WordPress 6.3–6.6 requires PHP 7.0, and WordPress 6.0–6.2 requires PHP 5.6.20. This is a minimum requirement, not a recommendation: plugins and themes can require a newer PHP version.

How do I check my WordPress PHP version?

In the WordPress admin, open Tools > Site Health > Info > Server. The PHP version is listed there. You can also use the hosting panel: cPanel has Select PHP Version or MultiPHP Manager, and Plesk has PHP Settings. On a server, run php -v, but remember that the CLI version can differ from the PHP-FPM or Apache version.

How do I check my WordPress version?

Open Dashboard > Updates in the WordPress admin, or go to Tools > Site Health > Info > WordPress. With WP-CLI, run wp core version. A public site may expose a generator meta tag with the WordPress version, but many sites remove it.

Does this checker find my WordPress version?

It detects WordPress from the generator meta tag or from WordPress paths such as /wp-content/ and /wp-json/. It only shows a WordPress version when the generator meta tag is exposed. Even without the version, the checker can still report the PHP version and PHP2Shell status.

Is the inferred minimum PHP the actual PHP version?

No. The minimum PHP value is inferred from the detected WordPress release. It is the minimum that release requires, not the PHP version installed on the server. The actual PHP version comes from response headers or from the self-check instructions in the result panel.

Does a supported PHP version make WordPress secure?

No. WordPress core, plugins, themes, server configuration, and hosting all matter. A supported PHP branch is one important layer, especially for PHP runtime vulnerabilities such as PHP2Shell. Keep WordPress, plugins, and themes updated as well.

How do I update PHP for WordPress?

Back up the site, test the new PHP version on staging, then switch the PHP version in the hosting panel. Update WordPress, plugins, and themes, restart PHP-FPM or Apache, and verify the front-end PHP version through Site Health. If the host does not offer a supported PHP branch, consider moving to a host that does.

WordPress

WordPress PHP Version: Requirements and How to Check

WordPress runs on PHP, and the minimum PHP version depends on the WordPress release. Plugins and themes can require a newer version still. This page explains the current requirements, how to check both versions, and how to read the result for a public WordPress site.

WP 7.1 requires PHP 7.4+Minimum is not a targetPlugins may need newer

Check a WordPress site PHP end-of-life dates

Free checker

Check a WordPress site's PHP version

Paste a public URL. The checker reads the homepage headers and markup, detects WordPress when the generator meta or WordPress paths are visible, and compares the exposed PHP version with the official support and PHP2Shell data.

Free · No sign-up · We never store the URLs you check

A detected WordPress version and its minimum PHP requirement are an inference. They are not the PHP version installed on the server.

Requirements

WordPress releases and their minimum PHP version

WordPress core raises its minimum PHP requirement over time. The table below is based on the version file shipped with each core release. A minimum is a floor, not a compatibility guarantee.

Swipe horizontally to see all columns.

WordPress versions and their minimum PHP requirements
WordPress versions	Minimum PHP	Notes
7.0–7.1	7.4	Current minimum. WordPress 7.1 is the latest checked release.
6.7–6.9	7.2.24	PHP 7.2.24 minimum.
6.3–6.6	7.0.0	PHP 7.0 minimum.
5.2–6.2	5.6.20	PHP 5.6.20 minimum.
Older than 5.2	5.2.4	Not recommended for a public site.

Sources: WordPress core wp-includes/version.php and wordpress.org requirements. Plugins and themes may declare a higher requirement in their headers.

Checking your site

How to check your WordPress PHP version

Use the method that matches the access you have. If you can log in to WordPress, Site Health is usually the fastest. If you have a hosting panel, the PHP selector is authoritative for the web server.

WordPress Site Health

Log in to the WordPress admin.
Go to Tools → Site Health.
Open the Info tab, then Server.
Find the PHP version in the list.

The WordPress version appears under Info → WordPress.

Hosting panel

cPanel: Select PHP Version or MultiPHP Manager.
Plesk: Websites & Domains → PHP Settings.
Managed WordPress hosting: open the site dashboard and look for the PHP version or tools section.

Switch versions only after testing on staging.

Command line or PHP file

php -v

For the web server, upload a temporary file containing:

<?php echo PHP_VERSION; ?>

Visit it, note the version, then delete it immediately. Only do this on a site you control. The CLI and web versions can differ.

WordPress version

How to check your WordPress version

The WordPress version is different from the PHP version. Check it in Dashboard → Updates or in Tools → Site Health → Info → WordPress. If you have WP-CLI, run wp core version.

There is no reliable public WordPress version checker for every site: the admin methods are definitive, while a public generator tag is optional and often removed. The checker uses that tag when it is present. If it is missing, the checker can still detect WordPress from /wp-content/ and /wp-json/ paths, but it cannot infer the WordPress version or its minimum PHP requirement.

Which PHP version should WordPress use?

Use a supported PHP branch. The WordPress minimum is a floor, not a target: WordPress 7.1 requires PHP 7.4, but running the minimum may leave you on an older branch with a shorter support window.

Choose the newest branch that your host, plugins, and theme support. Test on staging, read plugin “Requires PHP” headers, and check the support dates before switching. PHP 8.2 reaches end of life on 31 December 2026, so a site on 8.2 should plan an upgrade now.

A WordPress site on PHP 8.1 or older is running an unsupported branch. Upgrading PHP is one of the highest-value maintenance tasks you can do.

PHP support dates Check PHP version

PHP2Shell and WordPress

PHP2Shell is a vulnerability in the PHP runtime, not in WordPress, a plugin, or a theme. Updating WordPress alone does not fix it. If a WordPress site runs on an affected PHP version, the PHP binary must be updated and the PHP-FPM, Apache, or container workers restarted.

The checker shows whether the PHP version it can see is below the first fixed release. If the version is hidden, the result panel explains how to check it directly. A patched PHP version is important, but it is still only one part of WordPress security: keep core, plugins, themes, and hosting updated too.

PHP2Shell advisory Bulk checker

FAQ

WordPress PHP questions

Short answers about WordPress requirements, checking versions, and planning an upgrade.

Official references

Minimum requirements are not a compatibility guarantee. A supported PHP branch does not by itself prove that a WordPress site is secure.

Check another WordPress site

The checker is free and does not require an account.

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