WordPress will still run on PHP 7.4+ and MySQL 5.5.5+, however, with the recently launched WordPress version 7.0, PHP 8.3 is now the recommended, optimal version.
In real terms, consider this example:
Let’s say you have the iPhone 11 model. Right now, Apple still supports this model as it remains compatible with the latest iOS software. But in the next year to two years, as Apple does, your iPhone will no longer be able to run on the latest software.
Eventually, you will not be able to update your existing apps, you’ll be unable to download most new apps, and your phone will increasingly become exposed to security vulnerabilities because current technology has surpassed the capabilities of your phone.
When this happens, you’re faced with the option of either continuing as you are, accepting the risks involved, or upgrading your phone to a newer model, where support is available.
Upgrading is strongly recommended.
What you need to understand
Here’s a brief, plain-English explanation into what’s happening – to give you some insight.
1. PHP powers your website behind the scenes
PHP is the programming language WordPress runs on. Think of it as the engine underneath your site – it’s what allows your content to be dynamic and connected to your hosting environment. Typically, the version of PHP that your site runs on depends on when your site was built or last redeveloped.
2. Older versions are no longer being maintained
PHP 7.4 reached its official end of life in November 2022. This means it no longer receives security patches. WordPress is now raising its minimum supported PHP version in response. WordPress has done this in the past, and will do it again in the future in line with the latest technological advancements.
3. Plugins are where the risk becomes real
Your site’s plugins power everything from contact forms to SEO. As PHP 7.4 ages out, plugin developers stop supporting it – meaning updates become unavailable and security gaps go unfixed.
4. Your hosting provider is already flagging this
Hosting companies are contacting clients directly to advise them of this. This is a genuine, industry-wide shift – acting now gives you the most options and the most time.
Why now?
If you are affected by this, then your website was built at a time when PHP 8.4 wasn’t yet available. This is comparable to a car that ran perfectly five years ago which may now need updated parts (or a replacement) – your website’s foundations need to be brought forward to adapt to the current digital security climate.
What’s the path forward?
We’re not here to push you in any direction, as it is important for you to make your own informed choice. Below is an honest summary of each option, including what it involves, what it costs in broad terms, and what risk it carries.
Option A
Take no action – and acknowledge the risk
Your site continues as it is. No further action is taken with it.
You can choose to defer this for now and carry on with your current version of PHP, even after being made aware of the risks. We will not be able to accept accountability for the security of a site running on end-of-life software.
⚠ Higher risk over time
Most common choice
Option B
Migrate your existing website to PHP 8.4
The same look and feel, but with updated foundations.
We move your current site onto a modern stack that supports PHP 8.4. Your site will look and function exactly as it does today, as the work is entirely behind the scenes. Because every site is different, we work on a time-and-materials basis and keep you informed at each stage.
✓ Significantly reduced risk
Option C
Commission a new website project
A fresh start on modern technology with a new website on PHP 8.4.
If your site is several years old, this may be a natural moment to consider a full rebuild – to refresh the design, improve performance, or reflect how your business has evolved. This involves a full design phase and content review, takes longer than Option B, but results in something built specifically for today (i.e. the ‘full face lift’).
✓ Lowest long-term risk
Let us know your choice
Whether you want to go ahead, ask a follow-up question, or confirm you’ve read this – click here to get in touch with us.
Because PHP 8.4 didn’t exist yet when your website was built. Your site was developed on the best available technology at the time. PHP versions follow a release cycle much like any software – what was current two or three years ago is now being superseded. This is completely normal and not a reflection of how your site was built. The same thing has happened to millions of WordPress websites around the world.
We understand why that question might cross your mind, and it’s a fair one to ask. The honest answer is no. Option B – migrating your existing site – is the most common choice and doesn’t involve any new design work at all. A new website is only listed because for some clients this genuinely is a natural moment to consider one. We’d rather give you accurate information than push you towards a more expensive solution.
Option A costs nothing immediately – but carries increasing risk over time. Options B and C both involve professional time, so there is a fee associated with each. For Option B we work on a time-and-materials basis: we can give you an estimated range once we’ve reviewed your site, but the final cost depends on what we find when we begin. We commit to keeping you informed before proceeding with anything that would significantly affect the cost. For Option C we can provide a fixed project quote after an initial scoping conversation.
In the short term your site will continue to function as normal. Over time, plugin updates will become unavailable as developers stop supporting outdated PHP versions – meaning known security vulnerabilities go unpatched. Your hosting provider may also enforce a PHP upgrade on their end, which can break your site without warning if it hasn’t been prepared. The risks are real, but they build gradually rather than all at once.
No – not if you choose Option B. The goal of a migration is to replicate your existing site exactly, just on a modern technical foundation. You’ll notice no visual changes. The only differences are behind the scenes: your site will be running on supported software and will once again be able to receive plugin and security updates.
Option B is typically completed in a fraction of the time a new build requires. The timeline varies depending on the complexity of your site, but most migrations are completed within a few weeks from when we begin. During the migration your existing website remains live and unaffected – we work on a separate staging environment before making any changes to what your visitors see.
Almost certainly yes. Hosting providers are proactively contacting clients whose sites are running on PHP 7.4 or earlier. If you’ve received that email, it confirms the issue is genuine and that your hosting environment is already flagging the need for action. We’re reaching out now so you can make this decision on your own terms, rather than being forced into it at short notice.
All of your content – text, images, blog posts, forms, files – is carried across in full. A migration is not a rebuild; nothing is removed or redesigned. For Option C, content migration is handled differently: it involves reviewing what to carry forward, what to update, and how to restructure it within a new design, which is part of why it takes longer.
When your website was delivered it was built to the specifications and technologies appropriate at the time – and it has served you well since. PHP end-of-life is an industry-wide shift that affects every website owner; no individual agency is responsible for changes made by the PHP and WordPress communities. Our role is to make sure you’re informed, give you clear options, and carry out whatever work you choose to commission. We’re happy to discuss this further if you’d like to talk it through.
