# Changing the PHP Version in the Hosting Customer Area > Change the PHP version in hosting without putting the website at risk: preparation, the right target version, testing after the switch and the way back. Source: https://phpsos.de/en/blog/php-version-hosting-aendern/ As of: 25/10/2026 Provider: PHP SOS, PHP emergency help and server security. Immediate help via WhatsApp: https://wa.me/491736494914?text=Hello%20PHP%20SOS%2C%20we%20need%20help%20with%20our%20PHP%20server.%20Company%3A%20%E2%80%A6%20Website%3A%20%E2%80%A6 **In short:** You usually change the PHP version in hosting in the customer area under an item such as "PHP settings" or "PHP version", often separately for each domain. Beforehand you need a backup and your CMS's system requirements, afterwards a functional test. Important after PHP2Shell: the selection only determines the PHP branch. Whether that branch is patched has to be confirmed to you by the hosting provider. ## Why so many people are changing the PHP version now Since PHP2Shell, many website operators are looking at their hosting settings for the first time in years. There they often find PHP 7.4 or 8.1, because the site was set up that way once and nobody ever looked. The PHP project no longer supplies these branches with releases; against PHP2Shell it merely provided minimal source code fixes for 7.4, 8.0 and 8.1. With most hosting providers, the switch is one click. That is exactly what makes it risky: an older website whose code was not written for newer PHP versions may afterwards show only an error message. With some preparation, this can be avoided. What the hosting provider takes on in connection with PHP2Shell and what is up to you is described on the page [Shared hosting: what the host does](https://phpsos.de/en/server/shared-hosting/). ## The selection in the panel is not the patch A common misunderstanding: anyone who switches from 8.2 to 8.3 in the customer area has not automatically closed PHP2Shell by doing so. You choose a branch that the hosting provider makes available. Whether this branch contains the fixes, that is, is at 8.3.36 or has a confirmed backport, is in the hands of the hosting provider. Conversely: if your current 8.2 branch is patched at the hosting provider, you are protected against PHP2Shell even without a switch. Moving to a newer version still makes sense, because PHP 8.2 reaches the end of support on 31 December 2026. Have the patch level confirmed in writing; a template for this is offered by the guide [Asking the hosting provider about patch status](https://phpsos.de/en/ratgeber/hoster-patch-status-erfragen/). ## Changing the PHP version in hosting: step by step Menu names differ from provider to provider. In the customer area, look for terms such as PHP settings, PHP version, PHP configuration or scripting languages. With many providers, the selection is in the management of the individual domain. 1. **Note the current state:** Which PHP version runs for each domain and subdomain? A screenshot of the settings helps with the way back. 2. **Create a backup:** Files and database, preferably via the hosting provider's backup function and additionally as a download. 3. **Check requirements:** Which PHP versions does your CMS or shop support in the installed version? This is in the vendor's system requirements, for example on wordpress.org, shopware.com or typo3.org. 4. **Update extensions and themes:** Outdated plugins are the most common cause of errors after a PHP change. Update them before the switch. 5. **Use a test environment if available:** Many hosting providers offer staging or a copy on a subdomain. Switch there first. 6. **Switch:** Choose the new version, save, wait a few minutes. Some hosting providers do not apply the change immediately. 7. **Test:** Open the home page, contact form, login, search, shopping cart and payment process, log in to the admin area and save. 8. **Read the error log:** In the customer area there is usually a PHP error log. Warnings after the switch show where adjustments are needed. > **Tip:** > Switch outside main business hours and make sure that a person who knows the website can be reached in the hour afterwards. Errors often only show up in functions that are rarely used. ## Which version is the right one? Choose the newest version that your application officially supports. The reason is simple: every PHP branch receives security updates for a limited time only. The newer the branch, the longer you have peace of mind. php.net gives the current lifetimes on its page of supported versions; how the cycle works is explained on the page [PHP versions and release cycle](https://phpsos.de/en/php/release-zyklus/). | Branch | Fixed version (PHP2Shell) | Assessment | |---|---|---| | PHP 8.5 | 8.5.12 | currently supported | | PHP 8.4 | 8.4.27 | currently supported | | PHP 8.3 | 8.3.36 | currently supported | | PHP 8.2 | 8.2.35 | support ends on 31 December 2026 | | PHP 8.1 and older | no official release | only source backports or vendor backports | If your application does not support any version from 8.2 onward, the switch alone is not possible. The application then has to be updated or replaced first. Our service [Migration from PHP 8.1 and older](https://phpsos.de/en/leistungen/php-migration-legacy/) describes this route. ## Typical stumbling blocks after the switch A white page or a 500 error usually points to a plugin or theme that does not tolerate the new version. The error log generally names file and line. Deactivate the culprit or temporarily switch back. Custom PHP settings are sometimes lost during the change. Anyone who had set a higher upload limit or a longer runtime for scripts, for example, should check whether these values still apply to the new version. Take care not to overwrite any interim measures by the hosting provider against PHP2Shell. If the website shows old content or strange errors after the switch, a cache may be to blame. Clear the cache of the CMS and any caching plugins. If the problem remains, ask the hosting provider whether server-side caches have to be rebuilt. Do not forget subdomains, test installations and old directories. A long-forgotten copy of the website on PHP 7.4 is just as vulnerable as the main site. How to get rid of such legacy items is described in the article [Shutting down old PHP versions](https://phpsos.de/en/blog/alte-php-versionen-abschalten/). ## How does PHP SOS help? - We record which PHP versions run on your domains and subdomains and clarify the patch level with the hosting provider. - We check your application's compatibility and switch in a test environment first. - We accompany the switch, evaluate the error log and fix errors or roll back in a controlled way. - Where the application cannot tolerate a supported version, we plan the migration and secure the transition period. ## Frequently asked questions **Does switching to a newer PHP version close PHP2Shell?** Only if the hosting provider has patched the chosen version itself. In the customer area you usually only choose the branch, such as 8.3. Whether this branch is at 8.3.36 or a confirmed backport is decided by the hosting provider. **Which PHP version should I choose?** The newest version that your CMS or shop supports according to the vendor's system requirements. PHP 8.2 reaches the end of support on 31 December 2026, so 8.3 or newer is the better choice if your application allows it. **What happens if the website stops working after the switch?** Set the previous version again in the customer area. Note the error message from the error log and have the cause fixed before you try again. Do not stay on a version without security updates permanently. **Can I set different PHP versions for different domains?** With many hosting providers, yes, per domain, subdomain or directory. That is handy for tests, but it carries the risk that an old version keeps running on a forgotten subdomain. ## Sources - [php.net: Supported versions](https://www.php.net/supported-versions.php) - [php.net: security announcements](https://www.php.net/) - [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/)