How to change the PHP version in cPanel, Plesk and hosting dashboards
Short answer
In cPanel, open MultiPHP Manager, select your domain’s checkbox, choose a version from the PHP Version menu and click Apply. In Plesk, go to Websites & Domains, click PHP for your domain, select the version and click OK. Other hosting dashboards have a similar setting, often called PHP version, PHP Selector or PHP settings. The change applies to the whole site at once, so check your plugins and theme for the new version first, and afterwards confirm the new version in WordPress under Tools → Site Health → Info → Server.
Before you change anything
The PHP version runs every plugin and your theme at once. Check them for the version you’re moving to, and fix what will break, before you switch. CompatNav, a free plugin on wordpress.org, does it on your own server; getting started shows how. Then back up, and if you can, try it on a staging copy first (how).
In cPanel: MultiPHP Manager
From cPanel’s documentation (docs.cpanel.net):
- Open MultiPHP Manager (in the Software section).
- “Select the checkbox for the domain that you wish to change.”
- “Select the desired version of PHP from the PHP Version menu.”
- Click Apply: “The system will change the selected domain’s PHP version.”
If the version you want isn’t in the menu, cPanel explains: “that PHP version is either not installed on the server or is not available for your account.” Ask your host. A domain marked Inherited follows the server’s default version; choosing a version explicitly fixes it for your domain.
In Plesk: PHP settings
From Plesk’s documentation (docs.plesk.com):
- “Go to Websites & Domains, find the domain whose PHP version you want to change, and then click PHP.”
- “Select the desired PHP version from the drop-down menu. If the desired PHP version is missing from the menu, contact your hosting provider.”
- Select the handler type if you’re asked to, and click OK.
Plesk adds a warning worth reading: “Different PHP versions are not 100% compatible.” That’s the reason for the check before switching.
In other hosting dashboards
Hosts with their own dashboards usually have a setting named PHP version, PHP Selector, MultiPHP or PHP settings, per site or per domain. If you can’t find it, or the version you need isn’t offered, ask your host’s support: it’s a routine request.
After you change it
- Confirm the version in WordPress: Tools → Site Health → Info → Server → PHP version (how to read it). The full number should be patched: 8.3.36, 8.4.27, 8.5.12 or later.
- Open your important pages and the admin area.
- Keep a debug log for a week (how).
- Something broken? Switch back the same way, then find the cause (how to downgrade).
Key takeaways
- cPanel: MultiPHP Manager → select the domain → PHP Version menu → Apply.
- Plesk: Websites & Domains → PHP → select the version → OK.
- A version missing from the menu isn’t installed or allowed for you: ask your host.
- The panel sets the series (8.3); the patch (8.3.36) depends on the host’s updates.
- Check plugins and theme before switching; confirm in Site Health after.
Frequently asked questions
Which version should I choose?
The newest one your plugins, theme and host support, at least PHP 8.3, and patched for October 2026’s security release.
The panel shows 8.4, but Site Health shows 8.4.26. Is that patched?
No: the October 2026 fixes for 8.4 are in 8.4.27. The panel chooses the series; the host installs the patches. Ask your host to update.
Can I switch back if something breaks?
Yes, in the same place, as long as the old version is still installed. If it was PHP 8.1 or older, use it only as a short pause.
Check your own site before you upgrade
CompatNav is a free WordPress plugin. It reads the code of your plugins and themes on your own server and tells you, in plain words, what will break and what will only show notices on the PHP version you choose. It never changes your code. It can’t see problems that only appear while code runs with real data, so a quick check of your site after the upgrade still matters.
Sources
About the code examples: each output is the real output of the code shown, run with the official PHP builds, without a php.ini, with all errors reported and displayed. Only the file path was replaced by a neutral server path.