When you log in to your WordPress Dashboard you see a warning notice displayed in the WordPress Dashboard which states PHP Update Recommended
Your site is running on an outdated version of PHP (7.4.33), which does not receive security updates. It should be updated.
What is PHP and how does it affect my site?
PHP is one of the programming languages used to build WordPress. Newer versions of PHP receive regular security updates and may increase your site’s performance. The minimum recommended version of PHP is 8.3.
Why you’re seeing the PHP Update Recommended notice
You see this message because your website is running an outdated PHP version.
In this example, WordPress has detected PHP 7.4.33 — a version that has reached end of life and no longer receives updates or security fixes.
When WordPress detects this, it displays the PHP warning to encourage you to upgrade.
How to fix the WordPress PHP Updated Recommended message
To resolve this warning, you’ll need to upgrade your website’s PHP version.
If your website is hosted with Ecenica WordPress Hosting you can easily update PHP in just a few clicks from your hosting control panel. See How to change PHP version
If you have a Ecenica hosting service which supports multi-domains and want to use a different PHP version per site, follow this guide instead: How to set PHP version per directory.
After updating PHP
Once you’ve updated PHP:
- Refresh your WordPress Dashboard.
- The ‘PHP Update Recommended’ notice should disappear.
- Check that your site loads correctly and that all plugins/themes work as expected.
If any plugin or theme stops working, ensure it supports your new PHP version. Most modern WordPress themes and plugins are fully compatible with PHP 8.x.
Need help?
If you’re unsure which PHP version your website is using, or you need assistance upgrading, contact Ecenica Support — we’ll be happy to help you safely update your site.
