How to Change PHP Version on Hostinger in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

1. What Is PHP and Why Does Its Version Matter?

PHP is a server-side programming language used by WordPress and many other content management systems. When someone visits a WordPress page, PHP processes the website's code and works with the database to generate the content that appears in the browser.

PHP receives regular updates that introduce improvements, security fixes, and changes to language features. These changes can affect how your website's themes, plugins, and custom code work.

Why should you keep PHP updated?

2. Which PHP Versions Are Available on Hostinger?

Hostinger's PHP Configuration page provides a list of PHP versions available for your hosting plan. The available choices can change as older versions are deprecated and newer releases are introduced.

According to Hostinger's current documentation, the hPanel selector offers supported PHP versions from 8.2 through 8.5. PHP versions 8.1 and older are no longer available for new selection in the dashboard.

The list shown in your own hPanel is the authoritative source for the versions available to your account. Hostinger may update the selector as its supported PHP versions change.

3. What to Check Before Changing PHP on Hostinger

Changing PHP can affect how your website runs. Prepare your website before switching versions so that you can recover quickly if an incompatibility appears.

Create a website backup

Back up both website files and the database. A backup gives you a recovery option if the website stops working after the PHP update.

Check WordPress compatibility

Make sure your WordPress version, active theme, and installed plugins support the PHP version you want to use. Review the developers' compatibility information where available.

Update website components carefully

Install supported updates for WordPress, themes, and plugins. Do not update every component and change PHP simultaneously if you are already troubleshooting an issue. Make changes in a controlled sequence so you can identify the cause of a problem.

Check whether your website uses custom PHP code

If your website contains custom functions, snippets, or third-party integrations, review them for compatibility. Older PHP functions may have changed or been removed in newer releases.

Consider testing on staging

If your hosting plan includes a staging environment, test the PHP change there first. This is especially useful for business websites, stores, membership sites, and websites with custom functionality.

4. How to Check Your Current PHP Version on Hostinger

Before changing PHP, find out which version your website currently uses. You can check this through the PHP Info section in Hostinger hPanel.

Method 1: Check PHP Info in hPanel

1. Log in to your Hostinger hPanel account.
2. Open the Websites section.
3. Find the website you want to check and click Manage site.
4. Search for PHP Info in the dashboard sidebar.
5. Open PHP Info to view the active PHP version and configuration details.

The PHP Info page can also show PHP extensions, configuration options, and limits such as max_execution_time.

Method 2: Check through WordPress Site Health

You can also check the PHP version from your WordPress dashboard:

1. Log in to WordPress Admin.
2. Go to Tools → Site Health.
3. Open the Info tab.
4. Expand the Server section.
5. Find the PHP version entry.

This is useful when you want to check the PHP version from inside WordPress without opening hPanel.

5. How to Change PHP Version in Hostinger hPanel

Hostinger provides a PHP Configuration section where you can select a supported PHP version for your hosting plan. Follow these steps to update it.

Step 1: Log in to Hostinger

Open the Hostinger hPanel login page and sign in to your account.

Step 2: Open the website dashboard

1. Go to the Websites section.
2. Find the website associated with the hosting plan you want to update.
3. Click Manage site or Dashboard, depending on the interface displayed.
4. Open the website management dashboard.

Step 3: Open PHP Configuration

Use the sidebar search to find PHP Configuration. Open the matching result to access the PHP settings.

Step 4: Select the PHP version

On the PHP Configuration page, open the PHP version section. You will see the versions currently available for your hosting plan.

Select the PHP version that is compatible with your WordPress installation, theme, and plugins.

Step 5: Click Update

After selecting the desired version, click the Update button to apply the change.

Step 6: Wait for the change to finish

Hostinger states that the selected PHP version is usually updated within a couple of minutes. Wait for the process to complete before checking your website.

Step 7: Test your website

Open your website and check the homepage, WordPress dashboard, important pages, forms, and other features. If you notice an error, use the troubleshooting steps later in this guide.

6. How to Verify the PHP Version After Changing It

After updating PHP, confirm that the new version is active. Do not assume the change worked just because you clicked Update.

Check through PHP Info

1. Open Hostinger hPanel.
2. Go to Websites → Manage site.
3. Open PHP Info from the dashboard sidebar.
4. Check the PHP version displayed at the top of the page.
5. Confirm that it matches the version you selected.

Check through WordPress Site Health

Open WordPress Admin and navigate to Tools → Site Health → Info → Server. Review the PHP version listed there.

Check website functionality

After confirming the version, test the website's important features:

• Homepage and internal pages.
• WordPress Admin and login.
• Forms and contact pages.
• WooCommerce products, cart, and checkout if applicable.
• Theme features and page builders.
• Plugins that connect to external services.

7. How to Manage PHP Extensions and Options on Hostinger

Changing the PHP version is not the only PHP setting available in hPanel. Hostinger also provides controls for PHP extensions and configuration options.

Open PHP Configuration

1. Log in to Hostinger hPanel.
2. Open Websites and select Manage site.
3. Search for PHP Configuration in the sidebar.
4. Open the PHP Extensions or PHP Options tab.

Manage PHP extensions

PHP extensions add functionality to PHP. Some applications and plugins require specific extensions to handle images, databases, encryption, XML, or other tasks.

In the PHP Extensions tab, you can review available extensions and enable or disable installed extensions that are configurable. Some built-in extensions cannot be disabled. The available extensions depend on the selected PHP version.

Manage PHP options

The PHP Options tab lets you adjust supported configuration settings. Depending on the hosting plan, available options may include:

• PHP execution and resource limits.
• Upload and input limits.
• Disabled PHP functions.
• Other supported PHP configuration parameters.

After changing an extension or option, click Save if the interface requests it. You can use PHP Info to confirm which settings are active.

8. How to Fix Errors After Changing PHP Version

Sometimes a website may display errors immediately after a PHP upgrade. This usually happens when a plugin, theme, or custom code is not compatible with the selected version.

Problem 1: WordPress displays a critical error

A critical error may indicate a fatal PHP error in a plugin, theme, or custom code. Check the WordPress recovery email and PHP error logs. If the error started after changing PHP, investigate components that do not support the new version.

Problem 2: A plugin stops working

Check whether the plugin supports the selected PHP version. Update it if a compatible release is available. If the problem continues, temporarily deactivate the plugin and check whether the website works again.

Problem 3: The website displays a blank page

A blank page can be caused by a PHP fatal error or incompatible code. Review the PHP error logs and WordPress debug log. If necessary, temporarily disable recently updated plugins or test with a default theme.

Problem 4: The website shows a 500 Internal Server Error

Check PHP error logs, plugin compatibility, theme code, and server configuration. If the error appeared immediately after the PHP change, investigate the compatibility of the affected website components first.

Problem 5: A required PHP extension is missing

Some WordPress plugins and applications require specific PHP extensions. Open PHP Configuration → PHP Extensions and check whether the required extension is available and enabled for your selected PHP version.

Problem 6: The website works, but some features are broken

Test forms, payment integrations, page builders, and other important functions. A website can load normally while a particular plugin or feature still has a compatibility problem.

Recommended troubleshooting process

1. Check the exact error message and when it started.
2. Review PHP error logs and WordPress debug logs.
3. Check plugin and theme compatibility.
4. Update incompatible components if supported updates are available.
5. Test the affected feature again.
6. Restore a backup or contact Hostinger support if the issue cannot be resolved safely.

For more help with WordPress problems, read our guide on fixing WordPress errors on Hostinger.

9. Can You Change PHP for One Website or Subdomain?

Hostinger's standard PHP Configuration setting applies to the websites on the hosting plan, with the exception of websites created using Hostinger AI Builder. This means changing the PHP version from one website's dashboard can affect other websites on the same plan.

Hostinger documents a separate method for applying a different PHP version to a specific domain, subdomain, or subfolder through an .htaccess handler rule.

Understand the limitations

• The method requires editing the correct directory's .htaccess file.
• It uses a PHP handler rule for the selected folder.
• It does not automatically provide the same PHP extensions and options as the hosting plan's main PHP configuration.
• It is intended for specific use cases, not as the normal way to maintain a production website.

Read Hostinger's instructions for changing PHP versions for subfolders and subdomains before attempting this advanced method.

10. Frequently Asked Questions