Newer PHP versions are faster and more secure. Older ones are eventually retired and stop receiving security patches.
Change the version
- In cPanel open MultiPHP Manager under Software.
- Tick the domain you want to change.
- Choose the version from the PHP Version dropdown on the right.
- Click Apply.
Which version to choose
Use the most recent version your theme and plugins officially support — PHP 8.1 or 8.2 for most current sites. Check Tools → Site Health in WordPress first; it warns if anything is incompatible.
Test after switching
Load the homepage, an inner page, the checkout if you run WooCommerce, and the admin dashboard. If you see a fatal error mentioning a deprecated function or a syntax error, switch back to the previous version immediately from the same screen, then update the plugin or theme responsible before trying again.
Missing PHP extension
If a plugin reports a missing extension after the switch, open Select PHP Version → Extensions and enable it there. Commonly needed extensions include imagick, intl, zip, curl, gd, mbstring and soap.
