---
title: "How do I change my site's PHP version?"
description: "See which PHP version your site runs, switch it in cPanel's MultiPHP Manager, and know what to check first and what to do if a page breaks."
date: 2026-10-20
updated: 2026-10-22
tags: [cpanel, php]
url: "https://drivenhost.com/kb/kb-change-php-version"
author: DrivenHost
---

This guide shows you how to check which PHP version your site is running and switch it to a different one. You will need your cPanel login. Changing the PHP version changes how your site's code runs, so read the second section before you switch anything.

## Check which version you are on

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Type "MultiPHP" into the search box at the top of the page.
3. Open MultiPHP Manager.
4. Find your domain in the list. The PHP Version column shows what it runs right now.

Every domain, subdomain and addon domain on the account can run its own version, so look at the row for the exact domain you are working on rather than assuming they all match.

## Check your site is ready for the new version

Newer PHP releases are faster and still receive security fixes, but older code can stop working on them. Before you switch:

1. Update WordPress core, your plugins and your theme. In the WordPress dashboard, Tools then Site Health will also tell you whether your PHP version is behind what WordPress recommends.
2. For a site built by hand, or for an application other than WordPress, check that application's own documentation for the PHP releases it supports, or ask whoever built the site.
3. Take a backup first. cPanel's Backup screen lets you download a full account backup, which gives you something to restore from if a change goes badly.

Move up one release at a time rather than jumping several at once. That way, if something breaks, you know which release caused it.

## Switch the version

1. In MultiPHP Manager, tick the checkbox beside the domain you want to change.
2. Pick the release you want from the PHP Version menu above the list.
3. Click Apply.
4. Open your site in a private or incognito browser window and click through the pages that matter: the home page, a contact form, a login, a cart or checkout if you have one, and the admin area.

The change takes effect immediately, and it is reversible. If something looks wrong, go back to MultiPHP Manager and set the domain to the release it was on before.

## If it didn't work

- **MultiPHP Manager is missing, or the menu is greyed out.** Some accounts have PHP set at the server level instead of per domain. Open a ticket and we will check how your account is configured.
- **A blank page or a 500 error after the switch.** This is almost always a plugin, theme or script that does not support the newer release. Set the domain back to the previous release, then update or replace the component before trying again.
- **The version keeps reverting.** A handler line in `.htaccess`, or a `.user.ini` file in the document root, can pin a domain to one release and override your choice in cPanel. Look for both in File Manager, in the folder your site is served from.

If you are not sure which release to pick, or a site still misbehaves after you switch back, open a ticket at [/support](/support) and we will take a look at the account with you.