Your host says your PHP version is out of date. Here is what that means
Sooner or later every WordPress site owner receives an email from their host saying the PHP version is reaching end of life. It is easy to ignore. It should not be ignored.
What PHP is
PHP is the programming language WordPress is written in. Your hosting server runs a specific version of it, and every page your site serves is generated by that version.
Why versions expire
Each PHP release is supported for a limited period. It receives active bug fixes first, then a window of security-only fixes, and then nothing. After that point, newly discovered security flaws in that version are simply left unpatched.
Running an end-of-life PHP version means the foundation under your website is no longer being repaired.
Why upgrading is worth it
- Security. You stay inside the supported window.
- Speed. Newer PHP versions are generally faster at running the same WordPress code, at no extra hosting cost.
- Compatibility. Plugin authors gradually stop supporting old versions, so staying behind eventually blocks plugin updates too.
Why you should not just click the button
Most hosts let you switch PHP version with one click. The risk is that an old plugin or a piece of custom theme code uses something the new version has removed. The result can be warnings on screen, a broken feature, or a blank page.
The safe way to do it:
- Make a full backup
- Copy the site to a staging environment
- Switch the staging copy to the new PHP version
- Update plugins and themes, then check the error log
- Test the important journeys: forms, checkout, logins, search
- Switch the live site only once staging is clean
How often this happens
PHP releases a new version roughly once a year, so this is a recurring job rather than a one-off. On our maintenance plans it is handled as part of routine care, so the email from your host becomes something you can forward to us and forget about.