How to Upgrade PHP 7.x Version on Cloudways

A complete guide on how you can upgrade to PHP version 7.X or later.

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Written by Cloudways Product
Updated over a week ago

In this article, we assume you have a PHP version older than 7.4 running on your existing server, which you would like to upgrade. Downgrading the PHP version has some limitations, so you can view which PHP versions you can upgrade or downgrade to currently.

Important Announcement for PHP Older Versions

Cloudways currently supports PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, and 8.2 and the older versions (5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3) are deprecated as of August 15th, 2022. As a result, new and existing servers with the default PHP 7.4 or newer versions will not have the option to downgrade to older and deprecated versions; however, existing servers with deprecated versions will continue to work for the time being.

Existing servers with deprecated versions will continue to work for the time being. The deprecated versions will reach the end of life on December 31st, 2023; therefore, you are requested to upgrade to the latest version. Please refer to the Cloudways deprecation process and policy for more details.

Please note that PHP 7 requires Debian 8 or greater, and it does not work with the older Debian versions, such as Debian 7.

Important

Supported PHP Versions

To reiterate, Cloudways currently supports PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, and 8.2 and the older versions (5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3) are deprecated. If you use a PHP version older than PHP 7.4, you can only upgrade to the on-deprecated versions, e.g., PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2. We have explained the same in the below table.

PHP Version

Upgradable to

PHP 5.6

PHP 7.4 and higher

PHP 7.0

PHP 7.4 and higher

PHP 7.1

PHP 7.4 and higher

PHP 7.2

PHP 7.4 and higher

PHP 7.3

PHP 7.4 and higher

PHP 7.4

PHP 8.0 and higher

PHP 8.0

Upgradable to PHP 8.1 and higher

Can be downgraded to PHP 7.4

PHP 8.1

Upgradable to PHP 8.2 and higher

Can be downgraded to PHP 8.0 or lower

PHP 8.2

It is the latest version. It will be upgradeable to any new PHP version once available on the Cloudways Platform.

Can be downgraded to PHP 8.1 or lower

How to Upgrade PHP Version

Step #1 — Navigate to Server Packages

Log in to your Cloudways Platform using your email address and password.

  1. From the top menu bar, open Servers.

  2. Then, choose your desired server.

    Classic Interface

    New Interface

  3. Under Server Management, select Settings & Packages.

  4. Choose the Packages tab.

    Classic Interface

    New Interface

Step #2 — Upgrading to PHP 7.x

  1. Edit the PHP version.

    Classic Interface

    New Interface

  2. Choose your desired PHP version.

  3. Next, click Save.

    Classic Interface

    New Interface

  4. You will be shown a warning to check if all your web applications are compatible with your selected PHP version. If you have followed all the required steps and want to pursue them, click Ok.

You have successfully upgraded the PHP version. Similarly, you can also downgrade to a different PHP version as well. Also, see the PHP modules of your chosen PHP version.

That’s it! We hope this article was helpful. If you need any help, then feel free to search your query on Cloudways Support Center or contact us via chat (Need a Hand > Send us a Message). Alternatively, you can also create a support ticket.

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