Overview
The following describes various ways you can change the PHP version on your site.
DreamHost offers several versions of PHP. When you add a site, you can choose which version to use, but you can also change this version at any time in the panel.
Prerequisites
Your domain must be Fully Hosted on a server to change the PHP version. DNS Only, Parked, and Redirect domains do not have PHP options.
How to change the PHP version
The following sections explain how to change the PHP version in either the panel or an .htaccess file.
Changing the PHP version in the panel
To change the PHP version on any of your domains/subdomains within the panel:
- Navigate to the Manage Websites page.
- Click the Manage button to open the Domain Settings page, which allows you to adjust various settings for your site.
- Click the Website tab.
- Under the PHP section, click the Modify icon.
- Choose a version of PHP from the dropdown menu.
- Click the Change PHP Version button. The following two options appear:
- Revert to previous PHP version — Reverts to a previous version, which allows you to resolve any issues at a later time without causing site errors (recommended).
- Change PHP version anyway! — Changes the PHP version, which may cause compatibility errors on your website (not recommended).
- Select one of these options to control what happens if the upgrade fails.
- Click the Change PHP Version button.
- The update takes less than 5 minutes. When complete, a success message appears.
If an error occurs
The following error message appears if your website's code is not compatible with the new PHP version you have selected:
PHP Change Unsuccessful. example.com has been reverted back to PHP version x.x.
If you selected Revert to previous PHP version, the PHP version is not changed. You can then use the instructions in this article to locate and update the incompatible code before attempting to change the PHP version again.
Changing the PHP version on your site using an .htaccess file
Be cautious when using this method over long periods of time. If you use an .htaccess file to force a version that has reached its End-of-Life, your site may experience issues when that version is removed from the server.
To change the PHP settings using an .htaccess file:
- View the following articles for instructions on how to create or edit your .htaccess file:
- Add the following two lines in your .htaccess file, which forces PHP to use PHP 8.2:
AddHandler fcgid-script .php
FCGIWrapper "/dh/cgi-system/php82.cgi" .php - If this causes any problems, remove the lines to switch back to your previous settings.
Making this change also adjusts the PHP version displayed in your panel on the Manage Websites page. However, it may take up to 24 hours for it to update.