What to do if my Site Does Not Support Newer Versions of PHP | Bluehost Support
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What to do if my Site Does Not Support Newer Versions of PHP

My sites don’t work with newer versions of PHP; what can I do?

Many popular website platforms use PHP for rendering their content. It’s common for these sites to have automatic update tools to ensure that they work with the latest PHP version; however, sometimes, a theme or plugin for these services may prevent them from updating or may not work with a newer version of PHP.

If you are able to test and identify that your sites do not work with a newer version of PHP, you may consider checking multiple options below to fix it.

Attempt to Update Your Website

Many platforms, such as WordPress, can be updated to versions that are compatible with the most up-to-date versions of PHP. The first step may be as simple as attempting to update your website from the dashboard. Please remember to take a backup before making any changes so that the site can be restored to its previous state if it experiences any issues while upgrading.

Contact a Developer

Either your web developer or another web developer may be able to assist you with updating your website to be compliant with a modern secure version of PHP. The Developer who originally built your site is likely to have the best chance of resolving the issue quickly and effectively.

Design a New Site

Another valid option is to design a new site, using the opportunity to provide your visitors with a fresh experience that uses a modern PHP version. Bluehost offers a variety of tools to build a website from scratch that will work on your new service.

See Getting Started with your New Account to learn more.

Additionally, it is possible to get third-party developers to rebuild your site for you.

Pro-tip! Bluehost offers web design services that will provide you with a forward-thinking website that will be compliant with current technologies and prepared for upcoming changes so that it can update as technology continues to evolve.

Migrate to a Platform that Allows End of Life PHP Versions

PHP version 7.3 is deprecated. We recommend that you update to a supported version of PHP.

Please note: We will be updating to PHP version 8.0 in batches beginning in 2022. Keep an eye out for communications on when your account will be updated and what changes, if any, you will need to make. To learn more about what is changing with PHP 8.0, please see PHP.net's release notes.

We understand that it may be a challenge to update your site to be compliant with modern PHP versions. If there is no way to update or rebuild your site to be compliant with your updated service, it is possible to migrate your content to another service provider that has PHP 7.0 to 7.3 available.

If you are unable to find a provider that explicitly offers this option, it is possible to get a VPS or dedicated server that will allow you to control the software environment on which you host your website.

For more information and frequently asked questions about this migration, please see the following articles regarding the migration - Rock vs. Legacy and Rock Migration FAQ.

If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:

  • Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
  • Phone Support -
    • US: 888-401-4678
    • International: +1 801-765-9400

You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.