If your hosting provider announces the end of PHP 7.4, 8.0, or 8.1, here’s the order to follow: back up the site, update WordPress or Joomla, the theme, and the plugins, test the site on a copy with PHP 8.3, and only then change the version with your host and check the forms. Plan for one to two hours for a basic website, half a day for an online store. These three PHP branches no longer receive security patches: PHP 7.4 since November 28, 2022, PHP 8.0 since November 26, 2023, and PHP 8.1 until December 31, 2025. PHP 8.2 will end on December 31, 2026. Dates verified on November 9, 2026, from php.net and host support pages.
I’ve been handling these updates remotely since October 2026, for artisans, law firms, associations, and small businesses. The typical case: a site built between 2015 and 2019, never updated, and a provider that no longer responds.
Why your host is writing to you now
PHP is the language that powers WordPress and Joomla. Each version has a four-year lifespan, with only two years dedicated to security fixes. After that, nothing. As of November 9, 2026, the PHP project only supports 8.2 and 8.3 for security, and 8.4 and 8.5. PHP 8.2 ends on December 31, 2026; I dedicated a separate article to it.
Two things sped up the emails this fall: the end of PHP 8.1 on December 31, 2025, and the two critical vulnerabilities on October 21, 2026, which allow remote code execution. The PHP project released patches that day for 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, and 8.5.12—and nothing else. A site running 7.4, 8.0, or 8.1 received nothing. I detailed this incident in my article on the October 2026 PHP vulnerability.
How to read your host’s email
Look for three key pieces of information: the affected version, the date it will be removed or charged for, and what your host will do themselves. This last point changes everything. Support pages reviewed on November 9, 2026.
At OVHcloud, the ‘Available language versions’ page, updated on October 27, 2026, lists PHP 8.1 as end-of-life since December 31, 2025, and marks versions 8.0 to 5.3 as ‘Recommended migration.’ They remain listed without automatic switching or a removal date, and site compatibility is your responsibility. My OVHcloud guide shows where to change the version.
At IONOS, the ‘PHP Extended Support’ help page describes a paid service that starts as soon as community support ends: IONOS patches older versions itself, from PHP 5.6 to 8.2, and charges a monthly fee—not listed on the page—after a free transition period announced via email. You can cancel it by switching to a supported version and then removing the option. See my IONOS guide.
At Hostinger, the help article states that versions 8.1 and earlier are no longer available in the control panel, new sites start with PHP 8.3, and an existing site keeps its version until you upgrade it. Rolling back isn’t possible, except within the same session. See my Hostinger guide.
At Infomaniak, the FAQ « Modify the PHP version of a site », updated on November 2, 2026, states that the fixes from October 21 were deployed from PHP 7.4 to 8.5, with unchanged version numbers. This is, along with IONOS's paid option, the only case on this list where an old branch still receives fixes. Infomaniak still recommends a recent version and warns that there is no rollback to a vulnerable version. See my Infomaniak guide.
At o2switch, the page « Select a PHP version », updated on June 23, 2026, still lists PHP 4.4 to 8.5 in the cPanel selector, without mentioning the removal of older versions or any fixes. See my o2switch guide and the one for PlanetHoster.
Check the version actually served by your site
The email talks about the offer, not necessarily your site. In WordPress, go to Tools, Site Health, tab Information, section Server. In Joomla, go to System, then System Information. Without access, my tool PHP Flaw, check my site reads the version your site announces and recognizes the host, without requiring any installation.
A pitfall: a forgotten .htaccess or .ovhconfig file in a folder can serve a different version than the one in the control panel. The served version is what matters, and I verify it before encrypting.
What WordPress and Joomla expect by November 9, 2026
WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or higher and notes that WordPress still works with PHP 7.4, an end-of-life version that may expose your site. "Still works" is not the same as "protected."
Joomla is stricter. Joomla 5.4 requires PHP 8.1.0 and recommends 8.3; the 5.x branch only receives security fixes until October 12, 2027. Joomla 6, released on October 14, 2025, requires PHP 8.3.0 and recommends 8.4. Joomla 3 or 4 has been unsupported since at least October 14, 2025: you must migrate it before discussing PHP.
What most often breaks when moving from PHP 7 to PHP 8
Changing versions does not affect your text or images: it changes the rules that theme and extension code must follow. Three types of issues recur, all documented in php.net’s migration guides.
Deprecated functions. PHP 8.0 removed create_function(), each(), and money_format(), which were still present in old themes and extensions. Calling a non-existent function triggers a fatal error: a white screen. Older still, PHP 7.0 removed the mysql extension, and a 2015 site with custom code hits this first.
Comparisons. In PHP 8, "0 == 'text'" is false, whereas it was true in PHP 7, and a calculation on a non-numeric string throws an error instead of a warning.
Deprecation warnings. PHP 8.1 flags passing null to a built-in function; PHP 8.2 flags dynamic properties, the "${variable}" syntax in strings, and utf8_encode(). Nothing fatal, but if error display is active, messages print at the top of pages and can break redirects. Behind all this, there’s almost always an abandoned extension from years ago that needs replacing.
What order to follow to avoid ending up with a blank page
A blank page after a change made "just in case," without backup or testing, is the troubleshooting I see most often. The order matters more than the technique.
First, a full backup—files and database—stored elsewhere than on the hosting. Then, update WordPress or Joomla, the theme, and the plugins, in the current PHP version. Next, clean up: remove a plugin disabled for two years. Then, test on a copy of the site with the target version, using a subdomain or test server—that’s where removed functions reveal themselves, not in production. Only then, update the version on the live site, followed by checking key pages: homepage, forms, payment, admin. My tool Test my site performs eight quick checks on the homepage, including the PHP version; it doesn’t replace manual testing of forms.
Testing on a copy isn’t a luxury: at Infomaniak, no rollback to a vulnerable version; at Hostinger, only within the same session.
Should you do it yourself, ask your host, or hire a developer?
Do it yourself if the site is a recent, up-to-date WordPress with fewer than ten plugins, and if you know how to restore your backup. The change takes minutes in your host’s control panel, and WordPress.org provides a guide, "Update PHP," with a compatibility checker—though they admit it’s imperfect.
Ask your host if the issue is on their side: missing version in the panel, paid option requiring cancellation. The host changes the version but won’t update your theme, replace an abandoned plugin, or fix your code.
Hire a developer if the site dates back to 2015–2019 and hasn’t moved since, if your provider is gone, if the theme is custom, if it’s an e-commerce site, or if you lack a reliable backup.
How I proceed remotely, as of October 2026
You send me the site’s address. Within 24 hours, you receive a free written diagnosis: actual PHP version served, platform, and host. Then, I secure access, create a full off-server backup, and work on a copy. I update WordPress or Joomla, the theme, and plugins, switch the copy to PHP 8.3 or 8.4, and fix what breaks. Once the copy is clean, I update the live site, test forms, payment, and key pages, and send a written report: what was done and what to monitor. Nothing changes without your written approval on the price, and the site is never taken offline without notice.
Frequently asked questions
Who can update my site’s PHP version? You, from your host’s control panel, if you have access and a backup. Your host’s support, for version changes only. A web developer, for the full process: site updates, testing, and fixing what breaks. The agency or freelancer who built the site is the first to call; if they’re unreachable, any PHP developer can take over a WordPress or Joomla remotely.
Can my host do it for me? They can change the PHP version if you ask, or remove the old one from their offerings. They won’t update your WordPress, theme, or plugins, nor fix what breaks afterward. OVHcloud states compatibility remains your responsibility; IONOS keeps the old version for a fee; Hostinger removed PHP 8.1 and earlier from their panel.
My site still works on PHP 7.4—why change? Because "works" and "protected" are two different things. PHP 7.4 received no patches from php.net after November 28, 2022, and none for vulnerabilities reported on October 21, 2026. A site that displays normally may already be used to send spam or host fraudulent pages.
Which PHP version should you choose in November 2026? PHP 8.3 at minimum, 8.4 if your theme and plugins support it. WordPress.org recommends 8.3 or higher, while Joomla 6 requires it. PHP 8.2 still works, but will no longer receive updates after December 31, 2026: you’d better do the upgrade in January.
What should I do if my site shows a blank page after the update? Revert to the old version via the control panel if possible: the site will come back. Then check your hosting’s error log: the first line will name the faulty file, almost always a plugin or the theme. Disable it via FTP by renaming its folder, then follow the steps described earlier. Without a backup, don’t touch anything else and ask for help.
How much time and money does it take? One to two hours for a basic website, half a day for an online store, remotely. My public packages start at €190 for a basic site and €390 for an online store, including a free diagnosis. A follow-up service at €100 per month is available for those who no longer want to receive such emails.
If you’ve just received this email, send me your website address: the diagnosis is free and will arrive in writing within 24 hours. More details are on my PHP update page.
