Updating your PHP version on Hostinger takes about 10 minutes. You do it through hPanel, Hostinger’s custom control panel. This guide covers every click and setting you need to change, plus what to watch out for so your site doesn’t break.
The process is beginner-friendly, but you should know your site’s PHP compatibility before you start.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Time required | 10 minutes |
| Difficulty | Beginner to Intermediate |
| What you need | Hostinger account, login credentials, knowledge of which PHP version your site supports |
| What you will achieve | A working PHP version update on your Hostinger hosting account without downtime or errors |
Before you start
Check three things before you open hPanel.
Know your site’s PHP requirements. Your CMS, plugins, and themes each have a minimum PHP version. WordPress 6.x recommends PHP 8.0 or higher. Older custom scripts might run only on PHP 7.4.
Check the documentation for each piece of software you run.
Back up your site. A PHP version change can break compatibility with old code. Hostinger offers automatic backups on some plans, but it’s safer to create a manual backup through hPanel before making any changes. Go to Files, then Backup, and create a full backup.
Test on a staging site first if possible. Hostinger’s higher-tier plans include a staging tool. If your plan supports it, clone your site, update PHP on the clone, and confirm everything works before touching the live site. If you don’t have staging, proceed carefully and keep your backup ready.
Note: This guide covers updating PHP for a single website on shared hosting. If you use VPS or dedicated hosting, the process goes through the terminal instead of hPanel. Check Hostinger’s help center for VPS-specific instructions.
How to manually update PHP version from Hostinger
These steps walk you through the exact process in hPanel. Every setting name matches what you’ll see in the interface as of early 2025.
Step 1: Log in to hPanel
Open your browser and go to hostinger.com. Click “Sign in” at the top right corner. Enter your email and password.
You will land on the hPanel dashboard automatically.
If you have multiple hosting accounts, check the account name at the top of the dashboard to confirm you’re in the right one.
Step 2: Go to the hosting dashboard
On the left sidebar, click “Hosting.” You will see a list of your active hosting plans. Find the plan that hosts the site you want to update and click “Manage” next to it.
This opens the hosting dashboard for that specific website. Each hosting plan has its own PHP settings.
Step 3: Open the PHP configuration page
In the left sidebar of the hosting dashboard, scroll down to the “Advanced” section. Click “PHP Configuration.” This page shows your current PHP version, a dropdown menu with available versions, and configurable PHP options.
Hostinger updates their available PHP versions regularly. As of early 2025, you will see options from PHP 7.4 up to PHP 8.3.
Step 4: Select the new PHP version
Find the dropdown menu labeled “PHP Version.” Click it and select the version you want to use. Hostinger recommends using the latest stable version that your site supports. PHP 8.2 is a good middle ground for most modern sites.
Important: Do not select a version that ends in “RC” or “Alpha.” Those are release candidates and testing versions. They are unstable and can break your site.
Step 5: Adjust PHP options if needed (optional)
Below the PHP version selector, you will see a list of PHP options. These control things like maximum upload file size, memory limit, and execution time. Your new PHP version might change some default values.
Common adjustments people make here:
- Increase the memory limit (memory_limit) if your site runs complex plugins
- Raise the upload max filesize (upload_max_filesize) if you upload large media files
- Extend the max execution time (max_execution_time) for scripts that take longer to process
Only change these if you know your site needs a different value. Default settings work fine for most sites.
Step 6: Save the changes
Scroll to the top or bottom of the PHP Configuration page. Click the “Save” or “Update” button. hPanel will process the change.
Wait time: 1-2 minutes. Hostinger’s system updates the PHP handler and restarts the web service for your account. During this time, your site might be briefly unavailable or show a cached version.
Step 7: Clear your site cache
After the PHP version updates, clear any caching layers your site uses. This includes:
- Hostinger’s built-in cache (go to the “Cache” section in hPanel and clear it)
- Your CMS cache (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal each have their own cache clear option)
- Browser cache (press Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R on your keyboard)
Cached pages can still run the old PHP version temporarily. Clearing cache forces a fresh load with the new PHP settings.
Step 8: Test your site thoroughly
Open your site in a browser and navigate through key pages. Check the homepage, a blog post, a product page, and any forms or interactive elements. Look for:
- White screens or error messages
- Broken layouts
- Form submission failures
- Login issues
If everything looks normal, your PHP update is complete. If you see errors, you may need to update your CMS, plugins, or theme to match the new PHP version. In worst cases, revert to the old version using the same steps.
Hostinger’s help center confirms that PHP version changes take effect immediately after saving. There is no propagation delay like with DNS changes.
What versions are available on Hostinger
Hostinger offers multiple PHP versions on their shared hosting plans. The exact list depends on your hosting plan and when you purchased it. Older plans might have fewer options.
Typical PHP versions available as of early 2025:
- PHP 8.3 (latest stable)
- PHP 8.2
- PHP 8.1
- PHP 8.0
- PHP 7.4
PHP 7.3 and older versions are generally not available on new accounts. Hostinger phases out older versions over time for security reasons.
If you need a version that isn’t listed, that version has reached end of life and is no longer supported. Hostinger will not install it for security reasons. In that case, you need to update your site’s code to work with a supported version.
What to do if something goes wrong
Mistakes happen. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.
Problem: My site shows a white screen after updating PHP
Fix: A white screen usually means a PHP fatal error. The most common cause is a plugin or theme that doesn’t support the new PHP version. Go back to PHP Configuration in hPanel and revert to your previous PHP version.
Then update your plugins, theme, and CMS to their latest versions. Try the PHP version update again after everything is current.
Problem: I see “Parse error” or “Fatal error” messages
Fix: These errors tell you exactly which file has a problem. The error message includes the file path and line number. Log in to your CMS admin area and update the plugin or theme mentioned in the error.
If the error comes from a custom code snippet, contact your developer to update it for the newer PHP version.
Problem: The PHP version dropdown is empty
Fix: This is rare but happens on some older accounts. Contact Hostinger’s support through the live chat in hPanel. They can enable the PHP selector for your account.
Expect a response within a few minutes for most support requests.
Problem: My site loads but has broken formatting or missing images
Fix: Style and layout issues after a PHP update often point to a caching problem. Clear Hostinger’s server cache, your CMS cache, and your browser cache. If the problem persists, check if any plugin uses PHP-based CSS compilation.
Some caching and minification plugins need to regenerate their files after a PHP version change.
What happens next
After you successfully update PHP, your site runs on the newer version. You should see performance improvements in most cases. Newer PHP versions run code faster and handle more requests per second.
Keep an eye on your site’s error logs for the first few days. Go to Advanced, then Error Logs in hPanel. Some compatibility issues only show up under specific conditions, like form submissions or scheduled tasks.
Plan to update PHP at least once per year. PHP 8.1 goes end of life in late 2025, which means no more security patches. Hostinger will eventually remove it from the version selector.
Staying current keeps your site secure and fast.
If you’re setting up a new site or starting fresh with Hostinger, you can choose your PHP version during the initial setup. Many users find it smoother to start with PHP 8.2 or 8.3 from day one rather than migrating later.
For those running multiple sites, each hosting plan has its own PHP configuration. You can set different PHP versions for different sites if you have separate hosting plans. Single plans with addon domains all share the same PHP version, so choose the one that works for every site on that account.
Worth noting: some Hostinger plans include automatic PHP version updates. If you see a notice in hPanel about a PHP version update being scheduled, you can postpone it or let it run automatically. Manual control gives you more time to test, but automatic updates keep you current with less effort.
Now that your PHP version is current, you might want to check your overall hosting setup. A proper hosting environment matching your site’s needs makes a real difference in load times. If you’re looking for discounted hosting to start fresh or move a new project, the current Hostinger coupon page has active deals with reduced pricing on their plans.
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Frequently asked questions
Will updating PHP delete my site files?
No. Updating PHP only changes the server-side language interpreter. Your files, database, and content stay exactly as they are.
The PHP version change affects how your server executes code, not the code or data itself.
Can I switch back to my old PHP version later?
Yes. Follow the same steps in PHP Configuration and select your previous PHP version. You can switch between available versions as many times as you need.
Hostinger keeps older versions available for a reasonable period after they release new ones.
How do I check which PHP version my site runs right now?
Create a file called info.php with the content <?php phpinfo(); ?> and upload it to your site’s root folder. Open yoursite.com/info.php in a browser. The page shows your current PHP version and all active settings.
Delete this file after you check it for security reasons.
Do I need to update PHP if I use a CMS like WordPress?
Yes. WordPress recommends PHP 8.0 or higher for the best performance and security. Running an outdated PHP version puts your site at risk for security exploits and slows down page loading.
Most modern themes and plugins require PHP 8.0 or higher.
What’s the best PHP version for a new Hostinger site?
PHP 8.2 is a safe choice for most websites today. It offers strong performance, wide compatibility with current software, and has years of support remaining. PHP 8.3 is the newest but some older plugins may not support it yet.
