The upcoming release of WordPress 7.0 will mark the end of support for PHP 7.2 and 7.3.
While PHP 7.4 will remain the minimum supported version, the recommended version is now PHP 8.3 or higher.
This change is scheduled for April 2026, in line with the project’s long-standing policy of only increasing minimum PHP versions once usage drops below 5%.
Current usage statistics show that PHP 7.2 and 7.3 combined account for less than 4% of active WordPress installations, triggering the deprecation process.
| Version | Usage |
|---|---|
| 8.5 | 0.38% |
| 8.4 | 5.27% |
| 8.3 | 17.58% |
| 8.2 | 27.00% |
| 8.1 | 15.08% |
| 8.0 | 5.49% |
| 7.4 | 21.76% |
| 7.3 | 2.00% |
| 7.2 | 1.78% |
| 7.1 | 0.46% |
| 7.0 | 0.74% |
| 5.6 | 1.61% |
| 5.5 | 0.18% |
| 5.4 | 0.22% |
| 5.3 | 0.30% |
| 5.2 | 0.14% |
Why the Change Matters
Raising the minimum supported version helps ensure long-term maintainability across the WordPress ecosystem.
Moving away from outdated PHP versions offers benefits that compound over time. Plugin and theme developers can modernise their code without worrying about backwards compatibility with deprecated features. Libraries, tooling, AI integrations, testing workflows and general developer productivity all benefit.
It also allows the core WordPress team to align more closely with upstream PHP development, adopt language improvements and remove technical debt more easily.
Ultimately, this contributes to a faster, more secure, and more sustainable CMS for all users.
What Happens if You’re Still on PHP 7.2 or 7.3?
Sites still using PHP 7.2 or 7.3 will not be automatically upgraded to WordPress 7.0. Instead, they’ll remain on the 6.9 branch, which will receive critical security updates where possible, although only the most recent branch receives official security support.
The same version bump will also apply to the Gutenberg plugin, which will require a minimum of PHP 7.4 going forward.
PHP Compatibility by Version
WordPress Core is fully compatible with PHP 8.0 to 8.3 and is in beta support for PHP 8.4 and 8.5.
This ensures that site owners upgrading to newer PHP versions can continue to benefit from performance and security improvements without risking functionality.
The WordPress Core team has confirmed there’s no set timeline for future minimum version bumps. Instead, they will continue using the 5% usage threshold to guide future decisions.
Need to Update Your PHP Version?
At 20i, all our WordPress Hosting packages support the latest stable PHP releases with the option to switch versions instantly via My20i.
PHP version management is built-in, no need for complex configurations or command-line work.
- Resellers: Log in to My20i, go to Manage Hosting > Tools > PHP Version Manager
- Managed Cloud Hosting, Managed WordPress Hosting, or Managed Cloud Servers: Log in to My20i, go to Manage Hosting > Select your hosting package > Click ‘Change PHP Version’ in Web Tools.
Reseller Hosting customers can manage the default PHP version for all new hosting packages in ‘Hosting Package Types’. You can also synchronise all existing packages using this type to include the newer version of PHP.
Remember to use our free WordPress staging tool to ensure all your themes and plug-ins are fully compatible with a PHP version before you commit to changing your live site.
