What you’ll need
- DirectAdmin access
- A backup
- A staging copy of the site (optional but recommended)
Newer PHP is faster and supported, but old code can break. Testing first turns a risky change into a routine one.
Steps
Step 1: Record the current version
Check with Site Health or a phpinfo file. How to check which PHP version your site is using
Step 2: Update the application
Update your CMS, themes, plugins and Composer dependencies first.
Step 3: Set staging to the new version
On a staging subdomain (Using a subdomain as a staging site), open Account Manager then Domain Setup, select the subdomain and choose the new PHP version.
Step 4: Test staging and read its log
Click through key pages, log in, submit forms. Then read the error log for Fatal errors. How to find PHP errors (error logs and display_errors)
Step 5: Fix or replace incompatible code
Update or replace anything named in fatal errors. Deprecation notices can be noted for later. Choosing a PHP version: compatibility and support dates
Step 6: Switch the live domain
At a quiet time, change the live domain’s PHP version in Account Manager then Domain Setup. How to change the PHP version in DirectAdmin
Step 7: Watch the live error log
Test the same pages and check the error log for the next hour.
Check it worked
The live site runs on the new PHP version (confirmed in phpinfo or Site Health) with no new fatal errors in the log.
If something goes wrong
| What happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| Site breaks after switching | Switch back immediately, then fix on staging. |
| phpinfo still shows the old version | You checked a different domain folder, or a cached page. |
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