How to check PHP in WordPress

In WordPress, open Tools → Site Health → Info → Server to find the PHP version used by your website. You need access to the WordPress administration area; a public URL checker is an alternative when the server exposes its PHP headers.

Updated October 23, 2026 · Written by PHP Checker · Source references included below

Find the PHP version in 4 steps

Sign in to the WordPress dashboard for your site.
Open Tools → Site Health.
Select the Info tab.
Expand Server and read the PHP version entry.

Menu availability can depend on your user role or hosting setup. If Site Health information is unavailable, check the PHP section of your hosting control panel or ask your provider.

Can I check WordPress PHP without admin access?

Sometimes. Paste the public website URL into this PHP version checker. If the server advertises a PHP version in its Server or X-Powered-By headers, the result will include it. If those headers are hidden, a URL alone cannot confirm the installed version.

A WordPress version and a PHP version describe different software. WordPress runs on PHP, but updating WordPress does not necessarily update the server’s PHP runtime.

What should I do with the PHP version number?

Paste the full value, such as 8.4.27, into the checker’s Enter a version tab. It compares the number with the PHP2Shell rules dated October 21, 2026. It does not test WordPress themes, plugins, or compatibility.

How do I update PHP for WordPress?

Change the PHP version through your hosting provider. Before a production change, make a current backup, confirm theme and plugin compatibility, and test the new runtime in a staging environment if your host provides one. These steps are separate from this version check.

Do not infer patch status from a version number alone. Hosting providers can distribute backported fixes. Confirm the actual installed package and patch information with your provider.

Does hiding PHP headers fix a vulnerable version?

No. Hiding the version changes what a public checker can see; it does not apply security patches. An Unknown result should be followed by a check in Site Health or your hosting panel.

Sources: WordPress Site Health documentation, WordPress PHP update guidance.

Check your PHP version