How to check your PHP version

You can check a website’s advertised PHP version with its URL, or find the installed version through your hosting panel or terminal. A public URL check works only when the server exposes a PHP version in its response headers.

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

1. Check a public website URL

Use the free PHP version checker when you do not have server access. Paste the exact HTTP or HTTPS URL and select Check PHP version.

The tool reads the Server and X-Powered-By headers. It sends HEAD first, uses GET only for HTTP 405 or 501, and does not follow redirects. If the address redirects, enter the final destination yourself.

Results include the advertised version, a PHP2Shell patch status, request methods, and the two relevant headers. A 10-second deadline applies to DNS lookup and the website requests together.

2. Check your hosting control panel

Your hosting panel is the better place to confirm the PHP runtime assigned to a particular website. Look for a section named PHP, PHP Selector, MultiPHP Manager, or a similar label used by your provider.

Choose the correct domain before reading its version. Separate sites and subdomains can use different PHP versions on the same hosting account. Ask your provider which package build is installed and whether it includes the October 21, 2026 fixes.

3. Run php -v in a terminal

Run this command on a machine you administer:

php -v

The first line reports the command-line PHP version. Copy the full version number into the Enter a version tab to compare it with this tool’s patch thresholds.

Your CLI version and web server version can differ. A shell command checks the PHP executable on the terminal’s PATH; it does not prove which PHP-FPM pool or Apache module serves your website.

What do the results mean?

Meets threshold: the reported stable version is at or above the upstream fix for a recognized branch. It does not verify your installed build.
Potentially vulnerable: the version is below its branch’s fix or belongs to an older branch flagged by the upstream checker. Vendor backports may change the actual patch status.
Unknown: the version is hidden, incomplete, a prerelease, or outside the current rules, or the URL cannot be checked.

Which PHP versions meet the PHP2Shell threshold?

The upstream rules use PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, and 8.5.12 as minimum fixed releases for the corresponding branches. These thresholds come from the October 21, 2026 PHP advisory. They are not a live latest-release list.

Can I check PHP without creating phpinfo.php?

Yes. Use your hosting panel, WordPress Site Health, or a public-header check. A phpinfo() page exposes substantially more configuration detail and should not be left publicly accessible.

Sources: PHP command-line options, upstream checker behavior.

Check your PHP version