How to Check Your Website's PHP Version (WordPress, cPanel, Hostinger, Command Line)

Updated 24 October 2026.

"Which PHP version is my site on?" became one of the most-asked questions on the internet this week, after the PHP2Shell vulnerabilities were patched on 21 October 2026. The fixed versions are 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35 (background).

Here are five ways to check, from easiest to most technical.

Method 1: WordPress Site Health (easiest)

1. Log in to WordPress
2. Go to Tools → Site Health
3. Open the Info tab
4. Expand Server
5. Read PHP version

Site Health may also show a warning if your PHP version is outdated. If you use WooCommerce, WooCommerce → Status shows the PHP version too.

Method 2: cPanel

Many Indian hosts use cPanel. Depending on the setup:

• MultiPHP Manager: lists each domain and its PHP version
• Select PHP Version (on CloudLinux servers): shows the current version and lets you switch
• Server information in the sidebar: may show the default PHP version for the account

Method 3: Hostinger hPanel and other hosting dashboards

• Hostinger: open your website in hPanel, then Advanced → PHP Configuration. Hostinger says managed hosting customers can confirm the PHP2Shell fix by checking that the PHP Info build date is 21 October 2026 or later.
• GoDaddy, Bluehost, SiteGround, others: look for "PHP version", "PHP settings" or "PHP manager" in the hosting dashboard or site tools.

Method 4: A temporary phpinfo() page

This shows exactly what your website uses, including the build date:

1. Create a file called something unguessable, like check-8f3k2.php, in your site's root folder
2. Put this inside: <?php phpinfo();
3. Open https://yourdomain.com/check-8f3k2.php
4. Note the PHP Version at the top and the Build Date below it
5. Delete the file immediately

phpinfo reveals a lot about your server, which helps attackers. Never leave it online.

Method 5: Command line (VPS and servers)

If you have SSH access:

php -v

But be careful: the command line PHP and the PHP serving your website can be different. A server might have PHP 8.3 for the CLI while the site uses PHP 8.1 through PHP-FPM. Check the web side too:

# list PHP-FPM services (Debian/Ubuntu)
systemctl list-units --type=service | grep php

# installed PHP packages and their versions
apt list --installed 2>/dev/null | grep -E '^php[0-9.]+-(fpm|cli|common)'

# RHEL, AlmaLinux, Rocky
rpm -qa | grep -i php

Why the version number can mislead you

Backported fixes. Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian and Red Hat often patch security bugs without changing the PHP version number. Your server may say 8.1.2 and still have the PHP2Shell fix, because the package version changed (for example a new -ubuntu suffix). Check your distribution's security notice for the patched package version.

Host-built PHP. Hosts such as Hostinger, cPanel (EasyApache 4) and CloudLinux have released patched builds for older branches like 7.4, 8.0 and 8.1. Again, the build date or the host's announcement tells you more than the number.

Multiple sites, multiple versions. On one hosting account, each domain or subdomain can use a different PHP version. Check each site.

What your result means

Version	Action
8.3.36+, 8.4.27+, 8.5.12+	Patched and supported. Nothing urgent
8.2.35+	Patched, but support ends 31 Dec 2026: plan an upgrade (why)
Older 8.2–8.5 numbers	Check build date or host notice; update if not patched
7.4, 8.0, 8.1	End of life: confirm a patched build with your host and upgrade soon
7.3 or lower	End of life with no fix: upgrade urgently

All support dates: PHP supported versions and end-of-life dates.

Next steps

• Need to change versions? How to change PHP version in cPanel and Hostinger
• On WordPress? Upgrade to PHP 8.3 safely
• Running a VPS? Patch PHP2Shell on Ubuntu and PHP-FPM

Where we fit

We look after websites for businesses in Bangalore and Shivamogga: PHP versions, updates, backups and security, so you don't have to think about any of this. See website development.

Not sure what you're looking at? Send us your site for a free check.

Sources

• Hostinger: Protections against php2shell
• Wordify: How to check your WordPress PHP version
• Welcomattic: where to get the patched PHP for your setup