How to check your PHP version

The right method depends on whether you have a public URL, a server terminal, or access to your hosting panel. For update decisions, confirm the PHP runtime that actually serves the website.

1. Check a website’s public headers

Use our free PHP version checker. Enter the website URL to inspect its public response headers. A header such as X-Powered-By: PHP/8.3.36 advertises a PHP version. If the version is hidden, use one of the following methods.

2. Check PHP from the command line

php -v

This shows the version used by the PHP binary in your terminal’s PATH. It can differ from PHP-FPM or Apache. On servers with multiple PHP versions, inspect your hosting configuration and the binary used by the relevant PHP-FPM pool. Depending on your installation, php-fpm -v or a versioned binary such as php-fpm8.3 -v may be available.

3. Check PHP in WordPress

Open the WordPress administration dashboard. Go to Tools → Site Health → Info → Server and find the PHP version. This checks the PHP environment serving WordPress, which is more relevant than an unrelated command-line installation.

4. Check your hosting control panel

In cPanel, look for MultiPHP Manager or the PHP selector provided by your host. In Plesk, open the domain’s PHP settings. Confirm the selected domain, not just the account’s default version. Ask your host whether the full package revision includes the relevant security fixes.

5. Check with a restricted temporary PHP file

If you manage the website files, create a temporary PHP file accessible only to you, using your server’s existing access controls. Include only:

<?php
echo PHP_VERSION;

Open it through the same website and PHP handler as your application, note the version, then delete the file immediately. Avoid exposing a full phpinfo() page: it can reveal configuration and environment details.

What to do with the version

Paste it into the version tab on our checker. Review PHP’s support schedule and your distribution or hosting provider’s advisories. Compare complete package revisions for vendor builds: a lower upstream version number can still contain backported fixes.

Checking many websites?

Use the bulk PHP version checker to create a website inventory with evidence and CSV exports. Hidden versions still require confirmation from within the server environment.