Which PHP version should I use?

Why PHP matters

Joomla is written in PHP. Newer PHP versions are faster and still get security fixes; very old ones don't. Each Joomla version also needs a minimum PHP version.

Recommended

• Joomla 6: PHP 8.4 (minimum 8.3).
• Joomla 5: PHP 8.3 (minimum 8.1).

Change the PHP version safely

1. Make a backup of your site.
2. Check that your template and extensions support the new PHP version (developer sites, changelogs).
3. In your hosting panel, open the PHP settings (for example "Select PHP Version" in cPanel or "PHP Settings" in Plesk) and pick the version.
4. Reload your site and the administrator. If you see an error, switch back and update the extension it names.

Good to know

• Joomla shows a warning on the Home Dashboard when your PHP version is about to lose support.