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Switch PHP version in eXtend Control Panel

If you are using our standard eXtend hosting packages, you can easily switch PHP using the PHP switcher tool in the control panel

Step 1 - Sign into your Watch the Dot Hosting Account

  • How to: Login to your Web Hosting account

    • Step 2 - Navigate to Web Tools

    You can expand or collapse sections withinb your control panel using the +/- signs at the top of each section

    Step 3 - Select your preferred PHP version

    We recommend version 7, but if your website is incompatible with PHP 7 (older WordPress themes for example occasionally utilise functions that were removed in PHP version 7), you can step back to an earlier version. WordPress 5.2 (due in April 2019 requires a minimum of php 5.6)

    Step 4 - Check .htaccess

    Some installations of WordPress additionally force the use of older version of PHP in the file .htaccess. To check this, select File manager in your control panel and navigate to the public_html directory. Locate the file .htaccess, right click to edit and change: 
    SetEnv DEFAULT_PHP_VERSION 53
    to 
    #SetEnv DEFAULT_PHP_VERSION 53
  • How to: Edit a file in eXtend Control Panel

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    Upgrade PHP
    Article published 30th July 2017
    Last modified 16th June 2023

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