Upgrade PHP on WordPress is a common task when you run a WordPress server. Some essential plugins (for example RankMath SEO) may not run with the current Debian PHP version.
In this step-by-step tutorial, we will upgrade PHP 7.3 to PHP 7.4 on a Debian Buster WordPress server running Apache and PHP as an Apache module (the most common configuration).
Run the following commands as root or using sudo.
Current state:
php -v
PHP 7.3.31-1~deb10u2 (cli) (built: Dec 15 2022 09:39:10) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2018 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.3.31, Copyright (c) 1998-2018 Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.3.31-1~deb10u2, Copyright (c) 1999-2018, by Zend Technologies
update-alternatives --config php
There is only one alternative in link group php (providing /usr/bin/php): /usr/bin/php7.3
Nothing to configure.
STEP1 – Backup your site
Back up your database with mysqldump and the document root with tar. Put these files in a safe place (usually using scp).
As an alternative, you may use WP Migrate Lite to export your database.
STEP2 – Add the SURY repository
SURY repository offers many PHP versions.
You can add it to your system using the official guidelines for Debian:
apt-get update
apt-get -y install apt-transport-https lsb-release ca-certificates curl
curl -sSLo /usr/share/keyrings/deb.sury.org-php.gpg https://packages.sury.org/php/apt.gpg
sh -c 'echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/deb.sury.org-php.gpg] https://packages.sury.org/php/ $(lsb_release -sc) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/php.list'
apt-get update
Remark: on Ubuntu, you may use
add-apt-repository -y ppa:ondrej/php
STEP3 – Setup PHP 7.4
apt-get install php7.4
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
libapache2-mod-php7.4 libpcre2-8-0 php7.4-cli php7.4-common php7.4-json php7.4-opcache php7.4-readline
Suggested packages:
php-pear
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libapache2-mod-php7.4 php7.4 php7.4-cli php7.4-common php7.4-json php7.4-opcache php7.4-readline
The following packages will be upgraded:
libpcre2-8-0
1 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 0 to remove and 37 not upgraded.
Need to get 3,991 kB of archives.
After this operation, 17.6 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Current state:
php -v
PHP 7.4.33 (cli) (built: Jan 13 2023 10:38:05) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.4.0, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.4.33, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies
update-alternatives --config php
There are 2 choices for the alternative php (providing /usr/bin/php).
Selection Path Priority Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0 /usr/bin/php7.4 74 auto mode
1 /usr/bin/php7.3 73 manual mode
2 /usr/bin/php7.4 74 manual mode
Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:
STEP4 – Setup PHP 7.4 extensions
These may vary depending on your WordPress configuration. However, the most common PHP extensions on a WordPress server are:
apt-get install php7.4-mysql
apt-get install php7.4-mbstring
apt-get install php7.4-memcached
apt-get install php7.4-gd
apt-get install php7.4-curl
apt-get install php7.4-zip
apt-get install php7.4-xml
apt-get install php7.4-imagick
apt-get install php7.4-bcmath
apt-get install php7.4-opcache
apt-get install php7.4-apcu
Find a list of Extensions suggested by WordPress here.
STEP5 – Add custom configuration (if any)
In my case:
cp /etc/php/7.3/apache2/conf.d/99_error_log.ini /etc/php/7.4/apache2/conf.d/99_error_log.ini
cp /etc/php/7.3/apache2/conf.d/99_security.ini /etc/php/7.4/apache2/conf.d/99_security.ini
STEP6 – Apply the new PHP 7.4 version to Apache
a2dismod php7.3
a2enmod php7.4
systemctl restart apache2.service
At this time, the changes are visible in phpinfo:
STEP7 – Switch PHP version
In case you need to change the configuration:
UPGRADE PHP 7.3 to PHP 7.4
systemctl stop apache2.service
a2dismod php7.3
a2enmod php7.4
update-alternatives --config php
update-alternatives --config phar
update-alternatives --config phar.phar
systemctl start apache2.service
DOWNGRADE PHP 7.4 to PHP 7.3
systemctl stop apache2.service
a2dismod php7.4
a2enmod php7.3
update-alternatives --config php
update-alternatives --config phar
update-alternatives --config phar.phar
systemctl start apache2.service
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