What to do if my Site Does Not Support Newer Versions of PHP

"My site does not support the newer versions of PHP!" Sound familiar? Don't worry; you're not alone. Most of the website owners also face this issue; we're here to help you troubleshoot this common problem and get your site back on track.

My sites don't work with newer versions of PHP; what can I do?

Most popular website, including some of the extremely popular ones, use PHP to render content. Most such sites offer automatic upgrades that enable the system to remain compatible with the latest versions of PHP, but sometimes problems occur. Themes or plugins that come with some of these services might clash with updates or fail on newer versions of PHP from time to time.

• Attempt to Update Your Website
• Contact a Developer
• Design a New Site
• Migrate to a Platform Supporting Older PHP Versions
• Summary
   

If you can test and confirm that your sites are incompatible with a newer version of PHP, explore the various options below to address the issue.

Attempt to Update Your Website

Several platforms, even WordPress, have the capability to update to versions compatible with the latest PHP versions. The first thing you'd want to do is attempt to update your site through your dashboard. Do not forget to back it up before you make any changes, because should something arise that doesn't quite go as planned, you can revert your site to the original.

Contact a Developer

Reach out to your web developer or consider consulting another professional to help update your website and ensure compatibility with a modern and secure version of PHP. The developer who initially built your site is likely to have the expertise needed to address the issue promptly and effectively.

Design a New Site

Consider designing a completely new site, taking advantage of the opportunity to offer your visitors a refreshed experience powered by a modern PHP version. Bluehost provides a range of tools for building a website from the ground up that is compatible with your new service.

Alternatively, you can engage third-party developers to reconstruct your site for you.

Migrate to a Platform Supporting Older PHP Versions

We recognize that updating your site to align with modern PHP versions can be challenging. If updating or rebuilding your site to comply with your upgraded service seems impractical, you can consider moving your content to another service provider that supports PHP versions 7.0 to 7.3.

If you can't find a provider explicitly offering this option, another viable solution is to opt for a VPS or dedicated server. This will grant you control over the software environment hosting your website.

Summary

A site that does not support the newer versions of PHP can be very frustrating, but it is a solvable problem. Update your site following the troubleshooting steps in this article or seek professional help to enjoy the advantages of improved security and increased performance, along with greater compatibility. Remember, the technologies contained within a site are fundamental to its long-term success.