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WordPress PHP Compatibility Checker
The WordPress PHP compatibility checker compares available public software requirements with the PHP version you plan to use. It helps you prepare an upgrade checklist before testing the change on a staging copy.
Free WordPress PHP compatibility check
Free to use without an account. View the result here and choose whether to receive it by email.
What the tool covers
Prepare for a PHP version change
Public PHP clues, documented WordPress core support and current WordPress.org minimum PHP requirements for up to six detected plugins, compared with your target PHP version.
Disclosed PHP information
Response headers are checked for a public PHP version. A hidden or proxy-generated value needs confirmation in your hosting panel.
WordPress core guidance
An identifiable WordPress release is compared with the documented PHP support matrix held by the checker. Unlisted releases and targets remain unverified.
Current plugin minimums
For up to six detected plugins, the review compares your target with the current WordPress.org release's minimum PHP requirement, which can differ from your installed release.
Checks that need staging
The result separates the evidence available publicly from the compatibility work that still needs your installed inventory and hands-on testing.
Understand the limits
A minimum requirement is not proof of compatibility with newer PHP. The checker cannot inspect custom code or run your site's features.
Understanding your result
Use PHP findings to prepare an upgrade, not approve one
PHP compatibility involves WordPress core, installed plugins, themes and custom code working together. A public check can review part of that evidence without running the site under your target version.
Core support covers one part of the site
Read the documented result for the detected WordPress branch, then confirm the actual installed version. A supported core combination does not certify your theme, plugins or custom integrations.
Plugin minimums set a lower boundary
Meeting a published minimum does not prove that every newer PHP release works. Check the developer's notes for the plugin version installed on your site, especially when it differs from the directory's current release.
Resolve practical uncertainty on staging
Ask your host to switch a staging copy first. Test the editor, forms, logins and store journeys, review the error log, and confirm how to restore the previous PHP version before the live change.
Know what the requirement can establish
PHP is the server software that runs WordPress code. A plugin's minimum PHP requirement sets a lower boundary for its supported environment. Meeting that boundary does not establish that an old plugin works with every newer PHP release. Public directory information can also describe a different release from the one installed on your site.
Build an inventory before the upgrade
Check your current PHP version in your hosting panel or WordPress Site Health information. Record the installed plugin and theme versions, including premium software and custom code that a public scan cannot identify. Read each developer's compatibility notes for your target PHP release.
Confirm compatibility on staging
Create a current backup and a staging copy, then change PHP on that copy first. Test the editor, forms, login, scheduled tasks and checkout, and review the PHP error log. Agree a rollback route with your host before changing the live site.
Questions about this tool
Can a public PHP checker guarantee my site will work after an upgrade?
No. It cannot execute private plugin code or test your real customer journeys. Use the result to prepare a staging test and review software requirements.
What does the target PHP version mean?
It is the PHP release you intend to select with your host. Enter its major and minor version so the tool can compare it with the available minimum requirements.
Why is my current PHP version unknown?
Servers can hide PHP version information from public responses. Confirm the installed version in your hosting panel or WordPress Site Health information.
Does meeting a plugin's minimum PHP requirement prove compatibility?
No. A minimum requirement is a lower boundary. It does not certify a plugin, its dependencies or custom code against every newer PHP release.
Can I email the PHP review before speaking to my host?
Yes. Start the review and use the optional email form. Share the result alongside your installed software inventory and the target PHP version.
Free website widget
Add this tool to your website
Let visitors use the WordPress PHP Compatibility Checker on your own page, including the option to email their results. Copy the code into an Elementor HTML widget or a WordPress Custom HTML block, then preview the published page.
Get the embed code
The widget fits the width of its container. Increase the height value if you want more of the report visible at once; longer results can be scrolled inside the widget.
BugShield hosts and runs the tool. Results and email addresses stay inside the widget and are not shared with the page embedding it. If your editor removes the code or your site blocks external widgets, ask your website administrator to allow frames from bugshield.co.uk.
Need help with the next step?
A BugShield developer can review the findings and help you decide what your WordPress site needs.
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