How to Change PHP Version in DirectAdmin

Each new PHP version offers improved performance and increased security for your website. However, changing the PHP version, whether upgrading or downgrading, can lead to compatibility issues or malfunctions on your website. For this reason, we recommend that you always first verify that your applications (your code) are fully compatible with the new PHP version you intend to use.

Instructions for Changing PHP Version

It is important to note at this point that the following applies at the account level in DirectAdmin, meaning for all websites (domains and subdomains) that belong to the same user.

If you need a different PHP version or different settings and PHP extensions for specific domains or subdomains only, please refer to the related article: How to Change PHP Version Only for Selected Domains and Subdomains in DirectAdmin.

1. Log in to DirectAdmin

Type domainname.tld:2222 in your browser (replace domainname.tld with your own domain) and log in using your username and password.

2. Access PHP Settings

From the “Extra Features” menu, select “Select PHP version”.

3. Select PHP Version

On the page that appears, you will see the current PHP version next to the “Current PHP version” indicator. By clicking on it, all available PHP versions will be displayed from which you can choose.

4. Enable Extensions

From the same page, you can select the PHP extensions you want to enable.

⚠️ Important: We recommend that you always have the opcache extension enabled, as it increases your website’s speed.

5. Adjust Parameters

From the “Options” tab, you can configure parameters such as:

• memory_limit
• post_max_size
• upload_max_filesize