Start with the application, not a toggle.

A PHP upgrade is a change to the environment your application runs on. The planning needs to include the CMS or framework, dependencies, hosting configuration, and business workflows around it.

Record the current runtime, who maintains it, and the reason for the update. Is this an urgent security response, an end-of-support concern, or a planned application improvement? That context influences the sequencing and the people who need to be involved.

Confirm upstream support status on the official PHP supported versions page, then check the requirements of the platform and extensions used by your site.

Make the dependencies visible.

Inventory CMS core, plugins or modules, themes, custom code, and integrations. Include scheduled jobs and command-line tasks if they run separately from the public website. The target state needs to work across the agreed environment.

Do not assume a custom component is compatible because a general platform requirement is met. Give the developers responsible for that component a clear opportunity to review and test it.

For WordPress agencies

Group sites sharing a host, theme, or plugin stack. This helps identify common blockers while preserving site-specific checks. Explore agency coordination →

Agree what a successful test looks like.

Use a representative staging environment where available. Document the important journeys before the update so validation is more useful than checking whether the homepage loads.

  • Public pages, search, forms, and notifications.
  • User login, roles, and restricted content.
  • Checkout, payments, and order handling where applicable.
  • Background jobs, exports, and external integrations.
  • Administration, logging, and error handling.

Assign an owner for each check and record the result. If staging differs from production, make that difference visible in the release decision.

Prepare the release and the handover.

Confirm backup availability, the recovery path, who can approve the release, and the criteria for rolling back. Choose timing around the site’s operational needs and the people available to validate it.

After the change, confirm the deployed environment and repeat the agreed checks. Record what changed, what was tested, and any remaining work. Give maintenance owners enough context to understand the new baseline.

Need help moving from planning to implementation? Explore remediation and updates, or see how ongoing support can keep subsequent changes organized.