PHP Compatibility and WordPress Versions

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WordPress aims to support new versions of PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher as much as possible, most commonly in the major version of WordPress that’s released around the same time as the new version of PHP in November each year. As a project, the process of supporting these new versions begins after each new PHP version has hit feature freeze and betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. versions are being tagged.

The coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. WordPress software is tested and compatible with the versions in this list.

Due to the acknowledgement that WordPress is rarely used in isolation (without any theme or plugins), support was historically labelled as “beta support” until at least 10% of all WordPress sites were running that version or later, however this label has now been retired.

Supported PHP Versions

WP / PHP Version	8.5	8.4	8.3	8.2	8.1	8.0	7.4	7.3	7.2	7.1	7.0	5.6 and older
7.0	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
6.9	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
6.8	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
6.7	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
6.6	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
6.5	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
6.4	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N

Past changes to supported PHP versions have been as follows:

• In May 2026: Use of the “beta support” label was retired.
• In WordPress 7.0: Dropped support for PHP 7.2 and 7.3.
• In WordPress 6.9: Added beta support for PHP 8.5.
• In July 2025: Raised PHP 8.3 support in WordPress 6.8 to fully compatible.
• In July 2025: Security support for WordPress 4.1-4.6 was dropped.
• In April 2025: Use of the “compatible with exceptions” label was retired.
• In WordPress 6.7: Added beta support for PHP 8.4.
• In WordPress 6.6: Raised PHP 8.2 to compatible with exceptions and dropped support for PHP 7.0 & 7.1.
• In WordPress 6.4: Added beta support for PHP 8.3.

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Older WordPress Versions

WP / PHP Version	8.3 and newer	8.2	8.1	8.0	7.4	7.3	7.2	7.1	7.0	5.6	5.5 and older
6.3	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
6.2	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
6.1	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
6.0	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
5.9	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
5.8	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
5.7	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
5.6	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N

WP / PHP Version	8.0 and newer	7.4	7.3	7.2	7.1	7.0	5.6	5.5	5.4	5.3	5.2
5.5	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.4	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.3	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.2	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.1	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
5.0	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
4.9	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
4.8	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
4.7	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y