If your WordPress site, or parts of it, has stopped working after PHP got updated, and you don't have the option to go back to a previous PHP version, follow the steps in this guide to get your site working again.
To ensure that your website remains secure and problem-free, regular maintenance and timely updates of WordPress core, plugins, and themes should be performed. You can read more information on: Why do I need to update PHP.
- Step 1 - Update WordPress manually
- Step 2 - Temporarily disable plugins via phpMyAdmin
- Step 3 - Change the theme to a default version
- Step 4 - Continue updating in WP Admin
-
Step 5 - Activate the plugins and theme again
Note: If you still have the option to downgrade PHP to a previous version, we recommend that you do so. You can then update your WordPress version, themes, and plugins via WP Admin and finally update PHP again.
Check our guide for step-by-step instructions: How to fix your website after PHP update.
Step 1 - Update WordPress manually
The first step is to update your WordPress core to the latest version. If you don't have access to WP Admin, this must be done manually.
You can use our guide if you're unfamiliar with how to update WordPress manually.
Step 2 - Temporarily disable plugins via phpMyAdmin
The most common reason for a site not to work after a PHP update is an outdated plugin. Therefore you should disable all plugins that are installed on your WordPress site. The deactivated plugin(s) will still be there but will not affect your site.
We also have a separate guide to show you how to do this: Disable WordPress plugins in phpMyAdmin
Check if you can access your site after disabling the plugins. Continue to step 4 if it works, in case it doesn't continue with step 3.
Step 3 - Change the theme to a default version
If you are using a customised or outdated theme, this can also cause problems. To rule this out, you should temporarily change your active theme to one of the default WordPress themes (for example, twentytwentyone or twentynineteen).
You can do this in your phpMyAdmin as well. Check our specified guide for step-by-step instructions: Change your WordPress theme from the database.
Step 4 - Continue updating in WP Admin
Your dashboard in WP Admin should now be accessible, and your site should be visible again. Be aware the site will look different. If you can't access WP Admin, please contact our support to help you further from here on.
When your website is visible again, the next step is updating all plugins and the theme. Everything must be set to the newest version.
- Log into your WP Admin.
- When logged in, click Updates in the menu to the left.
- A red dot with a number indicates how many updates are available.
Update all plugins and themes to the newest version. This makes the red dot disappear, which is the goal.
Important! Remove plugins and themes that you don't use. Find an alternative and replace those that haven't been updated in a while or where there's no update available.
Step 5 - Activate the plugins and theme again
Now that everything is updated to the latest version, you can activate the plugins and theme from the WP Admin again. We recommend that you do this one by one, checking each time that your site is still working.
If your site breaks after you activate a specific plugin or theme, you can deactivate it again from phpMyAdmin, as you did in steps 2 and 3.
If you need the latest version of a third-party plugin or theme, you should contact its developer. Usually, this can be done from the developer's website.
Plugins and themes that cannot be updated or are incompatible with the latest PHP update must be replaced.
Tip: You can add update plugins, or try our Managed WordPress add-on where our Update Manager will take care of everything for you next time you need to update your WordPress site.
Related articles:
