Are you trying to determine whether or not your site is compatible with WPForms? If you were linked to this page from your WordPress dashboard, then you’re running an outdated version of PHP that is either insecure or no longer supported. You may also be running an outdated version of WordPress that’s incompatible with WPForms.
In this article, we’ll share the PHP and WordPress version requirements for our plugin and addons.
- What Is PHP?
- WPForms PHP Version Requirements
- WordPress Version Requirements
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is PHP?
PHP is the programming language that WordPress and WPForms are built on.
Newer versions of PHP are both faster and more secure. We share a notice to alert users when they are running an outdated version of PHP because this means their website no longer receives security updates.
The easiest way to resolve this issue is to contact your web hosting provider and ask them to update the PHP version for your hosting account. This is actually quite easy, and something your web host should be doing proactively.
If your web hosting company is unwilling to upgrade your PHP version (or tell you how to do so yourself from your hosting control panel), then it clearly shows that your website’s security is not a priority to your host. In that case, we recommend switching to one of the recommended WordPress hosting companies listed in WPBeginner’s article.
At WPForms, our favorites are Bluehost and SiteGround, both of which are officially recommended by WordPress as well. We host our site with SiteGround.
WPForms PHP Version Requirements
In case your web hosting company asks, below are the PHP version requirements for WPForms and its addons.
We recommend upgrading to PHP version 7.4 or higher.
WPForms currently works on PHP version 5.6 or higher, however support for PHP 5.6 will be discontinued in the near future.
We no longer support the following PHP versions:
- PHP 5.2 (discontinued in November 2018)
- PHP 5.3 (discontinued in October 2019)
- PHP 5.4 (discontinued in March 2020)
- PHP 5.5 (discontinued in March 2022)
WordPress itself requires PHP 5.6+ for the latest updates.
Each WPForms addon has its own PHP version requirements, too. If you try to install an addon that is not compatible with your site’s version of PHP, you will see an error message that reads, “Could not install addon. Please download from wpforms.com and install manually.”
If you then try to install the addon manually as suggested, the installation will fail and you will see an error message notifying you of your site’s current PHP version and the PHP version required by the addon.
WordPress Version Requirements
WordPress version 5.2 or higher is required for WPForms to work successfully.
Each WPForms addon also has its own WordPress and WPForms version requirements. The best way to make sure your addons are always compatible with your site is to use the latest versions of WordPress and WPForms.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most common questions we receive about our plugins’ PHP requirements.
Which version of PHP should I update to?
You should update your PHP version to 7.4 or higher. Ideally, you should upgrade to the latest version your web host offers. Most sites can upgrade to PHP 7+ without issues.
How do I update my site’s PHP version?
Web hosts have the ability to update your PHP version. In most cases, you can upgrade within your web hosting control panel or by submitting a support ticket to your host.
Can I still use the Classic Editor with WPForms?
Yes, but you’ll need to use the Classic Editor plugin. For more details, be sure to check out our tutorial on creating forms with the Classic Editor.
What are the supported PHP versions for WP Mail SMTP?
Our WP Mail SMTP plugin currently requires PHP version 5.6.20 or higher. For more details, please see our article on PHP requirements for WP Mail SMTP.
That’s it! Now you know all about the PHP version requirements for WPForms.
Ready to dive into using WPForms? Check out our guides to creating your first form and taking the WPForms challenge.
