> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.noxity.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Switch the PHP version your account runs on. Powered by CloudLinux PHP Selector, with extension and option tabs underneath.

Select PHP Version is the cPanel-branded view of CloudLinux's PHP Selector. It does three things:

1. **Picks** which PHP version your account runs on (anything from the oldest still-supported branch up through the latest stable release).
2. **Toggles** which PHP extensions are loaded ([Extensions](/web-hosting/cpanel/software/select-php-version/extensions) tab).
3. **Tunes** core `php.ini` directives like memory limit and upload size ([Options](/web-hosting/cpanel/software/select-php-version/options) tab).

It's one of the most-used tools in cPanel. Most "this plugin needs PHP 8.2" or "the upload fails" issues end up here.

<Frame caption="cPanel home → Software → Select PHP Version">
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/software/select-php-version/page-light.png" alt="Select PHP Version landing page with the version dropdown" className="block dark:hidden" />

  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/software/select-php-version/page-dark.png" alt="Select PHP Version landing page with the version dropdown" className="hidden dark:block" />
</Frame>

<Note>
  **The PHP version applies to the whole account.** Every domain, every subdomain, every script you run uses the version you pick. **Per-domain selection is on the roadmap and we'll surface it here when it ships.** Until then, if one site needs a newer version and another needs an older one, you have to either pick the one both can live with, or split into separate cPanel accounts.
</Note>

## Switch PHP versions

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick the version from the dropdown">
    Top of the page. The dropdown shows every PHP version installed on the server you're on. We keep the list current with the latest stable release (currently up to **8.5**) and prune branches as they leave upstream security support, so you'll always see the newest stable down to the oldest still-safe version.

    Coverage varies by server, so not every node has every version. If a specific version you need isn't in the dropdown, [open a ticket](https://members.noxity.io) and we'll see whether we can install it on your server.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'set as current'">
    The change is instant. New PHP requests use the new version starting with the next request.

    <Warning>
      Changing PHP versions can break existing code. Plugins may need updates, deprecated functions may stop working. Test on a staging copy before switching production.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Optional: copy extensions across">
    cPanel asks if you want to copy your enabled extensions list from the old version. Almost always yes. Otherwise the new version starts with default extensions and your code may fail to load anything PEAR-shaped.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Where to go next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Extensions" icon="puzzle-piece" href="/web-hosting/cpanel/software/select-php-version/extensions">
    Toggle individual PHP extensions like `intl`, `gd`, `mysqli`, `redis`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Options" icon="sliders" href="/web-hosting/cpanel/software/select-php-version/options">
    Tune `memory_limit`, `upload_max_filesize`, `max_execution_time`, and other `php.ini` settings.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What it doesn't do

* **It doesn't change PHP per-domain.** Coming soon.
* **It doesn't roll back automatically if a site breaks.** You're responsible for picking a working version. Take a [JetBackup](/web-hosting/cpanel/file-management/jetbackup) snapshot before risky version jumps (5.x → 8.x in particular).
* **It doesn't manage Composer or Pecl.** Those still go via SSH or via [Perl Modules](/web-hosting/cpanel/software/perl-modules) / [PEAR Packages](/web-hosting/cpanel/software/pear-packages) for their respective ecosystems.

## How it relates to PHP X-Ray

X-Ray traces requests against the *current* selected PHP version. If you switch versions, restart any X-Ray tasks. See [X-Ray App](/web-hosting/cpanel/software/php-xray).

## Common issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The site shows 500 errors after a version change">
    First place to check: [Errors](/web-hosting/cpanel/metrics-analytics/errors) tool. Almost always a deprecation or a missing extension. Switch back to the old version while you fix the code.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The version dropdown is greyed out">
    A pre-existing custom configuration in `~/php.ini` or a server-level lock can disable the selector. Open a ticket; we can clear it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My code uses /usr/bin/php and ignores the version I picked">
    The selector controls the cPanel-managed PHP handler used for HTTP requests. CLI scripts that hard-code `/usr/bin/php` use the system default. Use `php` (no path) in your shebang to pick up the cPanel-selected version, or hard-code the version-specific path under `/opt/cpanel/ea-phpXX/root/usr/bin/php` (replace `XX` with the version, e.g., `85`).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Need a hand?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Open a ticket" icon="life-ring" href="https://members.noxity.io/submitticket.php">
    Best for anything that needs an account check or a config change on our end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Live chat" icon="messages" href="https://noxity.io/contact">
    Faster for quick questions during business hours.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>