Change PHP version in Plesk (PHP 8.5)

Change PHP version in Plesk

PHP 8.5 is available on all FireStorm servers. This guide shows you how to change the PHP version of your website in just a few steps.

Prerequisites

• Access to your Plesk Panel
• An active domain on a FireStorm server

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Log in to Plesk
Open your Plesk Panel in your browser. You can find the address in your welcome email or in the customer area at admin.firestorm.ch.

Step 2: Select your domain
In the “Websites & Domains” section, click on the domain where you want to change the PHP version.

Step 3: Open PHP Settings
Look for “PHP Settings”. In some Plesk versions, you’ll find this under the “Hosting & DNS” tab.

Step 4: Select PHP version
In the “PHP version” dropdown menu, select 8.5.x. Leave the mode on “FPM application served by Apache” (default).

Step 5: Apply
Click “OK” or “Apply”. The change takes effect immediately.

Step 6: Test your website
Visit your website and check that everything works correctly. Also test the backend (e.g. WordPress admin, shop management).

Create a backup (recommended)

Before switching the PHP version, we recommend creating a backup:

1. Go to “Websites & Domains” in Plesk
2. Click on “Backup Manager”
3. Create a new backup

If problems occur after switching, you can revert the PHP version at any time.

Common issues

Website shows a white screen
Usually a plugin or theme incompatibility. Switch back to the previous PHP version and update all plugins and themes first.

Deprecation warnings in logs
These warnings are normal and do not affect functionality. They indicate that certain code constructs will be removed in future PHP versions.

Plugin stopped working
Check if an updated version of the plugin is available. Most popular plugins (WordPress, WooCommerce, etc.) support PHP 8.5.

Recommended PHP versions

Support

If you need help, our support team is happy to assist:

• Create a support ticket
• Or contact us directly via live chat