infoWordPress CorecodePHPwebwordpresserrorerrorsystem_updateUpdatesettingsserver_configurationlabelCommonwarningModerate

The PHP version is too low for this WordPress version

WordPress checks the PHP interpreter before loading core files. If the interpreter reports a version lower than the minimum required, WordPress stops execution and shows the error.

The check runs in wp_check_php_version(). It compares the detected version with the requirement defined for the installed WordPress release.

Symptoms

[dashicons-warning]
Admin dashboard notice
Red notice appears after login stating the PHP version is too low for this WordPress version.
[dashicons-admin-site]
Site fails to load
White screen of death or fatal error when visiting the front end.
[dashicons-terminal]
WP‑CLI aborts
Command line update or install stops with the same error message.

Common Causes

Out‑of‑date PHP interpreter
Server runs a PHP version lower than the minimum required by the WordPress core.
CLI vs web SAPI mismatch
Command line PHP is newer than the PHP used by the web server, causing WordPress to read the older version.
Plugin or theme filter
A plugin or theme uses wp_is_php_version_acceptable filter to mark the current version as unacceptable.
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