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To change a website’s PHP version, use your hosting panel’s domain-level PHP settings whenever they are available. In cPanel, that is usually MultiPHP Manager; in Plesk, use the domain’s PHP Settings. A PHP handler is a separate server setting, so adding a line in File Manager is appropriate only when your host gives you the exact directive for your server.
PHP version and PHP handler are different settings
The PHP version is the runtime assigned to a domain or virtual host. The handler is the server mechanism that executes PHP requests using that version. Changing one does not necessarily change the other.
In cPanel, account users can generally assign a domain’s version in MultiPHP Manager, if the provider enables it. Handler configuration is in WHM and normally requires administrator access. Plesk provides version and available-handler choices in a domain’s PHP settings. The options you can select depend on what the provider has installed and enabled.
Change a domain’s PHP version in cPanel
- Sign in to cPanel and open Software > MultiPHP Manager.
- Record the version currently assigned to the domain.
- Select the domain or domains you want to change.
- Choose an installed, available version from the PHP Version menu.
- Apply the change, then visit the website and check its important pages and functions.
cPanel’s MultiPHP Manager documentation notes that the list may not include every PHP version. A version may be absent because it is not installed on the server or is unavailable to your account; the host may also disable the interface. Ask your provider or server administrator to enable the version you need.
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Change the handler in cPanel or WHM
Changing a handler is an administrator-level task in WHM: open Software > MultiPHP Manager > PHP Handlers, then choose a handler beside the relevant installed PHP version. cPanel documents this setting in its WHM MultiPHP Manager system settings and PHP Handlers guide. The command-line utility rebuild_phpconf is another administrative method described by cPanel.
If you only have a cPanel account and cannot access WHM, contact the host. You can ask whether the desired handler is available and whether they can configure it for the relevant PHP version.
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Change the version and handler in Plesk
- Open the domain’s PHP Settings page in Plesk.
- Enable PHP support if it is currently off and the domain needs PHP.
- Select the desired PHP version and an available handler.
- Apply or save the settings, then test the website.
Plesk’s PHP Settings documentation explains that available handlers depend on the selected PHP version and the server operating system. If the choice you need is missing, ask your hosting provider whether it can be installed or enabled.
When to use File Manager and edit .htaccess
Use File Manager for a PHP configuration change only when your host’s instructions specifically call for a file edit, or when you are addressing a documented directory-specific configuration. cPanel’s MultiPHP Manager does not update every .htaccess file outside a domain’s document root, so a non-document-root directory may need a manual adjustment. cPanel explains how PHP version inheritance works in its PHP Inheritance documentation.
Do not paste a generic AddHandler line from an unrelated guide. The directive must match the PHP version and handler configured on your host; a mismatch can prevent PHP files from running correctly. cPanel’s support guidance on an “unable to stat” PHP error discusses a version-specific handler example and warns that the directive must correspond to the server configuration. Ask your provider for the exact line and the directory where it belongs.
If your host gives you a directive, open the specified directory in File Manager, locate or create the .htaccess file as instructed, and add only the supplied configuration. Keep a copy of the original file so you can restore it if the site stops working. Do not use the MultiPHP INI Editor as a substitute for changing a version or handler; it configures PHP settings rather than assigning the runtime.
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Check the site and recover if it breaks
Before making a change, note the current version and save a copy of any file you plan to edit. After applying the new setting, test the public site and the features that depend on PHP, such as sign-in, forms, and checkout if applicable. Different PHP versions are not fully compatible, as Plesk cautions in its version and handler change instructions.
If the site fails after a panel change, restore the version you recorded and investigate compatibility before trying again. If a file-level change caused the failure, restore the saved .htaccess file or remove the specific directive your host provided, then contact support with the error and the change you made.
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