Grok WordPress PHP 7.4 EOL Situation Question

WordPress PHP 7.4 EOL

Recently, a notice started appearing in WordPress dashboards. It indicated that the PHP version 7.4 was EOL (end of life) out of date and needed to be updated to version 8.3. That seemed quite a jump. I was surprised that WordPress never recommended updating to 8.0. So that led me to chat with Grok using the following prompt:

Can you find find out why WordPress only started site health notifications that PHP 7.4 was outdated in July 2025? I am curious why WordPress never notified for users to move to 8.0, 8.1, or 8.2 – but just started indicating PHP 8.4 as acceptable.

Understanding WordPress Site Health and PHP Version Notifications

WordPress’s Site Health tool (introduced in version 5.2 in 2019) monitors your site’s configuration, including the PHP version, and displays critical or recommended warnings based on security, performance, and compatibility factors. These notifications are triggered when a PHP version reaches or approaches its end-of-life (EOL)—the point where the PHP project stops providing security updates or bug fixes, leaving sites vulnerable. WordPress doesn’t “recommend” specific versions like 8.0 or 8.1 explicitly in notifications; instead, it broadly urges upgrades to the latest supported versions (typically PHP 8.x or higher) to stay secure and performant. The tool evolves over time via core updates, aligning with PHP’s annual release cycle (new major versions in November) and WordPress’s biannual releases.

Your question highlights two key curiosities: (1) why the PHP 7.4 “outdated” warning appeared specifically in July 2025, and (2) why no targeted notifications pushed users from 7.4 to intermediate PHP 8.x versions (8.0–8.2), with a sudden shift to accepting PHP 8.4 as viable. I’ll break this down based on official WordPress documentation, PHP support timelines, and compatibility updates.

PHP Version Lifecycles and WordPress’s Approach

PHP versions follow a predictable schedule: 2 years of active support (bug fixes + security) followed by 1 year of security-only support. WordPress tests and supports multiple versions but phases out EOL ones to encourage upgrades. Here’s a quick timeline of relevant PHP versions and their EOL dates:

• Key Insight: By mid-2025, PHP 7.4 had been EOL for nearly 3 years (since Nov 2022), making it a high-risk version long before any 2025 notifications. However, WordPress delayed aggressive warnings for 7.4 to avoid breaking sites with incompatible plugins/themes—many of which lagged in PHP 8.x support until 2023–2024.
• WordPress’s official recommendation (as of Oct 2025) is PHP 8.3 or greater for optimal performance and security, with a functional minimum of 7.2.24+ (though anything below 8.0 is discouraged due to EOL risks).

Why the PHP 7.4 Warning Started in July 2025

The timing aligns with WordPress 6.8’s release on July 15, 2025. This update included backend refinements to the Site Health tool, specifically tightening the threshold for “outdated PHP” warnings:

• Pre-July 2025 Behavior: Site Health had flagged PHP <7.4 as “critical” since WP 5.7 (Dec 2020), and PHP 7.4 as “recommended to update” starting around WP 6.3 (Jul 2023). However, for users on 7.4, the warning was often softer (“Your site is running on PHP 7.4, which is outdated and unsupported”) to give time for ecosystem-wide compatibility. This was intentional—data from 2024 showed ~40–50% of WordPress sites still on 7.4, and rushed warnings could cause widespread breakage.
• July 2025 Change: In WP 6.8, the warning escalated to critical for PHP 7.4 specifically, triggered by:
  • EOL Enforcement: With 7.4 now 2.5+ years past EOL, WordPress core contributors (via the PHP Compatibility team) decided it was time to prioritize security. The update message reads something like: “Your site is running on an outdated version of PHP (7.4.x), which does not receive security updates. It should be updated immediately.”
  • Ecosystem Maturity: By 2025, >90% of plugins/themes were PHP 8.x-compatible, reducing breakage risks. WP 6.8’s release coincided with PHP 8.3’s active support phase, making upgrades smoother.
  • Broader Context: This fits WordPress’s pattern of aligning warnings with major releases. For example, warnings for PHP 7.0–7.1 became critical in WP 6.6 (Jul 2024).

If you’re seeing this now (Oct 2025), it’s because your site updated to 6.8+ or the health check re-ran. No major “announcement” happened in July—it was a quiet core tweak to reflect real-world risks.

Why No Notifications for Upgrading to PHP 8.0, 8.1, or 8.2?

WordPress Site Health doesn’t send version-specific nudges (e.g., “Upgrade to 8.1 now!”) because:

• Generic Guidance: Notifications focus on problems (e.g., “Outdated PHP—update to a supported version”), not step-by-step paths. The intent is to prompt users to the latest stable PHP (via their host’s panel), which in 2023–2024 would have been 8.0–8.2. Detailed upgrade paths are left to hosting docs or plugins like “PHP Compatibility Checker.”
• Compatibility Caution: Early PHP 8.x had teething issues:
  • PHP 8.0 (EOL Nov 2023): Initial support in WP was “compatible with exceptions” until WP 6.3 (Jul 2023), due to strict typing changes breaking ~10–15% of plugins.
  • PHP 8.1 (EOL Nov 2024): Similar—warnings for pre-8.1 were recommended but not critical until mid-2024.
  • PHP 8.2 (ongoing support): Full support only from WP 6.6 (Jul 2024). Pushing these prematurely could have caused more harm than good, as hosts and developers needed time to adapt.
• No “Never” Notified: There were indirect prompts. Since WP 6.0 (2022), Site Health showed performance/security benefits of “PHP 8.0+” in the Info tab. But without EOL pressure, many users ignored them—hence the delayed 7.4 escalation.

Why Suddenly Indicating PHP 8.4 as “Acceptable”?

PHP 8.4 (released Nov 2024) became “acceptable” (i.e., fully supported without warnings) due to proactive WordPress testing:

• Beta Support in WP 6.7 (Oct 2024): Added initial compatibility for 8.4’s features (e.g., improved property hooks, lazy objects).
• Full Support in WP 6.8 (Jul 2025): Raised to “fully compatible,” with Site Health greenlighting 8.4+ as “recommended.” This was updated in the core handbook on July 8, 2025, just before 6.8’s launch.
• Reason for Speed: PHP 8.4’s changes were evolutionary (fewer breaking ones than 8.0), and WordPress’s annual November sync allowed quick integration. By Oct 2025, 8.4 is the “latest” with active support until Nov 2026, so it’s now the default “good” version in health checks.
• No “Sudden” Shift: It’s evolutionary—warnings always pointed to “8.x or higher.” With 8.3 nearing EOL (Nov 2025), 8.4 naturally filled the gap.

Recommendations for Your Site

• Check Your Version: Go to Tools > Site Health > Info > Server in your WP dashboard.
• Upgrade Safely:
  1. Backup your site (use UpdraftPlus or your host).
  2. Test on staging (many hosts like Kinsta or SiteGround offer this).
  3. Switch via your host’s cPanel/Plesk (e.g., MultiPHP Manager) to PHP 8.3+.
  4. Use the free “PHP Compatibility Checker” plugin to scan for issues.
• Performance Boost: Upgrading from 7.4 to 8.4 can yield 20–50% faster load times and better security.

If this doesn’t match your exact experience (e.g., custom hosting quirks), share more details like your WP version or exact warning text for deeper troubleshooting. WordPress’s goal is security without disruption—better late than sorry on those 7.4 warnings!

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Note: I made an article on this topic at https://charlesworks.com/new-php-7-4-notices-in-wordpress/ for those looking for more info about it.