PHP End of Life Dates and Supported Versions in 2026

PHP end of life is the date after which a PHP branch gets no more releases from the PHP project, not even security fixes. As of October 2026, the supported versions are PHP 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5, and everything from 8.1 down is end of life. PHP 8.2 joins the end-of-life list on 31 December 2026, so stores on 8.2 should plan their next move now.

Which PHP versions are supported in 2026?

Active support means bugs and security issues are fixed in regular releases. Security support means only security fixes, released when needed. As of 22 October 2026, the latest releases on every supported branch are the 21 October 2026 security releases from php.net: 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35, which fix the PHP2Shell vulnerabilities.

PHP 8.6 is next. The PHP 8.6 release plan targets general availability on 19 November 2026, and php.net announced release candidate RC4 on 21 October 2026.

PHP end of life dates for older versions

The PHP end of life page lists every unsupported branch and its last release:

The supported versions page warns that users of end-of-life releases may be exposed to unpatched security vulnerabilities. PHP2Shell showed what that means in practice: the PHP project shipped no new 8.1 release, and stores on 8.1 had to rely on a distribution backport or a source patch.

What does "PHP 8" cover?

PHP 8 is the major version that includes 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5, with 8.6 planned for November 2026. Saying a server runs "PHP 8" is not enough for security: 8.0 and 8.1 are end of life, and 8.2 ends on 31 December 2026. Always check the minor version and the patch release.

PHP versions for WordPress, WooCommerce and Magento

The platform decides which PHP version you can run. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and still works on 7.4 and above in legacy environments. WooCommerce recommends 8.3 or greater and is tested up to 8.4. For Magento and Adobe Commerce, Adobe's system requirements tie each release to specific PHP versions:

A Magento store on 2.4.6 or older has a PHP problem as well as a platform one: its PHP options run out by the end of 2026. Upgrading to 2.4.7 or later on PHP 8.3 or newer is what gets it back onto supported PHP, and 2.4.8 or 2.4.9 gives the longest runway. If that upgrade is close to a rebuild, our Magento to Shopify migration service is the alternative, and our Magento upgrade cost versus replatforming comparison helps decide.

Which PHP version should you run?

For most WooCommerce and WordPress stores in late 2026, PHP 8.3 or 8.4 is the right call: both get security fixes into 2027 or later and both are inside WooCommerce's tested range. Move off 8.2 before 31 December 2026, and off anything older now. Wait for your plugins and platform to confirm support before moving to 8.5 or 8.6. Magento and Adobe Commerce stores follow Adobe's matrix instead: 2.4.8 runs on 8.3 or 8.4, and 2.4.9 on 8.5. Our guide to updating PHP in WordPress covers the steps.

What to do next

Write down the PHP version of every server you run, including staging and worker servers, and compare it with the tables above. Patch supported branches to the latest release, and book an upgrade for anything on 8.2 or older. If you want that upgrade planned and tested for you, our WooCommerce development team can scope it, and Magento stores can look at our Magento to Shopify migration option.