My Experience with PHP 7.4 Notices in WordPress

I want to reassure you about the new PHP 7.4 notices warning message WordPress is showing:

“Your site is running on an outdated version of PHP (7.4.33), which does not receive security updates. It should be updated.”
The notice adds that PHP 8.3 is now the minimum recommended version.

🗓️ When did WordPress start showing this?

According to recent articles, this PHP‑outdated warning began appearing in WordPress dashboards around July 9, 2025.

Is this a real emergency?

Not necessarily. PHP 7.4 reached End‑of‑Life on November 28, 2022, so no more official security updates have been released since then.

What I Did (and What We Can Do for You)

Recently I received a message containing something like this from one of our web clients:

“When I log into WordPress, it warns:
‘Your site is running on an outdated version of PHP (7.4.33) … It should be updated.’
I’m not sure how to do this and don’t want to break anything.”

That’s exactly where CharlesWorks can help—easily, quickly, and affordably.

✅ Our approach to assure safety and smooth operation

1. Update your PHP to 8.3 (or the highest supported version)
   • We switch your hosting PHP version and then test your site.
   • This typically takes 8 – 10 minutes and at our current rate costs just under $17.
2. Test all plugins, themes, and site functionality
   • If something breaks, we check PHP error logs (something most users don’t access or know how to interpret).
   • If needed, we can revert your site back to PHP 7.4 as a fallback and discuss options.
3. Next steps if anything fails:
   • Disable or replace incompatible plugins or themes.
   • Update custom code or find modern alternatives.
   • Or plan a phased upgrade strategy to minimize disruption.

Why we recommend moving sooner rather than later

If you continue on PHP 7.4, here’s what you risk:

• Security vulnerabilities — unpatched bugs can be exploited.
• Compatibility issues — plugins or themes that depend on newer PHP features may stop working.
• Performance degradation — PHP 8.3 includes significant improvements.

The safer, more stable route is PHP 8.3 — though some plugins or themes may still break, and that’s normal when switching major PHP versions. The only sure way to find out is through testing.

What we’re offering at CharlesWorks

At minimal cost, we’ll:

• Switch your PHP version to 8.3,
• Test your site,
• Revert to 7.4 if needed,
• And walk through what’s next.

If plugins or themes need attention, we’ll flag that and help you explore options—whether it’s disabling certain functions or upgrading to compatible tools. If you’d rather stay on PHP 7.4 temporarily, we’ll explain the risks clearly.

But rest assured, this update is not an immediate disaster, though it’s something you should address sooner than later.

Let me know if you’d like us to take a look—it generally only takes about 10 minutes. We’re here to help make this worry‑free.

In a nutshell:

• ✅ WordPress began warning about PHP 7.4 around July 9, 2025.
• ⚠️ PHP 7.4 has been officially unsupported since November 28, 2022.
• 💰 We can usually update and test your site in about 8–10 minutes, for under $17 at today’s webwork labor rate.
• 🛠️ If something breaks, we revert, talk to you and work through necessary fixes or decisions.
• 🧘‍♂️ While not an emergency, staying on 7.4 increases risk and future headache—is NOT worth the delay.

Looking forward to helping you get squared away.