With most modern websites, upgrades occasionally require us to update the PHP version your site is currently using.
Why should I upgrade?
Upgrading your PHP version to the latest version is crucial for maintaining security, performance, compatibility, and stability. It helps keep your website or application up to date with modern best practices, reduces risks, and improves user experience. To upgrade in 1st domains hosting follow the steps below.
- Log into your 1st Domains account at https://www.1stdomains.co.nz/client/login.php
- Navigate to the Web Hosting Control Panel (Manage Domains & Services -> your domain name-> Web Hosting Control Panel).
- The Web Hosting Control Panel will open in a new window (if it does not open, please turn off pop-up blocking in the web browser).
- Once in the Plesk control panel, select Dashboard in the tab on the "Websites & Domains" page. This will be the default page that you will be directed to from your 1st domains account.
- Under the Dashboard tab you will see a section call "Dev Tools". Click on PHP. This will also show the current PHP version your site is using.
- Near the top of the page, you will see the drop down menu for "PHP Support". From that drop down select the version you are wanting to use. IMPORTANT to keep FPM application served by Apache selected in the second drop down menu.
- Once selected, at the bottom of the page click on Either "Apply" or "OK". This will apply the change for you.
- After a couple of minutes, test to make sure your site is still loading.
It is recommended to thoroughly test your site on the new PHP version to ensure all functionality is working as expected. For example, test your contact page to make sure the contact form loads and functions correctly. Edit or add a page to ensure the editing functionality is still working as expected. Upload an image and then delete it from your CMS. If any issues arise, you can revert your site back to the original PHP version and check the logs for errors. You may need to make some changes to the code or enlist the help of an experienced web developer to update your code so it is compatible with the latest PHP version.