I had a situation where I updated the PHP version in cPanel from 7.3 to 8.0, but on the actual server it was still at 7.3. No matter what I did in cPanel, the PHP version wouldn’t change on my actual server!
I called up the host, GoDaddy, and they quickly found the problem. It wasn’t their fault at all, but rather a line of code in my the .htaccess file in the root of my site.
Why the PHP Version Isn’t Changing
The culprit was the first line in my .htaccess file, which was this:
AddHandler application/x-httpd-alt-php73___lsphp .phpThat line was forcing this directory and everything under to run PHP 7.3! Commenting out that line immediately fixed the problem!
Note that any directory could have this directive in its .htaccess file, so you may want to do a search for it.
Of course, you should also investigate why someone added that line in the first place, but at least you can start that process now.
I hope this was helpful, and many thanks to GoDaddy support for figuring that out! – Brian
I am a freelance web developer and consultant based in Santa Monica, CA. I’ve been designing websites using WordPress and from scratch using HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript since 2010. I create websites and web applications for businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations. I have a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from California Institute of Technology and a degree in Engineering Management (MSEM) from Stanford University.
Please Leave a Question or Comment