How to Upgrade PHP Version for WordPress Site on Azure App Service (Currently 8.3.20)

Question

How to Upgrade PHP Version for WordPress Site on Azure App Service (Currently 8.3.20)

Megha Thimmappa 0

Hi,

I have a WordPress site hosted on Azure App Service (Linux), and it's currently running PHP 8.3.20, which has known vulnerabilities.

I’d like to upgrade to a more secure version (e.g., 8.3.x or 8.4 if available), but I don’t see any newer versions listed in the App Service > Configuration > General Settings > PHP stack dropdown.

Can someone guide me on:

Whether a newer version is available or coming soon?

The process to upgrade PHP to a secure version?

Any workarounds if the latest version isn’t yet listed in the portal?

Any help or official guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks, Megha

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Answer 1

Shree Hima Bindu Maganti 5,480 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Megha Thimmappa
It looks like you're trying to upgrade PHP for your WordPress site on Azure App Service Linux, but you're running into some limitations in the portal.

If you're on PHP 8.3.20 and want a newer version, use the Azure CLI to see all supported PHP versions:

az webapp list-runtimes --os linux | grep PHP

If a newer version is available, you can upgrade with the Azure CLI. For example, to upgrade to PHP 8.4, use:

az webapp config set --resource-group <resource-group-name> --name <app-name> --linux-fx-version "PHP|8.4"

Replace <resource-group-name> and <app-name> with your actual values.

If you don't see the latest version in the portal or CLI, you might need to create a custom Docker container with your preferred PHP version. Check out how to do this here.

f the version you want isn't available, consider setting up a staging slot to test a custom configuration without impacting your live site.

Keep an eye on Azure's announcements for new PHP version releases, as they update their supported runtimes regularly.
Let me know if you have any further assistances needed

Megha Thimmappa 0 Reputation points

2025-08-25T13:25:12.9033333+00:00

Hi @Shree Hima Bindu Maganti ,

Thank you for the response.

I checked in Canada Central and Canada East(WordPress on AppService), and unfortunately, the newer PHP version isn’t available yet. The custom container option won’t work for us, since we’re running 10 WordPress sites on this App Service plan.

Could you please confirm if there’s a way to create a single container image that can be leveraged across all sites, so we don’t need to maintain separate images for each one?

I look forward to your guidance.

Thanks,

Megha
Megha Thimmappa 0 Reputation points

2025-08-25T15:08:58.6266667+00:00

I tried the command below, and PHP 8.4 now appears in the dropdown under the Configuration tab. However, after applying it, the site stopped loading:
az webapp config set --resource-group <resource-group-name> --name <app-name> --linux-fx-version "PHP|8.4"
Shree Hima Bindu Maganti 5,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-28T09:01:22.0066667+00:00
Hi @Megha Thimmappa
Apology for your inconviences
To upgrade the PHP version for your WordPress site on Azure App Service, you can use the Azure CLI command you've mentioned. However, if the site stopped loading after applying PHP 8.4, it may be due to compatibility issues with your WordPress installation or plugins that are not yet compatible with PHP 8.4.

Regarding your question about creating a single container image for multiple WordPress sites, Azure App Service does support custom containers, but managing a single image across multiple sites can be complex. You would typically need to ensure that the container is configured to handle multiple sites, which may involve setting up a web server (like NGINX or Apache) within the container to route traffic to the appropriate WordPress installations based on the request.

If you are facing issues with the PHP version upgrade, it might be helpful to check the error logs for your WordPress sites to identify the specific cause of the loading issue. You can enable debug logs in WordPress for more detailed error messages.

References:

Configure a PHP app in Azure App Service (platform-linux)

WordPress on App Service: Frequently Asked Questions
Let me know if you have any further assistances needed.

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How to Upgrade PHP Version for WordPress Site on Azure App Service (Currently 8.3.20)

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