---
title: "PHP strategies and automatic PHP version update"
canonical_url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb/php-strategies-and-automatic-php-version-update/"
post_type: "ht_kb"
published: "2024-10-21T12:26:30+00:00"
modified: "2026-02-13T10:03:27+00:00"
language: "en"
author: "silver"
taxonomies:
  ht_kb_category:
    - name: "PHP"
      url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb-categories/php-en/"
    - name: "Technical"
      url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb-categories/technical-en/"
    - name: "Wordpress"
      url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb-categories/wordpress-en/"
  ht_kb_tag:
    - name: "php"
      url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb-tags/php-eng/"
    - name: "php version"
      url: "https://www.zone.lv/help/kb-tags/php-version/"
---

# PHP strategies and automatic PHP version update

### Strategies

There are two types of strategies: **dynamic** and **fixed**.

#### Dynamic

**Major** – this means that we always upgrade PHP to the latest possible version, which is never newer than the default version on our system.
**Minor** – a comma-delimited or minor upgrade, where we always upgrade PHP to the latest possible version, which is never more recent than the default version on our system.
**Manually** – whereby the client sets its own PHP version. [Instructions](https://www.zone.lv/help/en/kb/how-to-change-php-version-in-the-web-server/) for changing the PHP version manually.

#### Fixed

***WordPress*** – version set by us that is compatible with WordPress, as long as it is kept up to date.
***Latest recommended*** – we always keep the latest default version. As a rule, this means the most recent version that has been public for at least six months.

While the `Latest Recommended` and `Major` strategies seem identical, the difference between dynamic and fixed strategies is that in the case of a fixed strategy, we keep the version exactly as it is stated in the strategy, even if this means, in theory, choosing an older version. In the case of a dynamic strategy, the update is only carried out if the client is running an older version.

For example, if a customer wants version 7.3 to be upgraded to 7.4, but wants to upgrade to 8.0 themselves, they should select `Minor version upgrades`. From then on, versions 8.1 to 8.4 will be upgraded by us.

 \* default version usually means the most recent version, which has been public for at least 6 months. If you have activated `Major` or `Minor` updates and are currently on PHP version 8.3, then according to the PHP version 8.4 release date of 23.11.2024, an automatic update is expected from 23.05.2025.

### Choosing and changing strategies

In order to change the strategy, you need to log in to [`My Zone`](https://my.zone.lv/) control panel of the corresponding web hosting.

From the menu on the left, choose `Webserver`, then [`Main domain settings`](https://my.zone.lv/hosting/webhost/server/config?lang=en) and `modify`.

[![](https://www.zone.lv/static/sites/5/php_strategy_en1-1024x609.png)](https://www.zone.lv/help/en/kb/php-strategies-and-automatic-php-version-update/php_strategy_en1/)

In the PHP section, choose `PHP upgrade strategy` and once you have made your choice, click `Save changes` to save.

[![](https://www.zone.lv/static/sites/5/php_strategy_en2.png)](https://www.zone.lv/help/en/kb/php-strategies-and-automatic-php-version-update/php_strategy_en2/)

In the case of a subdomain, you can choose strategies in the same way as for the main domain, but you need to enter the management of the corresponding subdomain, i.e. in the `Webserver` menu, you need to choose [`Subdomains`](https://my.zone.lv/hosting/webhost/subdomains/view?lang=en) and `modify`. In the PHP section, choose `PHP upgrade strategy` and once you have made your choice, click `Save changes` to save.

 [More information on support for extended PHP versions.](https://www.zone.lv/help/en/kb/extended-php-support-for-older-versions/)