PHP end-of-life dates

When every PHP version from 5.6 to 8.5 stops getting bug fixes and security fixes, and where each one stands today, 2 October 2026.

Dates checked against php.net on 1 October 2026. Status updates automatically.

Latest version

PHP 8.5

Oldest supported

PHP 8.2

Next end of life

31 Dec 2026

Version	Released	Active support until	Security fixes until	Status today
PHP 8.5	20 Nov 2025	31 Dec 2027	31 Dec 2029	Active support
PHP 8.4	21 Nov 2024	31 Dec 2026	31 Dec 2028	Active support
PHP 8.3	23 Nov 2023	31 Dec 2025	31 Dec 2027	Security fixes only
PHP 8.2	8 Dec 2022	31 Dec 2024	31 Dec 2026	Security fixes only
PHP 8.1	25 Nov 2021	25 Nov 2023	31 Dec 2025	End of life
PHP 8.0	26 Nov 2020	26 Nov 2022	26 Nov 2023	End of life
PHP 7.4	28 Nov 2019	28 Nov 2021	28 Nov 2022	End of life PHP 7.4 upgrade
PHP 7.3	6 Dec 2018	6 Dec 2020	6 Dec 2021	End of life PHP 7.4 upgrade
PHP 7.2	30 Nov 2017	30 Nov 2019	30 Nov 2020	End of life PHP 7.4 upgrade
PHP 7.1	1 Dec 2016	1 Jan 2019	1 Dec 2019	End of life PHP 7.4 upgrade
PHP 7.0	3 Dec 2015	4 Jan 2018	10 Jan 2019	End of life PHP 7.4 upgrade
PHP 5.6	28 Aug 2014	19 Jan 2017	31 Dec 2018	End of life PHP 5.6 to 8.5 migration

Source: PHP supported versions and unsupported branches on php.net.

What the dates mean

Active support: the PHP project fixes reported bugs and security issues, and makes regular point releases.
Security fixes only: releases are made only for critical security issues, as needed.
End of life: no more releases. Any vulnerability found after this date stays unfixed in official PHP.

Under the policy the PHP project adopted in 2024, each version gets two years of active support followed by two years of security fixes, with each phase ending on 31 December. Older versions had shorter, less regular windows.

How to check which PHP version you run

Run php -v on the server, but don’t stop there: the command line and the web server often use different PHP versions. Check the PHP-FPM version your site uses (ls /run/php/ on Debian and Ubuntu), your hosting control panel, or a temporary phpinfo() page that you delete straight afterwards.

Running an end-of-life version?

Upgrade straight to the latest version, PHP 8.5, rather than to an older release that will need upgrading again soon. How much work that takes depends mostly on where you start:

PHP 5.6 or 7.0 to 7.3: removed extensions such as mysql_* and mcrypt, and old frameworks. See PHP 5.6 to 8.5 migration.
PHP 7.4: the PHP 8.0 and 8.1 changes do most of the damage. See PHP 7.4 upgrade.
PHP 8.0 to 8.2: mostly deprecations. See PHP 8.2 end of life.
On a framework or CMS? PHP and the framework usually have to move together: Laravel, Symfony, WordPress.

Frequently asked questions

What is the latest version of PHP?

PHP 8.5, released on 20 November 2025. It gets active support until 31 December 2027 and security fixes until 31 December 2029.

When does PHP 8.2 reach end of life?

PHP 8.2 receives security fixes until 31 December 2026. After that it is end of life. Our article on PHP 8.2 end of life explains what to do.

Is PHP 7.4 still supported?

No. PHP 7.4 reached end of life on 28 November 2022 and gets no security fixes from the PHP project. See our PHP 7.4 upgrade service.

How long is each PHP version supported?

Under the policy the PHP project adopted in 2024, each version gets two years of active support (bug and security fixes), then two years of security fixes only, with each phase ending on 31 December. Older versions had shorter, less regular windows.

Is it safe to keep running an end-of-life PHP version?

It keeps working, but any vulnerability found after the end-of-life date stays unpatched in official releases. Some Linux distributions backport fixes for a while, but you will also fall behind on framework and library security fixes, and unsupported software can fail Cyber Essentials and client security checks.