PHP is the language WordPress runs on. Console lets you choose its version and adjust the runtime limits your site needs.
Open PHP settings
Open your site, then under Hosting select PHP.
What you can change
PHP Version: the version of PHP your site runs on. Newer versions are faster and more secure.
Memory Limit: how much memory a single PHP process can use.
Max Execution Time: how long a script can run before it is stopped.
Upload Max Filesize and Post Max Size: the largest file and form submission your site will accept.
Max Input Vars and Max Input Time: limits that matter for large forms and imports.
Changing the PHP version
A version change runs as a task, because we check your site before and after the switch. Choose the new version, click Save, then confirm in the dialog. We check that the site is answering normally, apply the new version, clear the site's caches, and keep checking for a couple of minutes.
If the site starts returning server errors on the new version, we put the previous version back and clear the caches again, automatically. You get an email and an in-app notification saying what happened, including the error the site reported when we could capture it. That error usually names the plugin or theme that needs updating before the site can run the newer version.
While the change runs, the PHP page shows its progress with a link to the task, and the full record stays on your Tasks page. Safe Update is on by default. Turn it off in the dialog only if your site is already showing an error and you are changing PHP to fix it; the change then applies without the check.
The same check and rollback apply when you change PHP through the API, your AI assistant, or the Update PHP Version bulk action on the Sites list.
Save your changes
Choose your values and click Save. The other settings apply straight away and do not run a check. If you are not sure, the defaults suit most sites.