PHP Versions Compatibility in xCloud
Updated October 27, 2026 · 5 min read
With xCloud, you can run different PHP versions on the same server and pick one per site. Which versions you can install depends on three things: the server stack (NGINX or OpenLiteSpeed), the Ubuntu version, and the CPU type (x64 or ARM).
Use the table below to see what your server can run, and the sections after it if the version you need is not offered. For plans and what is included, see the cloud PHP hosting page.
Supported PHP Versions on Ubuntu Servers
| Server stack | Ubuntu version | PHP versions you can install | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGINX | Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS (x64 and ARM) | PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | ✅ Supported |
| OpenLiteSpeed (OLS) | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS x64 | PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | ✅ Supported |
| OpenLiteSpeed (OLS) | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS ARM | PHP 7.4, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | ✅ Supported |
| OpenLiteSpeed (OLS) | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64 | PHP 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | ✅ Supported |
| OpenLiteSpeed (OLS) | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ARM | PHP 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | ✅ Supported |
| NGINX or OLS | Ubuntu 26.04 LTS x64 | PHP 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | Beta |
| OLS | Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ARM | PHP 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 | Beta |
| NGINX or OLS | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | PHP 7.4 only. Versions already installed keep running. On NGINX they get no more updates; on OLS, LiteSpeed still publishes patches | ⚠️ Deprecated |
You can see the exact list for your server in Server → Management → Manage PHP. It only shows the versions that server can install.
📌 Notes
- The default PHP version is 8.3. New sites use it unless you choose another supported version.
- Ubuntu 20.04 is deprecated in xCloud. You can no longer create new servers or sites on it, and you cannot install PHP 8.2 or newer on it. A PHP version that was installed earlier keeps running. On NGINX it gets no security patches; on OpenLiteSpeed, LiteSpeed still publishes them.
- PHP 8.1 and older are end of life. The PHP project no longer fixes security bugs in them, even where xCloud can still install them. If no site uses them, uninstall them from Manage PHP.
- You can connect fresh Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04 LTS x64 servers from any provider to xCloud, with both the NGINX and OpenLiteSpeed (OLS) stacks. Ubuntu 20.04 is no longer accepted.
Why Your Ubuntu Version Decides Which PHP You Get
This is how PHP works on Ubuntu, on any host, not a limit xCloud sets.
- Ubuntu ships one PHP version per release. Ubuntu 20.04 comes with PHP 7.4, Ubuntu 22.04 with PHP 8.1 and Ubuntu 24.04 with PHP 8.3.
- Every other PHP version comes from a third-party package repository. On NGINX servers that is Ondřej Surý’s PHP packages, and on OpenLiteSpeed servers it is LiteSpeed’s lsphp packages. xCloud installs and patches PHP from these repositories.
- These repositories only build for Ubuntu releases that are still supported. When an Ubuntu release reaches end of life, they stop publishing new PHP versions and new patches for it.
Ubuntu 20.04 reached the end of its standard support in May 2025. Since then, Ondřej Surý’s repository has no PHP packages for Ubuntu 20.04 at all. LiteSpeed’s repository still builds for it, including the PHP2Shell fixes 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 and 8.5.12. So on an Ubuntu 20.04 server:
- You cannot install PHP 8.2 or newer.
- On NGINX, a PHP version that is already installed, such as PHP 8.3, keeps running, but gets no more patches, including the PHP2Shell fix.
- On OpenLiteSpeed, an installed PHP version still gets patches from LiteSpeed. Run Scan Patch and apply any patch it shows.
- On NGINX, Scan Patch shows a dash for that version, because there is no newer build to install. The dash does not mean the version is patched.
The only way to install current PHP versions, and to get patches on NGINX, is a server on a supported Ubuntu version: Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04.
PHP Security Fixes: Which Servers Can Get Them
The PHP project only releases security fixes for supported versions: PHP 8.2 and newer. That matters most during a critical vulnerability such as PHP2Shell (CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619).
| Your server | Can it run a patched PHP version? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04, site on PHP 8.2 or newer | ✅ Yes | Install the patch from Manage PHP → Scan Patch |
| Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04, site on PHP 8.1 or older | ✅ Yes, after you switch the site | Move the site to PHP 8.3 or newer, then install the patch |
| Ubuntu 20.04 with NGINX, any PHP version, including PHP 8.2+ installed earlier | ❌ No, no patched build exists for it | Move to a new Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04 server |
| Ubuntu 20.04 with OpenLiteSpeed, PHP 8.2 or newer installed earlier | ✅ Yes, from LiteSpeed’s repository | Install the patch from Scan Patch, then plan a move off Ubuntu 20.04 |
To check whether a version is patched, look at the full version number in Manage PHP, not only at the Patch column. For PHP2Shell, the patched releases are 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 or 8.5.12 or newer. A dash in the Patch column only means no newer build is available for your server.
On OpenLiteSpeed servers with an ARM CPU on Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04, the lowest version you can install is PHP 8.3, which is supported and gets security fixes.
👉 Step-by-step patching guide: how to install PHP security patches in xCloud
What to Do If PHP 8.2 or Newer Is Not Offered
If Manage PHP does not offer PHP 8.2 or newer, or an installed version stays below the patched release with no patch shown, your server is almost certainly on Ubuntu 20.04 with NGINX. There is no way to add newer PHP versions or patches to it, and Ubuntu cannot be upgraded in place on xCloud. The fix is a new server:
- Create a new server on Ubuntu 24.04 (or 26.04) with the same stack. 👉 See how to create a server with your preferred Ubuntu version.
- Clone the full server onto it with xCloud, so every site, database and setting comes across in one go. 👉 See how to clone a full server with xCloud.
- Switch each site to PHP 8.3 or newer on the new server and test the pages that matter, such as login, forms and checkout. 👉 See how to upgrade your PHP version.
- Point your domains to the new server, check everything again, then retire the old server.
The full walkthrough is in how to migrate from Ubuntu 20.04 to Ubuntu 24.04.
Need to protect a site before the move is done? You can disable the site temporarily so it stops serving requests until it runs on a supported PHP version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I find PHP 8.2 or newer on my server?
Your server most likely runs Ubuntu 20.04. Ubuntu 20.04 is end of life, so xCloud only offers PHP 7.4 there, plus any version that is already installed. This is how PHP packaging works on Ubuntu, not an xCloud setting. Create a new Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04 server and move your sites onto it with full server clone.
My Ubuntu 20.04 server already has PHP 8.3. Why is there no patch for it?
On an NGINX server, PHP 8.3 was installed while Ondřej Surý’s repository still built PHP for Ubuntu 20.04. It has stopped, so no newer PHP 8.3 build, including the PHP2Shell fix 8.3.36, exists there. Scan Patch shows a dash because there is nothing to install, not because the version is patched. Move the server to Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04 with full server clone. On an OpenLiteSpeed server, LiteSpeed still publishes patched builds for Ubuntu 20.04, so run Scan Patch and apply the patch it shows.
Can I upgrade my server from Ubuntu 20.04 to 24.04 in place?
No. xCloud does not upgrade Ubuntu in place. Create a new server on Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04, clone the full server onto it with xCloud, test the sites, then point your domains to the new server and retire the old one.
Which PHP versions get the PHP2Shell security fix?
The PHP project only fixes supported versions, which are PHP 8.2 and newer. PHP 8.1, 8.0, 7.4 and older are end of life and get no official fix. For PHP2Shell, Ondřej Surý backported the fix to PHP 5.6 through 8.1 on Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04, and xCloud installed it on NGINX servers, but that is a one-off. Move those sites to PHP 8.3 or newer.
How do I check my server’s Ubuntu version and stack?
Open the server in xCloud. The bar under the server name shows the web server (NGINX or OpenLiteSpeed), and Management → Settings shows the Ubuntu Version. Manage PHP lists only the PHP versions your server can install.
Can a server run more than one PHP version?
Yes. You can install several PHP versions on one server from Manage PHP and choose a different version for each site in its PHP settings, as long as each version is offered for that server’s Ubuntu version and stack. Each installed version needs its own security patches, so uninstall the ones no site uses from Manage PHP.
Still stuck? Contact our support team for any of your queries.