How to upgrade php version on Windows 10

Question

I'm trying to get my Laravel project to work. But when I use composer update it says the following:

This package requires php >=5.6.4 but your PHP version (5.5.12) does not satisfy that requirement.

I'm using WAMP which runs php version 7.0.4 this is also confirmed in the browser if I echo the php version. But when I use php -v in the console it shows that I'm using PHP version 5.5.12 (cli).

I've searched a bit around on google and I found out that it uses my windows PHP version instead of my webserver's version. But I couldn't find out how to update my PHP version on Windows.

My PATH contents are as shown in the following image

This means you have yet another installation of `PHP` in your system. Check your `Programs` in `Control Panel` and remove such installation — Huzaib Shafi, Sep 09 '16 at 17:53
PHP CLI and PHP (F)CGI (or even Apache Prefork-MPM) are independent from each other and do not need to use the same PHP version. — Charlotte Dunois, Sep 09 '16 at 17:57

score 40 · Answer 1 · edited May 14 '18 at 14:16

40

You can uninstall composer, and while re-installing it will ask you to point at your PHP directory which is going to be C:\wamp64\bin\php (usually) at that point you can choose which PHP version you would want to use. good luck.

edited May 14 '18 at 14:16

Jquestions

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answered Oct 27 '17 at 06:55

Moe Ismail Alhakeem

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Perfect answer. Worked like a pro. – Alaksandar Jesus Gene Oct 19 '18 at 19:12
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Work Like A Super Pro – Abhi Burk Nov 26 '18 at 17:31
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You don't have to uninstall: https://stackoverflow.com/a/49193976/3927450 – absolutkarlos Nov 02 '20 at 23:46

Huzaib Shafi · Answer 2 · 2016-09-09T18:18:39.660

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This means you have yet another installation of PHP in your system. Check your Programs in Control Panel and remove such installation.

However, you can modify your PATH environment variable as well. Procedure

Just remove the path that points to any PHP installation directory.

Else, otherwise, if you are unsure about changing the PATH variable (which can lead to serious problems if not set well), you can just delete the directory that the PATH variable points to.... (I mean the PHP directory)

The totally better solution is to add the path of your PHP7 bin directory at the beginning of the PATH variable. You should also make available composer in this PHP7 bin directory.

Such as, replace the C:\php in your path with C:\wamp\bin\php7 or whatever the location of the PHP7 path is..

edited Sep 09 '16 at 18:18

answered Sep 09 '16 at 17:56

Huzaib Shafi

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I can't find something what has to do with a PHP version in my PATH there are only 3 things in there, one for composer (which might be it), npm and windowsApps – ThomH Sep 09 '16 at 18:00
the directory which contains the `composer`, does that directory contain `php.exe` file as well? – Huzaib Shafi Sep 09 '16 at 18:05
it only contains the autoload files no php.exe, I've just downloaded php version 7 should I try and link that in the PATH file? – ThomH Sep 09 '16 at 18:07

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 18 '20 at 14:27

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To update PHP on Windows 10.

You must put the folder of the new PHP version in the same folder as the old. You rename the old folder or you delete it, prefer rename the old folder, now you write in a terminal console

php - v

PHP automatically check for a new version

answered Oct 18 '20 at 14:27

Julien J

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Very Simple Approach – AZinkey Feb 10 '22 at 08:24

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Jul 20 '18 at 15:29

if you had installed before xampp/wampp and composer globally you might had added php to you environment path to call it where ever you want, and now you want that composer use the new xampp with php the you recently installed, so go to system>advance tab> environment variable> maybe in PATH then search if you have something like C:\xampp\php and edit to your new php location.

I had multiple versions off xampp for testing and composer globaly instaled for php 7.2

How to upgrade php version on Windows 10

4 Answers4