How to check a WordPress site’s system requirements

Start with the requirements for the software you are installing. WordPress currently recommends PHP 8.3 or later, MariaDB 10.11 or later or MySQL 8.0 or later, and HTTPS support. Older versions may still work, but they are past their official end of life and are not a good target for a new site.

For a plugin or theme, also check its own requirements. A site can meet WordPress's requirements and still fail because an extension needs a newer PHP version, a PHP module, more memory, or a higher upload limit.

In the WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Site Health. Review the Status tab first. It reports critical issues and recommended improvements, including outdated PHP, missing modules, blocked HTTP requests, failed loopback requests and disabled file uploads. Site Health was added in WordPress 5.2, so an older installation may not show it.

Do not treat a green status screen as proof that every third-party plugin requirement is satisfied. It is a health check, not a complete compatibility guarantee.

Open Tools > Site Health > Info and expand the sections for WordPress, Server, Database, Media handling and Filesystem Permissions. Record the WordPress version, PHP version, web server, database version, PHP limits, active image editor, HTTPS status and whether the required directories are writable. The Info screen also includes an export option for copying the report.

The common Friday-afternoon mistake is checking only the PHP version. A site can have a suitable PHP version but still fail because a PHP module is missing, uploads are too small, the database is too old, or WordPress cannot write to its folders.

Compare the recorded values with the published requirements rather than guessing from your hosting plan. Check PHP and database versions, HTTPS, required PHP modules, memory and upload limits, image-processing support, REST or loopback access, and filesystem permissions.

If WordPress is not installed yet, use the host's control panel, a hosting information page or a support ticket. Ask for the PHP version, database type and version, HTTPS support, enabled PHP extensions, PHP memory and upload limits, and whether the server can run WordPress. The official installation guidance also recommends access to the server and a way to edit or upload files.

Ask the host to change server-level values such as PHP versions, PHP extensions, database versions, upload limits or filesystem permissions. Some hosts expose these controls in their panel, but others manage them for you. The Site Health documentation notes that server settings are often restricted to the hosting provider or a PHP configuration file.

Take a backup and use staging before changing PHP or other runtime settings on a live site. Do not leave debugging output enabled for visitors or expose a copied Site Health report publicly, because diagnostic information can reveal sensitive configuration details.

If you need a quick environment report before troubleshooting or installing another tool, use sysutil-check. It fits this job because it is a basic system-check utility for verifying WordPress environment details in one place.

Use the manual Site Health route when you already have dashboard access and only need to check one site. Use the utility when you want a quicker checklist to collect the main environment details before contacting your host or comparing a plugin's requirements.