Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What PHP versions can I target? A1: 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 — but only versions newer than the one your site runs today appear in the list.

Q2: Why is the Target PHP list empty? A2: Your site already runs the newest version the scanner supports (PHP 8.5), so there is no newer version to compare against yet.

Q3: Does the scanner change my code? A3: No. It only reads code and reports what it finds.

Q4: If a plugin shows “OK”, is it guaranteed to work on the new PHP version? A4: No. The scanner reads code without running it, so it can miss some problems and flag others that are not real. Treat the results as guidance and test on a staging copy of your site first. See Limitations and Troubleshooting.

Q5: Do I need WP-Cron for scans? A5: No. Scans move forward while the Tools → PHP Compatibility Scanner page is open in your browser. Keep the page open until the scan finishes.

Q6: Does it scan MU-plugins? A6: No. Must-use plugins are intentionally skipped.

Q7: Does it scan inactive plugins? A7: Yes. Every plugin in your plugins folder can be selected, active or not.

Q8: Why don’t my themes have badges? A8: Badges appear on the Plugins screen only. Theme results are shown in the report on the scanner page.

Q9: Where did my badges go? A9: Badges show the most recent completed scan only, and are removed after 30 days or once your site runs the target PHP version. Run a new scan to bring them back.

Q10: The scan says another plugin has already loaded PHP_CodeSniffer. What do I do? A10: Temporarily deactivate the other plugin (often Plugin Check), run the scan, then reactivate it.

Q11: Does the scanner slow down my site? A11: The scanning engine only loads while a scan is running. It does not run on your site’s front end or on other admin pages.

Q12: Is my code sent anywhere? A12: No. Scanning runs entirely on your server. See Privacy and External Services.

Q13: Where can I get help? A13: Visit the GravityOps Help community for how-to questions and examples. If you opened a support thread on WordPress.org, continue that conversation there.