Select English (or your preferred language) and click "Next".
Execute the downloaded installation file. During installation, you will be prompted to select which components you want to install. It is recommended to keep all components selected to ensure full functionality.
Open your browser and type http://localhost/dashboard/phpinfo.php .
Go to xampp/mysql/data/ and delete the aria_log_control file. Restart MySQL from the Control Panel. Managing Multiple PHP Versions Xampp With Php 7.4 -
What specific (e.g., WordPress, Laravel, Magento) are you planning to run on PHP 7.4?
Open , select your databases, and choose Export to save your .sql structures. 2. Clean Install XAMPP Uninstall the PHP 7.4 version of XAMPP.
While exact versions vary by minor release, typical components for the series include: PHP: 7.4.x Apache HTTP Server: 2.4.41 or higher MariaDB: 10.4.x (MySQL compatible) phpMyAdmin: 5.0.0 or higher OpenSSL: 1.1.1d Key Lifecycle Status Select English (or your preferred language) and click "Next"
For more advanced users, using Docker allows you to run different PHP versions in containers without installing anything locally. Summary Checklist 💡 XAMPP 7.4 Quick Start: Download version 7.4.33 from SourceForge. Install to C:\xampp (avoid Program Files). Check php.ini for memory and execution limits. Install MSVC++ 2019 if errors appear.
XAMPP versions bundled with reached their official End of Life (EOL) on November 28, 2022
XAMPP versions bundled with are highly valued for their stability and support for legacy applications, even though the PHP 7.4 branch reached its official End of Life (EOL) on November 28, 2022 It is recommended to keep all components selected
One of the most valuable capabilities of XAMPP is the ability to run multiple PHP versions simultaneously. This is particularly useful when maintaining PHP 7.4 for legacy projects while also experimenting with PHP 8.x for new development.
XAMPP With PHP 7.4: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Local Environment
XAMPP typically enables OPcache by default or provides easy configuration options. To verify OPcache status, check your phpinfo() output. If you experience issues with code changes not appearing after page refreshes, you may need to adjust OPcache settings in php.ini , particularly the opcache.revalidate_freq directive, which controls how often PHP checks for updated scripts.
If you must use PHP 7.4, at minimum verify that you are running XAMPP , the final patch release, which addressed many of the known security issues. Earlier 7.4.x releases should be avoided entirely.
This method allows different PHP versions to run alongside the default XAMPP installation, with Apache routing requests to the appropriate PHP executable based on virtual host configuration.