Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost/dashboard/ . Click on in the top navigation bar. Check the following key rows on the page: PHP Version: Should display 7.4.x .
PHP End-of-Life Dates: Support Timeline for Every Version (2026)
innodb_buffer_pool_size = 64M max_connections = 50 tmp_table_size = 16M
Many enterprise applications utilize older compiled 32-bit Windows binaries ( .dll files) or custom PHP extensions that lack 64-bit versions.
warn that using PHP 7.4 in 2026 is risky because it no longer receives security patches. While it's perfectly fine for a local "sandbox" where you're just testing code, deploying this version to a live server is highly discouraged. hosting.com A Quick Comparison PHP 7.4 (Legacy) PHP 8.x (Modern) End of Life (EOL) Actively Supported Performance Significantly Faster (JIT Compiler) Compatibility High for older apps Requires code updates Are you trying to xampp 32 bits php 7.4
Once XAMPP is installed, you may want to customize the PHP settings for your development needs. The main configuration file for PHP is php.ini , located in the php folder inside your XAMPP installation directory (e.g., C:\xampp\php\php.ini ). XAMPP includes two templates: php.ini-development (for development) and php.ini-production (for live servers). Typically, you can copy php.ini-development to php.ini as your starting point.
Windows UAC can restrict XAMPP's write permissions. To avoid this, install XAMPP in the C:\Program Files directory. 2. Run the Installer
Ensure the following extensions are active by removing the semicolon ( ; ) preceding them:
Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 10, or Windows Server (2012/2016) 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) with 32-bit subsystem support PHP Version PHP 7.4.x (32-bit Thread Safe) Apache Version Apache 2.4.x (32-bit) Database MariaDB (compatible substitute for MySQL) VC++ Redistributable PHP End-of-Life Dates: Support Timeline for Every Version
: 64-bit PHP 8.x outperforms 32-bit 7.4 by 2–3x in realistic workloads, even on same hardware.
By default, the root user has . If your PHP 7.4 application requires a database password, navigate to the User accounts tab in phpMyAdmin to set one up. Troubleshooting Common Issues 1. Port 80 Blocked (Apache Won't Start) Cause: Skype, VMware, or Windows IIS is using Port 80.
PHP 7.4 is incredibly stable and well-documented.
Click the button next to MySQL to launch phpMyAdmin in your browser ( http://localhost/phpmyadmin ). hosting
Here is some content related to XAMPP 32 bits and PHP 7.4:
Finding older versions of XAMPP can be tricky, as Apache Friends focuses on the latest releases. To find the XAMPP 32-bit version with PHP 7.4, you should look for versions around or 7.4.30 .
Bound Apache VirtualHosts to 127.0.0.1 to maintain local environment security.
Edit C:\xampp\php\php.ini (not php.ini-development ).
# Get 32-bit DLL from pecl.php.net # Place in C:\xampp\php\ext\ # Add to php.ini: extension=php_intl.dll