If you are running a WordPress website, you may have at least once faced the error “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress”. This error means that something is going wrong with the code on your site, your site’s PHP code is not compatible with the PHP version the site is running on or something is stopping WordPress from being able to connect to its MySQL database. Luckily, this is not something you should be worried about, you can fix the error very easily. In this article, we will provide you 5 most effective ways to fix “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress “. But before that, we will also talk in detail about this error and will provide a few tips on how to avoid this issue in the future.
What does “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error mean?
MySQL is a database that contains the data that drives a website and PHP makes it possible to interact with the database and to fetch data. To display a WordPress website properly, both need to be connected. When we see “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error, that clearly means that your PHP is having difficulty connecting to its MySQL database. The reason behind the error may vary but the core issue is always this.
Reasons behind WordPress Missing MySQL Extension Error:
There are several possible reasons behind the WordPress Missing MySQL Extension error. In this section, we will mention some main reasons that might lead to this error.
1. Error in MySQL extension installation:
If you’re receiving a MySQL extension error just after your recent WordPress update, it’s more likely that your services weren’t installed correctly or the extension wasn’t properly configured.
2. The MySQL extension isn’t installed:
But it can also occur if you recently migrated your website, changed your server configuration, or switched your operating system this can be the cause of the error. There are operating systems that don’t include the MySQL extension by default.
3. The PHP extension is not configured properly:
If you have recently migrated your website to any other hosting provider, there may occur a mismatch in your PHP configuration. This will result in showing your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension error.
4. Using PHP 5.6 or Lower:
Your server’s PHP version should be updated. If your server is running PHP 5.6 or lower, this could cause the error to crop up.
5. Using an Outdated Version of WordPress with PHP 7+:
Your PHP version and WordPress version should be compatible. If your server is running a modern PHP version (7.0+), but you’re running a very old version of WordPress that could be the reason for the Missing MySQL extension error.
6. Using Outdated Plugins:
Using outdated plugins also can conflict with your latest PHP version and create the Missing MySQL extension error.
How to Fix “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” Error?
Now that you know what this error is and what are the causes behind this, we should go through some troubleshooting methods to resolve the issue. Here, we will discuss five steps you can take to fix the issue effortlessly. We recommend starting at the top and walking through each potential step in the given order.
Update the Core WordPress:
If your server isn’t using PHP version is 5.6 or older, the most likely running an old version of WordPress is the cause of this error. To fix this problem you need to update your core WordPress software. If you can still log in to your WordPress dashboard, update WordPress from there. But if you don’t have access to your admin dashboard, you will have to update it manually through FTP.
First, download the latest version of the WordPress zip file from WordPress.org and extract the zip file to your computer.
Then, before making any change, you need to back up your WordPress site. Now, log in to your FTP server and open the folder that contains all of the WordPress files. At this point you need to delete the following items:
- The wp-config-sample.php file.
- The wp-config.php file (you might not see this file – just make sure to delete it if it’s there).
- The wp-content folder.
Because if you upload the WordPress package to our website without deleting those files, the content and settings will be reset. Which we definitely don’t want.
After deleting those items, upload the remaining files to your server via FTP. Now, your site should be running the latest version of WordPress.
Once you have completed this step, you should be able to log into your site as normal. If you can’t, then the issue could be because of using an older PHP version.
Check Your Current PHP Version:
As we said earlier, an older PHP version can be the cause of this error. So check your current PHP version and updating if it is outdated can fix this error.
There are lots of ways to check your current PHP version, you can check it from your WordPress admin area, from cPanel, from your hosting account, or by using a plugin. To check from your WordPress admin area, first, navigate to Tools > Site Health and switch to the “Info” tab. In the “Server” tab, you will see the current PHP version you are using.
If you’re unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard, then you’ll have to access your website via an FTP client. This process is more complicated than the previous one but still, you have to go through this process.
Connect your website to the server using an FTP with the credentials provided by your host and create a new file called phpinfo.php in the root directory of your WordPress site. This file should be in the same folder that contains your wp-config.php file. Paste the following code inside the file.
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
Now open your internet browser and navigate to example.com/phpinfo.php. (Replace the website with your own domain.). Now you’ll see a page that displays a long list of details, from which you can find your PHP version.
Pay attention to the numbers – you should see something like x.x.x. E.g. 7.4.9.
If your PHP version is 5.6 or older, it may be too outdated to connect to the current version of MySQL. You will need to do is upgrade it to get the appropriate MySQL extension. To update the PHP version follow this tutorial.
However, if your PHP version is already above 5.6, you may need to follow the next step.
Reconfigure Your PHP Installation:
If your WordPress and PHP are updated and the extension is installed, the issue could be that your PHP extension directory is not properly configured. PHP’s configuration settings are stored in a file called php.ini. To check your PHP extension, you’ll need to access your server’s php.ini file. Find the row labeled “Loaded Configuration File” on the php.ini.
After locating this line, ensure that the path to your MySQL extension is correct. You can find the location of your php.ini file in the phpinfo.php file that you created before. If they are not matching, edit your php.ini file to replace it with the file path listed for the Loaded Configuration File. Once you finish, save and exit, then restart your web server.
If you’ve tried the three methods listed above, your MySQL extension error should be resolved. If your WordPress site is still throwing the message, you might need to contact your hosting provider’s technical support team for more assistance.
Configure MySQL Extension Properly:
If the above steps haven’t worked, go to the next step, where you have to ensure that your MySQL extension is installed. To check whether the MySQL extension is installed properly, navigate to the phpinfo.php file that we have created earlier. Look for a section named either mysql or mysqli. If you can see a number next to the “Client API library version” field then your MySQL extension is installed.
Otherwise, you’ll need to install the extension. If you’ve already updated PHP to its latest version, you might need to reinstall it. The best solution is to reach out to your hosting provider and have them install it for you.
If the error is still there after configuring the MySQL extension properly, then try the following steps.
Update the Outdated Plugins:
Using outdated plugins can have compatibility issues with PHP and prompt the MySQL extension error. You know very well how to update plugins from the admin dashboard. But if you’re unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard, then you’ll have to update the outdated plugins via an FTP client. First, download the .zip file of those plugins and extract them. Now, log in to your site’s server via FTP, navigate to the wp-content > plugins folder, delete the folder of the plugin you want to update, and upload the extracted plugin files.
If you’ve tried all the five methods mentioned above, your MySQL extension error should be resolved. If your WordPress site is still showing the message, you might need to contact your hosting provider’s technical support team for more assistance.
How to Avoid this Error in Future?
In this section, we will provide you with some hacks to avoid the “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error in the future. Let’s check those hacks:
- Updating your Core WordPress and plugins regularly make your site more secure. So, update Core WordPress and plugins regularly to prevent this error.
- Sometimes the error comes after you update your WordPress core, so always remember to back up your site before updating. By keeping backup, you can restore your site without losing any data if something goes wrong during the upgrade process.
- Installing plugins that are not compatible with your latest WordPress version can be the cause of this error. Always try to install the plugins that tested with the latest WordPress version.
Conclusion:
Though fixing an issue with WordPress is pretty easy, sometimes it can be very frustrating. “Your PHP Installation Appears to Be Missing the MySQL Extension Which Is Required by WordPress” error is one of those tricky errors because it involves the core technologies of WordPress, PHP, and MySQL.
But, don’t worry! Following the above-mentioned steps can easily resolve the error and make your WordPress site smooth.
We hope this article was helpful, share if have any other hacks to fix this issue. Also, check our WordPress Tips section to get more WordPress error solutions.
If you are running a WordPress website, you may have at least once faced the error “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress”. This error means that something is going wrong with the code on your site, your site’s PHP code is not compatible with the PHP version the site is running on or something is stopping WordPress from being able to connect to its MySQL database. Luckily, this is not something you should be worried about, you can fix the error very easily. In this article, we will provide you 5 most effective ways to fix “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress “. But before that, we will also talk in detail about this error and will provide a few tips on how to avoid this issue in the future.
What does “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error mean?
MySQL is a database that contains the data that drives a website and PHP makes it possible to interact with the database and to fetch data. To display a WordPress website properly, both need to be connected. When we see “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error, that clearly means that your PHP is having difficulty connecting to its MySQL database. The reason behind the error may vary but the core issue is always this.
Reasons behind WordPress Missing MySQL Extension Error:
There are several possible reasons behind the WordPress Missing MySQL Extension error. In this section, we will mention some main reasons that might lead to this error.
1. Error in MySQL extension installation:
If you’re receiving a MySQL extension error just after your recent WordPress update, it’s more likely that your services weren’t installed correctly or the extension wasn’t properly configured.
2. The MySQL extension isn’t installed:
But it can also occur if you recently migrated your website, changed your server configuration, or switched your operating system this can be the cause of the error. There are operating systems that don’t include the MySQL extension by default.
3. The PHP extension is not configured properly:
If you have recently migrated your website to any other hosting provider, there may occur a mismatch in your PHP configuration. This will result in showing your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension error.
4. Using PHP 5.6 or Lower:
Your server’s PHP version should be updated. If your server is running PHP 5.6 or lower, this could cause the error to crop up.
5. Using an Outdated Version of WordPress with PHP 7+:
Your PHP version and WordPress version should be compatible. If your server is running a modern PHP version (7.0+), but you’re running a very old version of WordPress that could be the reason for the Missing MySQL extension error.
6. Using Outdated Plugins:
Using outdated plugins also can conflict with your latest PHP version and create the Missing MySQL extension error.
How to Fix “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” Error?
Now that you know what this error is and what are the causes behind this, we should go through some troubleshooting methods to resolve the issue. Here, we will discuss five steps you can take to fix the issue effortlessly. We recommend starting at the top and walking through each potential step in the given order.
Update the Core WordPress:
If your server isn’t using PHP version is 5.6 or older, the most likely running an old version of WordPress is the cause of this error. To fix this problem you need to update your core WordPress software. If you can still log in to your WordPress dashboard, update WordPress from there. But if you don’t have access to your admin dashboard, you will have to update it manually through FTP.
First, download the latest version of the WordPress zip file from WordPress.org and extract the zip file to your computer.
Then, before making any change, you need to back up your WordPress site. Now, log in to your FTP server and open the folder that contains all of the WordPress files. At this point you need to delete the following items:
Because if you upload the WordPress package to our website without deleting those files, the content and settings will be reset. Which we definitely don’t want.
After deleting those items, upload the remaining files to your server via FTP. Now, your site should be running the latest version of WordPress.
Once you have completed this step, you should be able to log into your site as normal. If you can’t, then the issue could be because of using an older PHP version.
Check Your Current PHP Version:
As we said earlier, an older PHP version can be the cause of this error. So check your current PHP version and updating if it is outdated can fix this error.
There are lots of ways to check your current PHP version, you can check it from your WordPress admin area, from cPanel, from your hosting account, or by using a plugin. To check from your WordPress admin area, first, navigate to Tools > Site Health and switch to the “Info” tab. In the “Server” tab, you will see the current PHP version you are using.
If you’re unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard, then you’ll have to access your website via an FTP client. This process is more complicated than the previous one but still, you have to go through this process.
Connect your website to the server using an FTP with the credentials provided by your host and create a new file called phpinfo.php in the root directory of your WordPress site. This file should be in the same folder that contains your wp-config.php file. Paste the following code inside the file.
Now open your internet browser and navigate to example.com/phpinfo.php. (Replace the website with your own domain.). Now you’ll see a page that displays a long list of details, from which you can find your PHP version.
Pay attention to the numbers – you should see something like x.x.x. E.g. 7.4.9.
If your PHP version is 5.6 or older, it may be too outdated to connect to the current version of MySQL. You will need to do is upgrade it to get the appropriate MySQL extension. To update the PHP version follow this tutorial.
However, if your PHP version is already above 5.6, you may need to follow the next step.
Reconfigure Your PHP Installation:
If your WordPress and PHP are updated and the extension is installed, the issue could be that your PHP extension directory is not properly configured. PHP’s configuration settings are stored in a file called php.ini. To check your PHP extension, you’ll need to access your server’s php.ini file. Find the row labeled “Loaded Configuration File” on the php.ini.
After locating this line, ensure that the path to your MySQL extension is correct. You can find the location of your php.ini file in the phpinfo.php file that you created before. If they are not matching, edit your php.ini file to replace it with the file path listed for the Loaded Configuration File. Once you finish, save and exit, then restart your web server.
If you’ve tried the three methods listed above, your MySQL extension error should be resolved. If your WordPress site is still throwing the message, you might need to contact your hosting provider’s technical support team for more assistance.
Configure MySQL Extension Properly:
If the above steps haven’t worked, go to the next step, where you have to ensure that your MySQL extension is installed. To check whether the MySQL extension is installed properly, navigate to the phpinfo.php file that we have created earlier. Look for a section named either mysql or mysqli. If you can see a number next to the “Client API library version” field then your MySQL extension is installed.
Otherwise, you’ll need to install the extension. If you’ve already updated PHP to its latest version, you might need to reinstall it. The best solution is to reach out to your hosting provider and have them install it for you.
If the error is still there after configuring the MySQL extension properly, then try the following steps.
Update the Outdated Plugins:
Using outdated plugins can have compatibility issues with PHP and prompt the MySQL extension error. You know very well how to update plugins from the admin dashboard. But if you’re unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard, then you’ll have to update the outdated plugins via an FTP client. First, download the .zip file of those plugins and extract them. Now, log in to your site’s server via FTP, navigate to the wp-content > plugins folder, delete the folder of the plugin you want to update, and upload the extracted plugin files.
If you’ve tried all the five methods mentioned above, your MySQL extension error should be resolved. If your WordPress site is still showing the message, you might need to contact your hosting provider’s technical support team for more assistance.
How to Avoid this Error in Future?
In this section, we will provide you with some hacks to avoid the “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress” error in the future. Let’s check those hacks:
Conclusion:
Though fixing an issue with WordPress is pretty easy, sometimes it can be very frustrating. “Your PHP Installation Appears to Be Missing the MySQL Extension Which Is Required by WordPress” error is one of those tricky errors because it involves the core technologies of WordPress, PHP, and MySQL.
But, don’t worry! Following the above-mentioned steps can easily resolve the error and make your WordPress site smooth.
We hope this article was helpful, share if have any other hacks to fix this issue. Also, check our WordPress Tips section to get more WordPress error solutions.
Sidratul Sohrat