Upgrade Wamp Server to PHP 7

We recently upgraded our development and production servers to PHP 7. We develop locally using Wamp Server so we needed to install PHP 7 on our computers as well. After digging around and some trial and errors I found the youtube video below.

Install Microsoft Packages

Download PHP 7

  • Download PHP zip file from http://windows.php.net/download/
  • Choose the correct file 64 or 84 bit Depending on your operating system
  • Choose the Thread Safe file

Create PHP7 Folder in wamp directory

  • Extract contents from PHP7 Download
  • Copy files over to a new folder in wamp\bin\php\php7.0
  • You will need to copy 2 files from an older php version php.ini and wampserver.conf into your new folder wamp\bin\php\php7.0

Modify php.ini

  • In your new folder open php.ini
  • In php.ini find extension_dir and replace the older php version with the new version
  • In php.ini find zend_extension and comment this line out it is no longer needed.
  • Create a copy of php.ini once the above changes are made and rename it to phpForApache.ini

Modify wampserver.conf

  • In your new folder open wampserver.conf and replace LoadModuleName and LoadModuleFile to load the PHP 7 like so

phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php7_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php7apache2_4.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['AddModule'] = '';

Start Wamp Load PHP 7

  • Start Wamp > PHP > Version > 7

Notes: PHP 7 needs Apache 2.4 otherwise it will not run. Make Sure Wamp Server is running Apache 2.4. In the video the extensions were changed I tried it and it PHP 7 wouldn’t load in Wamp Server so i kept the same extensions from my previous php.ini file and it worked