How to install PHP 8 on XAMPP

Question

I'm trying to update my PHP version to the brand new PHP 8. I have followed simular steps as this tutorial. But now the following error is shown:

12:06:23  [Apache]  Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
12:06:23  [Apache]  This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 
12:06:23  [Apache]  improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
12:06:23  [Apache]  Press the Logs button to view error logs and check
12:06:23  [Apache]  the Windows Event Viewer for more clues
12:06:23  [Apache]  If you need more help, copy and post this
12:06:23  [Apache]  entire log window on the forums

Notice: I have used a brand new XAMPP instalation version 7.2.33.

I can't find the solution for my issue.

Edit It is saying that I need to look into the Log files hower they are completly empty since it's a brand new installation.

This is my httpd-xampp.conf :

<IfModule env_module>
    SetEnv MIBDIRS "C:/xampp/php/extras/mibs"
    SetEnv MYSQL_HOME "\\xampp\\mysql\\bin"
    SetEnv OPENSSL_CONF "C:/xampp/apache/bin/openssl.cnf"
    SetEnv PHP_PEAR_SYSCONF_DIR "\\xampp\\php"
    SetEnv PHPRC "\\xampp\\php"
    SetEnv TMP "\\xampp\\tmp"
</IfModule>

#
# PHP-Module setup
#
LoadFile "C:/xampp/php/php8ts.dll"
LoadFile "C:/xampp/php/libpq.dll"
LoadModule php8_module "C:/xampp/php/php8apache2_4.dll"
LoadFile "C:/xampp/php/libsqlite3.dll"

<FilesMatch "\.php$">
    SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
</FilesMatch>
<FilesMatch "\.phps$">
    SetHandler application/x-httpd-php-source
</FilesMatch>

#
# PHP-CGI setup
#
#<FilesMatch "\.php$">
#    SetHandler application/x-httpd-php-cgi
#</FilesMatch>
#<IfModule actions_module>
#    Action application/x-httpd-php-cgi "/php-cgi/php-cgi.exe"
#</IfModule>


<IfModule php8_module>
    PHPINIDir "C:/xampp/php"
</IfModule>

<IfModule mime_module>
    AddType text/html .php .phps
</IfModule>

ScriptAlias /php-cgi/ "C:/xampp/php/"
<Directory "C:/xampp/php">
    AllowOverride None
    Options None
    Require all denied
    <Files "php-cgi.exe">
          Require all granted
    </Files>
</Directory>

<Directory "C:/xampp/cgi-bin">
    <FilesMatch "\.php$">
        SetHandler cgi-script
    </FilesMatch>
    <FilesMatch "\.phps$">
        SetHandler None
    </FilesMatch>
</Directory>

<Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs/xampp">
    <IfModule php8_module>
        <Files "status.php">
            php_admin_flag safe_mode off
        </Files>
    </IfModule>
    AllowOverride AuthConfig
</Directory>

<IfModule alias_module>
    Alias /licenses "C:/xampp/licenses/"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/licenses">
        Options +Indexes
        <IfModule autoindex_color_module>
            DirectoryIndexTextColor  "#000000"
            DirectoryIndexBGColor "#f8e8a0"
            DirectoryIndexLinkColor "#bb3902"
            DirectoryIndexVLinkColor "#bb3902"
            DirectoryIndexALinkColor "#bb3902"
        </IfModule>
        Require local
        ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
   </Directory>

    Alias /phpmyadmin "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin/"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin">
        AllowOverride AuthConfig
        Require local
        ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
    </Directory>

    Alias /webalizer "C:/xampp/webalizer/"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/webalizer">
        <IfModule php8_module>
            <Files "webalizer.php">
                php_admin_flag safe_mode off
            </Files>
        </IfModule>
        AllowOverride AuthConfig
        Require local
        ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
    </Directory>
</IfModule>

Answer 1

Rewriting php8_module to php_module (all occurrences) in

"httpd-xampp.conf" file solved the Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly problem for me:)

Answer 2

Running PHP 8 on XAMPP is easy now since XAMPP new version released with PHP 8 update. Install XAMPP, and run first PHP program using XAMPP Server on localhost. Following are the steps:

• Download and Install XAMPP
• Create a new project in XAMPP and add your PHP program
• Open XAMPP and run your first PHP program

Download and Install XAMPP

Step 1 : Go to the Apache Friends website and download XAMPP Server (supporting PHP 8). Apache Friends is the official website to download XAMPP:

Download XAMPP

Step 2 : After downloading, install it. You can install it at any location. We installed XAMPP ie C: drive,

Create a new project in XAMPP

Step 3 : Now, go to htdocs folder in Xampp folder and create your project folder.

Here, a folder AmitProject created, as in the below screenshot:

Follow this tutorial and you won't need to update any settings shown above.

Answer 3

1. rename old php dir to phpX
2. Download the needed version of PHP + dev pack, ex.: https://windows.php.net/download#php-8.0
3. extract to xampp/php the donwloaded archives
4. if old php configs matters for you, copy phpX/php.ini to php/
5. extract into xampp, rewrite the referring phpOld lines in httpd-xampp.config

• Instead of phpX_module, use just php_module

6. if problem persists, running xampp_start gives PHP load error: %1 is not a valid Win32 application. then also download new apache version...

• don't forget to put at thier place the httpd.conf, httpd-ssl.conf, httpd-xampp.conf

Or instead of downloading the modules separately, just do a new XAMPP installation with the desired version and copy php+apache dirs, then unistall the old one. From the old apache dir get the httpd*.conf files or correct their paths.

Answer 4

This error is the result of an xampp misconfiguration for the new php version (means wrong entries in xampp/apache/conf/extra/httpd-xampp.conf).

Luckily, you can check the configuration of the apache server with this shell command:

c:/xampp/apache/bin/httpd.exe -t

(Replace the drive letter with your installation drive letter, also change the xampp folder if you have xampp installed in a custom folder.)

If you see Syntax OK php should work basically (don't forget to copy/adjust the php.ini file). If not, the output of httpd.exe -t offer useful hints what should be changed in httpd-xampp.conf.

Answer 5

IN https://windows.php.net/download#php-8.0

What is very important you have to download the "Thread Safe" version. otherwise you have no "php8apache2_4.dll" and you need that so that php8 works with apache in XAMPP.

Answer 6

I choose this way

Back up your XAMPP and htdocs files, then uninstall XAMPP, Download New XAMPP Version, Install XAMPP configure the path to your back-up htdocs files or Project Files -> httpd.config

you should find this so that you can customize the path

DocumentRoot "D:\PROJECT"
<Directory "D:\PROJECT">

Answer 7

Hi @IMSoP did you get make it work? i have the same problem and nothing works for me, i tried with @Honza Jahoda's solution, but it doesnt work for me.