How to Install and Setup PHP on Windows 11 (2026)

In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to install and set up PHP on Windows 11 from scratch. This video is designed for beginners as well as developers who want a clean and proper PHP development environment on a Windows 11 system. Whether you’re planning to build dynamic websites, work with backend development, or start learning PHP for web development, this guide will walk you through everything you need. We start by downloading PHP directly from the official PHP website to ensure you’re using a secure and up-to-date version. You’ll learn the difference between Thread Safe and Non-Thread Safe builds and which one you should choose based on your use case. After that, we’ll extract and configure PHP properly, including setting up the `php.ini` file and enabling commonly used PHP extensions. Next, we’ll cover how to add PHP to the Windows system PATH so you can run PHP commands from anywhere using the Command Prompt or PowerShell. This is a crucial step for running PHP scripts, checking the PHP version, and working with frameworks and tools. You’ll also see how to verify the installation using simple commands like `php -v` and by running your first PHP script directly from the command line. In this tutorial, we also discuss optional setups like using PHP with XAMPP if you prefer an all-in-one solution that includes Apache and MySQL. You’ll understand when to use standalone PHP and when XAMPP makes more sense, especially for beginners or local server development. Common installation issues are also explained, including how to fix “php is not recognized” errors, extension loading problems, and configuration mistakes. By the end of this video, you’ll have a fully working PHP environment on Windows 11 and the confidence to start building PHP applications. This video is perfect for students, beginners, web developers, and anyone looking to set up PHP on Windows 11 for the first time. If you find this tutorial helpful, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more programming and development tutorials. #php #phpinstallation #windows11 #phpwindows #webdevelopment #backenddevelopment #phpdeveloper #xampp #phpini #commandprompt #programmingtutorial #learnphp #phptutorial #coding #softwaredevelopment