Legacy WordPress Sites: Many older themes and plugins are not yet compatible with PHP 8.x.

Downloading XAMPP with PHP 7.4 is still a viable option for developers who need to work with older projects or applications. By following these steps, you can easily obtain and install XAMPP with PHP 7.4 and get started with your web development projects.

Older XAMPP versions relied on specific versions of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package.

If you have Skype, IIS, or another web server running, XAMPP’s Apache may fail to start due to port 80 or 443 conflicts.

macOS DownloadsNote that newer Macs with M1/M2/M3 chips (Apple Silicon) may struggle with older XAMPP VM versions. Most users prefer the "Installer" version over the "VM" version for better stability. SourceForge Link: XAMPP for Mac OS X PHP 7.4 Archive Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Click on your chosen file, then click the green “Download” button on the next page.

Security RisksBecause PHP 7.4 is no longer receiving security patches, never use this version for a live, internet-facing server. Use it strictly for local development and testing.