Title: PHP Warning: session_start(): Failed to read session data:
Last modified: May 22, 2026

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# PHP Warning: session_start(): Failed to read session data:

 *  Resolved [sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/)
 * (@sparkyparks)
 * [3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/)
 * The following php error is occurring pretty much constantly.
 * [19-May-2026 22:39:01 UTC] PHP Warning:  session_start(): Failed to read session
   data: files (path: /var/cpanel/php/sessions/ea-php72) in /home/customer/www/xxxxxx/
   public_html/wp-content/plugins/backwpup/src/Infrastructure/Restore/commons.php
   on line 393
 * How do I resolve this issue? Thank you!

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Saransh](https://wordpress.org/support/users/saranshwpm/)
 * (@saranshwpm)
 * [3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18915715)
 * Hi [@sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/),
 * From the warning, it seems the site is currently running on an older PHP version(`
   PHP 7.2`).
 * Could you please confirm which PHP version you are currently using?
 * As a first step, I’d strongly recommend trying an update to a newer supported
   PHP version and then checking whether the warning still appears.
 * The warning itself seems related to PHP session handling on the server side rather
   than the actual backup process, so updating PHP may help resolve it.
 * Looking forward to your update.
 *  Thread Starter [sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/)
 * (@sparkyparks)
 * [3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18915731)
 * Actually running 8.2.31. That would be the conflict. This error showed up after
   the change from 7.2 to 8.2.
 *  Plugin Support [Saransh](https://wordpress.org/support/users/saranshwpm/)
 * (@saranshwpm)
 * [3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18915780)
 * Hi,
 * Thank you for clarifying.
 * That makes sense. If the site was recently changed from PHP 7.2 to PHP 8.2, the
   old session path may still be referenced somewhere on the server:
 * `/var/cpanel/php/sessions/ea-php72`
 * So this looks more like a PHP/session configuration issue after the PHP version
   switch, rather than a BackWPup backup issue.
 * Could you please ask your hosting provider to check and update the PHP session
   save path for PHP 8.2, and make sure it points to a valid writable session directory?
 * They should specifically check:
    - `session.save_path`
    - permissions of the session directory
    - whether the site is still referencing the old `ea-php72` session folder
 * Once the PHP session path is corrected, the warning should stop.
 *  Plugin Support [Saransh](https://wordpress.org/support/users/saranshwpm/)
 * (@saranshwpm)
 * [2 weeks, 4 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18917874)
 * Hi [@sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/),
 * I assume the previous reply helped resolve the issue 🙂
 * If you’re enjoying BackWPup and the support experience, we’d really appreciate
   a quick review here:
   [https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/backwpup/reviews/#new-post](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/backwpup/reviews/#new-post)
 * And of course, if you need any further help, feel free to follow up anytime.
 *  Thread Starter [sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/)
 * (@sparkyparks)
 * [2 weeks, 3 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18918750)
 * Thank you Sarahsh! Took a couple of days to get things sorted. All is right with
   the world now. Had to comment out that pesky line of code. My host doesn’t even
   use cPanel. It was an artifact from an old host.
 * Your help is much appreciated.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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## Tags

 * [php-error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php-error/)

 * 5 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [sparkyparks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sparkyparks/)
 * Last activity: [2 weeks, 3 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-warning-session_start-failed-to-read-session-data-2/#post-18918750)
 * Status: resolved