Changing the PHP version used by a website can potentially affect the functionality of the website, but it should not make any irreversible changes to the website files or database.
When you change the PHP version used by a website, it changes the way that the server processes the PHP code in the website’s files. Depending on the differences between the old and new PHP versions, this can cause the website to behave differently or display errors.
However, this should not affect the underlying files or database of the website. The files and database should remain intact, and any issues caused by the PHP version change can usually be resolved by updating the website’s code or configuration to be compatible with the new PHP version.
That being said, it’s always a good practice to make backups of your website files and database before making any major changes like changing the PHP version. This ensures that you have a copy of your website in case anything goes wrong during the update process.