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Your screenshot shows which version of PHP phpMyAdmin is running under. It is not necessarily the same version your site runs under.

Most servers have many different PHP versions. The default version used for site hosting is typically older so the host can avoid support requests about outdated software breaking under newer PHP versions. cPanel and the various third party scripts it gives you access to, including phpMyAdmin, typically run under newer versions of PHP because they are faster, use less memory and are generally more efficient.

As for the warning, it asks PHP itself to tell it which version it is. In fact, it's reading the PHP_VERSION constant defined by PHP. This cannot change. It is set at compile time. If it tells you it's PHP 7.1.33 the your site does run under PHP 7.1.33 which is end of life for way too long.

Your cPanel should have a facility to change the PHP version you are using on your site. If you cannot find it or you are not sure what this means please ask your host.

PS: Speaking of upgrades and based on what I see in your screenshot you need to upgrade your computer's Operating System.

When you are changing the PHP version what really happens is that cPanel is adding an AddHandler line to the bottom of your .htaccess file.

Open the .htaccess file with cPanel's File Manager and copy the AddHandler line.

Go to Admin Tools' .htaccess Maker. Find the "Custom .htaccess rules at the bottom of the file" area and paste that AddHandler line there. Now click on Save & Create .htaccess. This will fix the warning.

Regarding the Operating System on your computer, it has stopped receiving security updates. This means it's easier to compromise (hack it) via malware that targets known security issues in obsolete versions of this OS. Since you're using it to manage your sites you might end up with hacked sites if said malware hoovers up your login credentials. I strongly recommend updating.

This is a standard warning. It is shown at all times to remind you that generating a .htaccess can never be a 100% risk free operation. It tells you how to save your site if things go sideways.

Regarding an operating system, I'd say to try a lightweight Linux distributions such as Xubuntu or Lubuntu (the latter is super light but the desktop looks like a throwback to late 90s / early 00s). I had a desktop that was barely mid-range back in 2008 when I bought it: AMD Phenom X3, 4GB RAM, 80GB spinning hard drive, ancient low resolution Samsung 19" LCD monitor. That's the desktop I started the company with. It was perfectly usable with Xubuntu as of October 2019 when I last used it. Best thing is, you can try it from a USB stick to see how well it works for you.

OK, I misunderstood what you need. If you absolutely need to use Windows you can use Windows 10 on your computer. It won't be exactly flying but it will not be unusable either. It's mostly the memory that's a bit on the low side but I reckon you're used to that.

But does it make financial sense? It comes down to your budget. A Windows 10 Home license would be around €130. A cheap HP Pavilion laptop with Windows 10 preinstalled and a much faster Core i3 processor is about 430€ and you can probably get another decade or so out of it. If you can afford it, get something with an SSD and 8GB RAM. These two changes make for a massive difference in performance. Trust me. That's how I got to buy an already outdated Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro 13" for cheap in mid-2010 and had it last me until 2013, all the while running the entire business on it.

You're welcome! I am glad I could help :)