C3rd

Before going thru the steps below, you need to download the installers first at http://camilord.com/downloads/Apache2.4.48_PHP7.4.20.zip

Then, just extract the zip which will give you both apache (httpd-2.4.48-o111k-x64-vc15) and php (php-7.4.20-Win32-vc15-x64). They are also in a zip, extract it in "C:\" and rename it like below.

would look like:

C:\Apache24
C:\php

then in apache, go to httpd.conf and edit it.
Add the following lines:

# php 7.4.20 handler
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .html
LoadModule php7_module "c:/php/php7apache2_4.dll"
PHPIniDir "c:/php"

you can skip this step, you only do this when you have existing apache installation

httpd -k uninstall -n "Apache2.4"

then save it. go to Apache24\bin using CLI or powershell (as administrator) then run:

httpd.exe -k install -n "Apache2.4"

this will install as a service. then to start and stop

httpd -k start
httpd -k stop

or

net start "Apache2.4"
net stop "Apache2.4"

then for PHP, copy the php.ini-development as php.ini then adjust the necessary configuration
needed by your application. then since you're in dev mode, add this at the end of the php.ini:

[Xdebug]
zend_extension="C:/php/ext/php_xdebug-3.0.4-7.4-vc15-x86_64.dll"
xdebug.client_port="9003"
xdebug.mode=debug
;xdebug.mode=profile

you can find the file in this folder and make sure you copy that xdebug dll file to C:\php\ext\

then restart the apache…

and if you have changes in your php.ini on next edit, restart again your apache.