Elementor does not run PHP directly inside the editor, so you cannot paste PHP into an HTML widget and expect it to work. If a component needs PHP, you add it to WordPress instead.

Option 1: Add PHP with a plugin (recommended)

Use a snippets plugin like Code Snippets, add your PHP there, and activate it. This is the safest way because it is easy to disable if something breaks.

Option 2: Add PHP to your theme

Add the code to your theme files, usually in functions.php or a custom plugin you maintain. This works, but it is easier to break things if you are not careful, and theme updates can overwrite changes (unless you use a child theme).