How to Install a WordPress Plugin for Your Website
After installing WordPress, the first thing you need to learn is How to Install a WordPress Plugin for slides, shopping carts, contact forms, etc.
There are thousands of free and paid plugins available for WordPress. Next, Mamang will discuss several ways to install WordPress plugins that you must master for managing your WordPress website.
Before we begin, if you are using WordPress.com, you cannot install plugins due to some limitations on WordPress.com.
You can only install plugins on WordPress.com if you upgrade to its business plan. On the other hand, you can install any plugin you want on a self-hosted WordPress.org website.
Install a Plugin Using the WordPress Plugin Search
The easiest way to install a WordPress plugin is by using the plugin search feature within your WordPress admin panel. However, the drawback of this option is that it only displays free plugins from the official WordPress plugin directory.
The first thing you need to do is visit Plugins » Add New in your WordPress admin area, as shown in the image below.
You will see a screen similar to the one above. Find a plugin by typing its name or the function you need. After that, you will see multiple plugin listings, as shown in the example below:
You can choose the plugin that best suits your needs. Since we searched for a WordPress contact form plugin, one of the results is WPForms.
Next, WordPress will download and install the plugin for you. You will see an “Install Now” button, which will change to an “Activate” button.
A WordPress plugin is installed on your site, but it will not work unless you activate it. Click the Activate button to start using the plugin on your WordPress site.
Yes! Congratulations, you have successfully installed your first WordPress plugin.
The next step is to configure the plugin settings. These settings will vary for each plugin, and we will discuss how to configure different plugins for your WordPress website in another session.
Install a Plugin by Uploading It in the WordPress Admin
Paid WordPress plugins are not listed in the WordPress plugin directory. Therefore, they cannot be installed using the first method.
That’s why WordPress provides an upload method for installing such plugins. We will show you how to install a WordPress plugin using the upload option in the admin area.
First, download the plugin from its source (which should be in a .zip file format). Then, log in to your WordPress admin area and go to Plugins » Add New, then click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page.
This will display the plugin upload form. Click ‘Choose File’ and select the plugin file you downloaded on your computer.
Once you have selected the file, click Install Now. WordPress will upload the plugin file from your computer and install it for you. You will see a success message once the installation is complete, as shown below.
Then, click the Activate Plugin link to start using the plugin. You may need to configure its settings according to your needs. These settings will vary for each plugin.
Manually Install a WordPress Plugin Using FTP
In rare cases, your WordPress hosting provider may have file restrictions that prevent you from installing plugins from the admin area.
In this situation, the best option is to install the plugin manually using FTP. However, this method may be a bit tricky, especially for beginners.
First, download the plugin file (.zip format). Then, extract the zip file on your computer.
Extracting the plugin zip file will create a new folder with the same name. This is the folder you need to upload manually to your website using an FTP client.
You need to access your host using an FTP manager. If you don’t have your FTP username and password, contact your hosting provider to request them.
Then, open your FTP client on your computer and connect to your website using the credentials provided by your web host. Once connected, go to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder on your website.
Next, upload the extracted folder from your computer to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder on your web server, as shown below.
Then, log in to your WordPress admin dashboard. You will see the plugin listed on the Plugins page and ready to be activated.
After activating, you may need to configure the plugin settings. Each WordPress plugin has its own settings, so be sure to learn about the specific plugin you installed.
That concludes the article How to Install a WordPress Plugin for Your Website, shared by Mangcoding. Hopefully, this article is helpful and provides new knowledge for you. If you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement, please leave a comment or contact us via Email and Social Media.