How to Install WordPress Plugins
A Short Introduction: WordPress Plugins 101
The best and by far the easiest way of adding all sorts of different options and functionalities to your WordPress website is through installing plugins. These days, the number of available plugins greatly surpasses the number of their possible uses. This means that for every different field which requires certain functionalities added to your WordPress site, there is a plethora of plugins to choose from. This is exactly why sometimes is hard to decide on the one that will fit your needs perfectly. Our advice is to inform well and learn everything about WordPress plugins before installing them.
Once you pick the one you like the most, there is just a small matter of adding the plugin to your website. So you think it’s about time to learn how to install WordPress plugins to your website? Let’s get cracking.
Step 1: Choosing the Plugin
Before you install a WordPress plugin, you first must find the one that suits your needs the most. But if you’re at the beginning with your website, you should definitely get some basic, must-have WordPress plugins for a new website. There are several ways you can locate the plugin of your choice. The first way is to download the plugin to your computer. The second consists of browsing for it using your website’s backend directly. First, we will focus on finding the plugin using the backend and see how to install plugins from there. In case you are more interested in the alternative method of obtaining and installing WordPress plugins by downloading them on your computer first, check the penultimate section of this article.
Step 2: Locating the Plugin
To locate a plugin in your admin area, click on Plugins > Add New
In the top right, you’ll notice a search box which says Search plugins. Here you can type in the name of the plugin or a certain functionality you are looking for.
It’s always a good idea to do some research beforehand and familiarize yourself with some of the options available out there. Nevertheless, you will be presented with the most popular as well as reliable plugins here. You should simply look up a certain functionality or plugin name.
Step 3: Installing the Plugin
Once you have located the desired plugin from the list, click Install Now next to the plugin.
The process should finish installing the WordPress plugin in a few moments. However, there is one last stop before the plugin is up and running.
Step 4: Activating the Plugin
When the plugin finishes installing, click the Activate button next to the plugin in order to finish connecting it with your website.
This rounds up all the steps you need to take in order to install WordPress plugins using your website’s admin panel. The activated plugin will now be displayed in your Installed Plugins area from where you will be able to deactivate it or change some settings if needed.
How to Install a WordPress Plugin from your Computer
As we mentioned above, there is another way to install WordPress plugins available. This method also consists of a few steps, and they are as follows:
Go to the WordPress.org webwebsite and type in the name of the plugin you are looking for. Locate the plugin and click on it. Next you should download the said plugin to your computer.
After this, you will want to go back to your website’s backend. Navigate to Plugins > Add New once more.
From this page, click the Upload Plugin button located in the upper right of the screen.
Then you will be prompted to manually locate the plugin you have downloaded earlier. Click the Browse button next.
Next, pick the .zip file which contains the plugin that you’ve downloaded and click Open.
Click the Install Now button.
Finally, there’s one last step and you’re all set. After a few moments, the plugin will have finished its installation process. After this, you should click the Activate Plugin button.
Conclusion: WordPress Plugin Installed Successfully
This rounds up the entire process. You should note that each plugin could contain additional features and options of its own. In addition to this, uninstalling a plugin is even more straightforward than adding one. Simply locate the plugin from the list of installed plugins and deactivate it.
In a case you still don’t know where to start, and what plugins to install in the beginning, give a try to WordPress gallery plugins, WordPress event management plugins, and WordPress countdown timer plugins.
We hope this article has been informative enough. Now you should have a much clearer picture on how to install WordPress plugins without any hassle. The entire procedure is quite undemanding, and now you’re all set to install as many plugins as you like. The installation is exactly the same for all of them. The possibilities are virtually endless. We hope you’ll have success with your site, whatever your online goals may be!
We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!
