In this course, you’re going to learn how to install plugins on WordPress.
Plugins are tools that provide added functionality to your WordPress-based website. While this is a relatively simple task, its importance to WordPress is often overlooked. It could cause problems in the future, especially to beginners. And if you are not able to successfully install plugins, you won’t be able to tap into the vast world of WordPress plugins.
Before anything else, you need to have a WordPress plugin. There are two ways for you to install a plugin. You can choose to install it automatically through the WordPress dashboard or you can manually upload a plugin via FTP (i.e. using software like FileZilla).
Now that we’ve got that covered, let’s get started!
Choosing a Plugin
Step 1:
Log in to your WordPress dashboard. Click on Plugins >> Installed Plugins.
From here, you will be able to see your existing plugins. You can choose to Activate them, Edit them, or Delete them.
Step 2:
If you want to add a new plugin, simply click on the Add New button.
From here, you can search for plugins on the WordPress Plugin Directory, which is filled with a lot of free and useful plugins.
You can choose from Featured plugins, Popular plugins, and Favorites.
Step 3:
Once you’ve found the plugin that you need, simply click on the Install Now button found at the top right corner of that particular plugin.
Click OK, then activate the plugin.
Automatically Installing a Plugin
Step 1:
If you have a plugin that you’ve downloaded from a website, and you have the zip file in hand, you’ll want to install it automatically.
From the WordPress dashboard, hop in to Plugins >> Add New.
Next, click on the Upload Plugin button.
Step 2:
Click on Choose File and locate your zip file.
Once you’ve found your zip file, click on Install Now.
Click on Activate Plugin.
From there, you can choose which plugins you wish to activate. This is by far the easiest method of installing a WordPress plugin.
Manually Installing a Plugin via FTP
Step 1:
Go to your FTP software. Log in to your website via FTP.
Step 2:
Look for the wp-content folder, and then the plugins folder.
From here, you will be able to see your plugins.
Step 3:
Go to your Computer and locate the zip file for the plugin. Unzip the file to extract all of the plugin files.
Step 4:
Drag and drop the folder into the wp-content/plugins folder to upload the files.
Step 5:
Return to the Installed Plugins page on your WordPress dashboard and you will be able to see your newly added plugin.
By default, the newly added plugin is deactivated. Simply click on the Activate button, and you’re good to go.
Wasn’t that easy? Now, you can choose to either automatically install your plugins or manually install them via FTP. Which is more convenient for you?
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