This step-by-step guide will show you how to manually install WordPress on your website. Click here for a reminder of why you should use WordPress.
If you’re familiar with your web host’s control panel, the installation should take about 5 minutes. If you’re new to web hosting and are still finding your way around FTP and databases, the installation should take 10-20 minutes.
Download WordPress
- Visit WordPress.org and download the latest version.
- Unzip the file.
Create a Database
Everything on your WordPress site will be stored on a database.
- Create a MySQL database.
- Write down the database name, username and password for future use.
Prepare FTP Client
- Set up Filezilla.
- Write down your username, password and URL for future use.
Upload WordPress to Your Host
Connect to your host with Filezilla. Decide where you want to install WordPress – in your root directory (yourdomain.com) or in a subdirectory (yourdomain.com/blog). Since you can use WordPress to build all types of websites, not just blogs, I recommend installing it in your root directory.
Installing WordPress in Root Directory (yourdomain.com)
Upload the WordPress files to your root directory. The name and location of your root directory will vary across hosting providers. Common root directories are public_html and html. If you can’t figure out what your root directory is, check your web host’s FAQ or contact them for support.
Installing WordPress in Subdirectory (yourdomain.com/blog)
Open your root directory in Filezilla. Common root directories are public_html and html. If you can’t figure out what your root directory is, check your web host’s FAQ or contact them for support. Create a new folder, or subdirectory. The name you give it is the name that will appear in your website URL. For example, if you name the subdirectory blog the URL for the WordPress section of your site will be yourdomain.com/blog. Upload the WordPress files to the subdirectory.
Configuring WordPress
- Go to your web browser and enter your website URL.
- Click the ‘Create a Configuration File’ button.
- Click the ‘Let’s go!’ button.
- Enter your database name, username and password in the fields provided. Your database host is most likely localhost. Ask your web host for your database host if you’re not sure.
- Enter a table prefix. It’s a good idea to change this from the default wp_ to increase your site security. Pick any two letters you want, followed by an underscore.
- Click the ‘Submit’ button.
- Click the ‘Run the install’ button.
- Enter the name of your site or business in the ‘Site Title’ field.
- Enter a WordPress username. Use anything but the default admin to increase your site’s security.
- Create a password.
- Enter the email address where you want to receive notifications from WordPress (comment moderation, updates, etc).
- If you want search engines to begin indexing your site immediately, tick the ‘Allow search engines to index this site’ box. If you plan on working on your site and don’t want search engines to index it until you’re done, untick this box.
- Click the ‘Install WordPress’ button.
WordPress is now installed on your site. Click the ‘Login’ button and login using the username and password you just created to access your admin panel. You can access your WordPress admin panel any time by visiting yourdomain.com/wp-admin/.