Overview
The simplest way to install a plugin is within your WordPress admin dashboard. However, some third-party plugins may need to be installed manually on the server where your WordPress site exists.
The following three-step process describe how to manually download a plugin, upload it your site using the panel's file manager, and then activate it within your WordPress dashboard.
Step 1 — Download the plugin
You must download the plugin before you begin. If you're obtaining this from a third-party source, ask them for the file. It will most likely be in a zip format.
You can also download a plugin if it appears in the WordPress plugin repository.
Click the Download button on the plugin page to download its zip file, which downloads the zip file of the plugin to your computer's Downloads directory.
Step 2 — Upload to your WordPress site
You can either use the file manager option in the panel or a third-party FTP client. See the following articles for more information:
- Log into your website via FTP. The following example uses the panel's file manager option.
- After you log in, navigate to the wp-content directory.
- Open the plugins directory. A list of your existing plugins appears within this folder.
- On the bottom left, click the Upload icon and select the Upload Folder... option in the pop-up menu that appears.
- A window opens where you can navigate to the location of the downloaded plugin folder on your computer. You can upload either a zip or the extracted copy of the plugin folder.
- After you find the folder on your computer, click the Upload button.
- You should now see the folder listed in your FTP client.
Step 3 — Activate the plugin
After you upload the plugin, you must then activate it within your WordPress dashboard.
- Log into your WordPress site.
- Navigate to the Plugins > Installed Plugins page.
- Click the Activate button under your plugin.