How to Install WordPress Plugins Manually (FTP or Dashboard)

How to Install WordPress Plugins Manually (FTP or Dashboard) .elementor-19992 .elementor-element.elementor-element-19992{text-align:center}Last Updated on March 6, 2020Once you know how to install plugins in WordPress, you may be inclined to spend hours researching and reviewing plugins to see which ones will help you manage your WordPress blog. Disclosure As an independent review site, we get compensated if you purchase through the referral links or coupon codes on this page â€" at no additional cost to you. Dismiss alert WordPress plugins can help you solve a problem, like protect your blog from hackers and spammers. Plugins can also help you manage your site like adding a calendar, a photo gallery, a video, or slide show. They can also perform backups at regular intervals. Once you learn how to install WP plugins to your blog, you will learn that plugins have infinite possibilities.You might also like: Best WordPress hosting Table of Contents Do you need to install WordPress plugins?How to install a WordPress plugin successfullyHow to install WordPress plugins manually using directory searchHow to install plugins from the WordPress admin dashboardHow to manually install plugins in WordPress using an FTP clientConfiguring WordPress plugins after installationTroubleshooting problems with WordPress plugin installationsTips for updating WordPress pluginsWordPress plugin installation: conclusionDo you need to install WordPress plugins?You don’t have to install a WordPress plugin on your blog, but you should look at some of them and see if they will help you achieve your blogging goals.A plugin is a software mechanism that incorporates a group of functions that can be added to your blog. Plugins are written in the PHP programming language, which means that they will interface seamlessly with WordPress. Plugins are tools that can help you to perform specific functions for your blog. Here are some of the things they can do:Increase speedEnhance securityAutomate full backupsBlock spam commentsConnect your blog to socia l sharing accountsIncrease search engine optimizationCapture subscribers for your email listAdd a photo gallery or slide showSome plugins are built right into your theme, so be careful about paying for plugins that are already built-in. It won’t help you to rush and start installing as many plugins as you can find. You only need to install as few or as many plugins as you need to solve a problem or provide an essential function. Join the FREE TrainingDo You Want To Learn How To Build 6 Figures Authority Sites?Join This Free Training To...Finally have a proven method to finding profitable nichesGet access to a foolproof keyword research methodLearn how to outsource quality contentLearn how to build white hat links to your site without headaches There are lots of plugins that you can get free from the WordPress.org Plugin Directory. Paid plugins are often more secure than free plugins because developers are continually working on security and compatibility issues with themes. Pai d plugins also usually come with full-time support staff in case you run into problems.How to install a WordPress plugin successfullyIn the beginning, many bloggers are confused by the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. If you set up your blog on WordPress.com, WordPress is hosting your blog and you will have limitations regarding the design and functionality of your blog. If your blog is set up WordPress.com, you will not be able to install plugins.There are three ways to install WordPress plugins:Using the search directoryUploading orUsing an FTP client accountWatch this video for a demonstration on how to install WP plugins:How to install WordPress plugins manually using directory searchThis is really the easiest way to add a plugin. The WordPress Directory will only list free plugins. Type either the name of the plugin or the functionality of the plugin into the search box. The directory will pull up the plugins that match your search criteria. Go over to you r admin area and click on the word, Plugins. Then click on Add New. Click on the plugin that you want to install and click on Install Now.During the installation process, you will see a series of messages that tell you that your plugin is downloading, unpacking the package, and installing the plugin.Wait until you see the message that tells you the plugin installed successfully. You should see two links that say “Activate plugin” and “Return to Plugin installer.” Click on the link to activate the plugin. Your plugin is now fully installed and activated.How to install plugins from the WordPress admin dashboardIf you can’t find a free WordPress plugin that performs a function that you need or want, you’ll have to install a paid plugin using another method. Look for the upload option for installing WordPress plugins on your dashboard.Locate the plugin that you want to add to your blog. The format will be a zip file. Download it to your computer. Go to the admin area on your dashboard and click Plugins and then Add New. Then click on “Upload Plugin” on the top of the page. Select the file from your downloads and then click Install now.Much like the installation from the WordPress search directory, you will watch the processes unfold on your screen. Your computer will unpack the package, install the plugin, and tell you that it installed successfully. Click on the link to activate the plugin and you are ready to start using it.How to manually install plugins in WordPress using an FTP clientIf your web host provider has file restrictions that prevent you from installing a plugin from your dashboard, you may need to install the plugin manually using an FTP (file transfer protocol) client. This process is a little more difficult for beginners, but you should be able to do it if you follow these instructions.Locate the download from the plugin’s source file, which should be in the form of a zip file, and extract the zip file on your computer. You shou ld now have a new folder with the same name.For this next step, you will need the username and password for your FTP manager. If you don’t have it, you should be able to get it from your web host provider. Open the FTP client on your computer and connect to your blog. Access the path “wp-content/plugins/ “and then upload the folder that you extracted from the zip file to the folder labeled /wp-content/plugins/folder on your web server.You can double-check to see if your plugin successfully installed by visiting the WordPress admin area and clicking on the “Plugins” link. Click on your plugin and then click on the “Activate link” below the plugin. The plugin is now activatedConfiguring WordPress plugins after installationSome plugins will be ready to use as soon as the installation is complete. Others will require you to make some configurations. If the plugin you installed needs to be configured, look for a plugin tab on your admin panel, under Options, which is where WordPress likes them to be.Some plugins favor a spot in another part of the dashboard so you may need to look for it. The plugin’s official page, or set of instructions, should tell you where to find it on your dashboard. Read through these instructions carefully, so you don’t miss anything important.The configurations options for most plugins are fairly intuitive, taking you from one step to the next in succession. You’ll need to refresh your browser in order to see the changes that the plugin made.Troubleshooting problems with WordPress plugin installationsBackupBuddy is a premium plugin. The VaultPress plugin is a premium plugin that keeps your blog secure and also keeps your themes updated to prevent compatibility issues.You can update all of your plugins at one time, but it’s best to perform one plugin update at a time. That way if there is a problem with your blog after updating your plugin, you’ll know which plugin is causing the problems right away.If you have a pr oblem with your blog after updating the plugin, restore it from the backup and then do some troubleshooting pertaining to the plugin update as noted above.Another great tip is to update your plugins during times of slower traffic unless it’s an urgent security update. Your analytics will help you out in this way. If the update is not a security issue, you may want to hold off for just a bit before updating your plugins.Check the support forum shortly after the plugin release and see if others had any trouble with the plugin update. Others may be able to help the plugin developer get rid of any problems before you have to deal with them.Every few months, the WordPress core gets updated and when this happens, WordPress may incorporate features from some of the more popular plugins. This is a good time to do a review of all of your plugins. Consider deleting the plugins that you don’t need and installing new WordPress plugins.An even better way to protect your blog while performing maintenance tasks is to clone your site. You can test plugins on the duplicate site and see if any problems occur before installing or updating plugins on your blog. This gives you the opportunity to test everything before your blog goes live with problems.WordPress plugin installation: conclusionNow that you’ve learned how to install WordPress plugins, remember the importance of maintaining your plugins so that your blog always looks and functions great. Don’t forget that some plugins will need to be configured. If you forget this step, they won’t function as you expect or you could end up with a button somewhere on your blog that you didn’t intend for it to be.If you have your blog up and running long enough, you’re sure to have some issues with updating your plugins. It takes a bit more time to create a cloned site and do some practice with updating plugins there, but you’ll lose a whole lot more time if your site crashes because you didn’t update your plugins care fully. How to install WordPress with Softaculous Best WordPress plugins