How to Install a WordPress Plugin for Beginners 2021

After installing WordPress, your next step is how to install a WordPress plugin. In this tutorial, I will teach you two method of How to install a WordPress plugin.

There are Two methods on How to Install a WordPress Plugin but first…

What is a WordPress Plugin

In simple words, WordPress plugins are like apps for your WordPress website. They allow you to add new features to WordPress like a simple contact form, slideshow, shopping cart, and more.

Plugins indeed are one of the key things that make WordPress awesome, and you certainly shouldn’t avoid new plugins!

There are millions of free and paid WordPress plugins on the internet. In this tutorial, I will show you how to achieve the following WordPress plugin tasks;

How to Install a WordPress Plugin: Method 1

This is the Method 1 of how to install a WordPress plugin.

Step 1: Go to “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard

Start by going to your admin panel – http://your-domain.com/wp-admin/ and click on “Plugins” in the sidebar menu:

Step 2: Click on “Add New”

You can find the “Add New” button near the top of the page:

Step 3: Find your desired plugin via search box

What you’ll see next is a page that shows you a short list of featured/recommended plugins, and a handy search field on the right – this is the one we’re going to use.

Input the name of the plugin that you want to install in that search field. In my case, I’m going to demonstrate how to install our Revive Old Post plugin:

Now, the great thing here is that you don’t even need to input the plugin’s whole name. For example, I’m just going to use “revive” and press the enter key on my keyboard.

Step 4: Click “Install Now”

Once you see the plugin you’re looking for on the list, all you need to do now is click on the “Install Now” button. When you do that, WordPress is going to fetch the plugin and have it installed on your site.

WAIT! IT’S HOW TO INSTALL A WORDPRESS PLUGIN BUT…

Although we might have the topic stated as How to install a WordPress plugin, at this point, the plugin is installed, but what’s the point of installing a plugin that’s not in use. So before you can start enjoying a plugin, you need to also activate the plugin.

Step 5: Activate the installed plugin

There’s one final step. When the installation is complete, click on the “Activate Plugin” link that has just appeared:

It’s done! The plugin has been activated, and WordPress will let you know about this fact through a small note at the top of the page:

How to Install a WordPress Plugin: Method 2

This method 2 of how to install a WordPress plugin will mostly apply to premium plugins. This is because premium plugins are mostly downloaded from a third party site or the plugin author’s site which we are not able to install from the WordPress plugin directory, except if there is a free version to start with.

Let’s get to work!

Step 1: Get the plugin archive (usually a zip file)

The first thing you need to do is somehow obtain the plugin itself. This step you need to handle on your own. Most commonly, this involves going to a marketplace or a plugin store, and buying a copy of the plugin from there.

In some purchases, you may have to unzip find the exact file as most premium plugins comes with other files other than the needed file to upload. See instructions on how to find exact file here.

Long story short, as a result of your purchase you should have the installable plugin file saved as a ZIP archive. Like so:

I for example, have a Yoast plugin to experiment with here.

Step 2: Go to “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard

Once you have your ZIP file, go back to your WordPress wp-admin panel, click on “Plugins” in the sidebar menu, and then on the “Add New” button:

Step 3: Upload your plugin archive

From there, click on the “Upload Plugin” button beside Add Plugins at the top:

On the next screen, you will be able to upload your plugin’s ZIP file straight to your WordPress. Just select the ZIP from your desktop and confirm the upload by clicking on “Install Now.”

Step 4: Activate the plugin

When WordPress finishes the plugin installation, you’ll only need to activate the plugin:

After doing so, the plugin features is ready and available for use.

That’s it, we are done! That’s the full process on the two methods discussed in this tutorial on How to install a WordPress plugin.

Disclaimer – WordPress core settings do change from time to time. If this does not achieve its purpose for you at the time using it, please comment below so we can check, assist and update.