If you just bought a domain and hosting from any WordPress hosting company and installed WordPress. Then you are probably looking to install a WordPress plugin for your site.
One of the best benefits of WordPress is its plugins. The plugin gives maximum flexibility to your websites and it is an important thing why WordPress is the popular CMS in the World.
Thanks to the developers of over 55K plugins in the WordPress directory.
It has a combination of both free and premium plugins. But the majority of the plugins are free to use.
Self-hosted wordpress is the best to use. If you are using WordPress.com, then you can’t install the plugins.
Read the difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org.
Probably, if you are looking for plugins options on your WordPress dashboard and can’t able to find them. Then you are using WordPress.com, which is free for users.
On WordPress.com, you should need to upgrade your plan to install a plugin.
If you are having a tight budget for buying hosting for wordpress.org, then check out free hosting providers.
Okay, if you are ready on your WordPress dashboard, then take a look at how to install a plugin on WordPress.
- Also Read: How to install WordPress themes
Table of Contents
How to install a WordPress Plugin
To install a plugin on wordpress, you have generally two easy methods for beginners. The first method is for installing a plugin available in the WordPress directory.
In other conditions, some premium plugins will not be available on the WordPress plugins directory. In that method, you have to upload it manually.
Lets get started with first method to install a plugin
Method 1: How to install a WordPress plugin
First get into your WordPress dashboard
On the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins and click Add new
WordPress dashboard >> Plugins >> Add New
Initially, you will see some of the popular plugins on WordPress on that page.
You should use the search plugins option in the top right corner to search for the plugins you need.
Type your plugin keyword to search your plugin. For example, I’m searching for Beaver Builder. It shows dozens of plugins related to the keyword or name you have types.
It is shown the plugin I’m looking for. So I’m clicking the Install Now button to install it.
Once you installed it, you should click the Activate button to activate the plugin. Now the plugin installed and activated.
After the plugin gets activated, it works based on its functionality. You can also find that plugin on the dashboard.
Method 2: How to upload and install a WordPress plugin manually
This is another method of installing a plugin on the WordPress dashboard. Most times, the premium plugins are not available on the WordPress plugins directory.
So you have to download it from the official plugin site and upload it to your website manually.
Okay, let’s look at how to manually upload a WordPress plugin
Navigate to the Add New Plugin option, you will find an upload plugin.
WordPress dashboard >> Plugins >> Add New >> Upload Plugin
By clicking the upload now button, you can upload the plugin that you have already downloaded from the other websites.
Click choose file button to upload your plugin file. Once the plugin is uploaded, you will be shown up with Activate Plugin button. By clicking it your plugin is activated.
Then you can configure your plugin setting from your dashboard. These are the commonly used methods to install a WordPress plugin for beginners.
You can also install a plugin by accessing “/wp-content/plugins/” on your WordPress core files.
But this method is not beginner-friendly and not advisable for beginners. It’s because accessing your core files, without any technical knowledge will completely corrupt to website.
So follow the above-mentioned two methods to install the plugin to WordPress.
If you are just started your website on WordPress, then look out for some essential plugins for better productivity of your website.
- Yoast SEO – For SEO purposes
- ShortPixel -Image Optimisation
- Hello Bar – Lead generation
- Push engage – For Push notifications
- JetPack – Multipurpose plugin
- Updraft Plus – Backup plugin
- Social Snap – Social Share plugin
- Pretty Links – Affiliate link management plugin
- Perfmatters – Speed optimization
- Malcare – Security plugin
- Elementor – Landing page builder
- WP Advanced Ads – Ads management plugin
These above-mentioned WordPress plugins are some of the important plugins for everyone who wants to make their website a complete business.
You can also lookout for the best blogging tools, I use and recommended for every professional blogger to make money in this online world.
Read – Best SEO-friendly WordPress themes
FAQ on Installing a WordPress website
Generally, there is no limit on installing a plugin on your WordPress. Having a limited and healthy amount of plugins is much better. A higher number of plugins may also reduce your website speed. If you have hosted your site on SSD hosting, then having 30 to 40 plugins also doesn’t affect you much.
With over 50,000 plugins in the directory, you should be very picky when choosing it. For every functionality, you will have dozens of plugins that offer the same features. But choosing a better plugin is a must. Choose the plugin with more downloads and read the user review. Select the plugin from popular developers. Low-quality plugins will make your site slower, because of their poor coding.
Under the plugins in your WordPress dashboard, you will find the list of plugins installed and activated. If the plugin is installed, then you have to deactivate it first and then need to delete it. If you don’t want to delete it, you can only deactivate and use it for later purposes. Better you can delete the unused plugins, which is recommended.
After installing your plugin, you should need to activate it to use. Under the plugins in WordPress, you can find the active and inactive plugins.
The plugin names with white backgrounds are installed, but not active. The plugins with light blue colors are installed and active.
Conclusion
I hope this blog answers all your questions related to how to install a plugin on WordPress. If you find this article useful kindly share it.
If you have any questions related to installing a wordpress plugin, comment below. I’m ready to answer your question.
