3 Different Ways To Install WordPress Plugins

Since Wordpress is based on dynamic CMS(content management system) hence It is empowered with many rich killing features that give you an amazing experience while making and growing your blog, the blow you always wanted to be established. If pre installed features don't match up your standard, plugins are here to help you. you can install the plugins to add extra functionality to your blog. Installing wordPress plugins is one of the thing that every self-hosted blogger should know.

How to install wordpress plugins : Step by step guide

Few of our users requested this tutorial via email, so acknowledging their requests, I am going to show all of you the different ways to install wordpress plugins.

Here I am assuming that you have a WordPress blog up and running. If you are a newbie, read 7 step to create a WordPress blog

Update; There are users that asked us why they don't see plugins option on their wordpress dashboard. It is because they are running their blog on free WordPress.com which has its limitations.  you need to know that Plugins are only for a self-hosted wordpress blog. So in order to use plugins, you would need to use self-hosted WordPress.org.


Free Wordpress.com vs Self-hosted wodpress.org (This turotial will help you indepth knowledge to understand the different between free and self hosted wordpress)

you should check out my article how to migrate from free wordpress.com to Self-hosted wordpress.org.

Some tips when installing new plugins:

Make sure that plugins are from trusted source. Its a good practice to check compatibility score with the WordPress version your blog is running on because many wordpress plugins don't work on wordpress multisites and may have compatibility issues. Always activate your new plugin on a test site to see if it works as expected. Similarly before moving on to a new theme, first check new theme on a test site.

If you are a complete beginner to wordpress, you should be aware of installation of a plugin. this is one of the essential thing for any wordpress blog.

There are three different ways to install a WordPress Plugin, they are -

• Install from WordPress Dashboard (Search and Install)
• Upload and Install (download a , upload and activate from Wordpress dashboard))
• FTP

#1. Install from wordPress Dashboard (Search and Install)

WordPress dashboard is probably one of the easiest way to search, find, install and activate a plugin. If you know the name of the plugin, you can directly search and install it from wordPress dashboard. login to your wordPress dashboard and click on Plugins>Add New

Add and Search a new WordPress plugin in wordpress dashboard

you will see some default plugins like Akismet and Hello Dolly on your freshly installed wordpress blog. akismet protect your site from spam comments. Hello Dolly is just a dummy plugin and you can deactivate and uninstall it any time.

Click on Add New button to add a new plugin. this action will lead you to the next screen as below :

Search result of wordpress plugin

This screen allows you to choose a plugin basis your requirements. type in the plugin name of function, like I did and you’ll get a plugin ready to install.  Now click on Install now to get it installed on your blog. A pop up would appear on screen which ask if you really want to install the plugin

WordPress plugin installation pop-up

Click on OK and wordPress will install the plugin.
Once it is installed you need to activate it to work.

Activating the wordpress plugin

Plugin is successfully installed and activated on your blog.  now you should configure the settings to fit your needs. These configuration setting may vary for each plugin hence I am not covering that in this post.

Always ensure to check compatibility score of the plugin with your WordPress. If a plugin is not compatible with your wordpress, you may have to upgrade to the larest version of WordPress.  If the plugin you're searching for is already installed on your blog, you will get a pop up that says " plugin is already installed"

Installed the plugin? What next?

Its time to configure it. Go to the settings panel of that plugin and configure it to the best optimum way so that you can get best out the box. As a blogger, most of the time, after installing and activating the plugins, we either don't configure the plugin or mis-configure it, which is one of a common mistakes most of the bloggers do.
Always read documentation before installing a neq WP plugin.

#2. Upload and Install

I still remember when I purchased a plugin and got a .zip file but i wasnt aware how to install it on my blog, I know how bad it feels when you paid for something and you are not able to use it, hence I did some research and found a way out.

Always download a plugin from a trusted source else plugin may harm you in several ways. Wordpress.org is a well known trusted source to download paid of free plugins as well as themes. Plugin will be in a  .zip  file format. Once you have downloaded, you need to upload and then activate it. To upload, go to WP dashboard>Plugins>Add New. There is an option called upload. Click on upload, browse the location where you downloaded the plugin(.zip file), select the plugin and then OK.
Now hit Install Now.

WordPress plugin uploaded

Please remember, at this point of time, WordPress only accepts .zip file format for themes and plugins that can be uploaded. You can download plugins from various sites. Since You will download plugins and themes from third party sites, there might chances you may come across with corrupted or invalid plugins or themes, so don't be a fool if you get a theme or plugin other than a .zip file format.

#3. FTP Method to install WP plugin

Once I encountered an error when trying to install a plugin from my WP dashboard. It was so annoying for me b'coz I was not able to install a plugin. The steps I am about to list down helped me to get rid of. Lets have a look.

This is an another way to install WP Plugin when you don't find any of the above explained methods (search and install from WP dashboard  & upload and install )

Download a plugin from WordPress.org, you will get a    .zip file. Extract/unzip it. To upload this, you need to have a FTP software like filezilla or you can so the same from CPanel. Normally all the plugins are located under wp-content/plugins. Once you have uploaded it, go to WP dashboard>plugins. You will see the plugin you just uploaded. Click on activate it and bingo, you have successfully activated the plugin via FTP method.

This method is useful when you don't have access to install plugins and themes from WP dashboard due to server restrictions.

Personally I prefer to install plugins using WP dashboard but this FTP method is useful to those who don't have access to WP dashboard to install plugins and themes. its an easy task to manage WordPress plugin, you just need to go to plugin tab on your WP dashboard and you will see the plugin you just uploaded via FTP way. you can activate and deactivate the plugin from here. Sometimes, installed plugin(FTP method) can stop you to access WP dashboard. In this situation log in to your FTP account, go to plugin directory and disable that plugin( by renaming it or deleting it) causing your wordpress dashboard to start.

If you are completely new to WordPress and planning to start a blog on WordPress,  you should head on to an exlusive step by step wordPress Guide for aspiring bloggers who want to make money.

To start with WordPress guide, you need a webhosting where you can run your blog. Bluehost is one of the best and reliable hosting provider. It is a value for money.

I prefer to use dashboard search and install method as it is easy and you don't require any technical skill however installing plugins from a third party sites is almost identical but  only in some case I use FTP method.

Hope this post will help to expand your horizon by making you familiar about WordPress plugins. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me via comments. Don't forget to subscribe to out Email Newsletter to keep you updated.

Also Read : How to install a WordPress theme