# How to Install WordPress (Step by Step, 2026)

- Link: https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/
- Published: 2026-10-19T22:39:25+03:00
- Author: eJohnny

WordPress powers roughly 43% of all websites on the internet. If you want to start
a blog, build a business site, or launch an online store, there is a very good chance
WordPress is the tool you will end up using. The good news: installing it takes 
about five minutes once you know the steps.

[Need professional WordPress development? Visit idh.ro →](https://idh.ro/en)

This guide walks you through every way to install WordPress in 2026:

 * **Method 1:** One-click install (cPanel / Softaculous) — the fastest, used by
   most beginners.
 * **Method 2:** Manual install — download WordPress, create a database, upload 
   files, run the wizard. Full screenshots included.
 * **Method 3:** Local install — for development on your own computer (LocalWP, 
   XAMPP, or PHP’s built-in server).
 * **Method 4:** VPS / command line — for servers you manage yourself (WP-CLI).

**Note on the screenshots:** Every screenshot in the manual section was captured
during a real WordPress installation performed inside a local, temporary environment(
PHP built-in server + MariaDB). The interface is identical to what you will see 
on a live web server — the steps, field names, and screens do not change. Only the
hosting panel around them differs.

## Before you start: what you need

Regardless of the method, a WordPress installation needs four things:

 1. **A domain name** — e.g. `example.com`. You can buy one from any registrar (Namecheap,
    Cloudflare, your host).
 2. **Web hosting** — a server that runs PHP and MySQL/MariaDB. Minimum requirements
    for WordPress 6.x: PHP 8.1 or newer, MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.6+, HTTPS support.
 3. **FTP/SFTP or a file manager** — to upload files (only needed for the manual method).
 4. **About 10 minutes** — less if you use the one-click method.

If you do not have hosting yet, most providers (Hostinger, SiteGround, Bluehost,
Kinsta) install WordPress for you automatically during signup. That is effectively
Method 1 with zero extra steps.

## Method 1: One-click install (cPanel / Softaculous)

This is the method 90% of beginners use. Your host provides a control panel (usually
cPanel) with an installer (Softaculous, Installatron, or a custom “WordPress” button).
It creates the database, uploads the files, and runs the wizard for you.

 1. Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel).
 2. Find the **WordPress** or **Softaculous Apps Installer** icon.
 3. Click **Install** next to WordPress.
 4. Fill in the form:
 5.  * **Choose protocol:** `https://` (always use HTTPS if you have an SSL certificate—
       most hosts provide a free one).
     * **Choose domain:** select your domain from the dropdown.
     * **In Directory:** leave blank to install at the root (`example.com/`). Enter
       a folder name (e.g. `blog`) to install in a subdirectory (`example.com/blog/`).
     * **Site Name / Site Description:** your site title and tagline. You can change
       these later.
     * **Admin Username:** do _not_ use “admin” — pick something unique. This reduces
       brute-force attacks.
     * **Admin Password:** use the generator; store it in a password manager.
     * **Admin Email:** a real address you check.
     * **Language:** your preferred language.
     * **Select Theme:** leave the default (Twenty Twenty-Five) or pick one. You can
       change it later.
 6. Click **Install**. Wait 30–60 seconds.
 7. You will see a success message with your site URL and admin login URL (`example.
    com/wp-admin/`).

**Pros:** fastest, no technical knowledge needed, host handles updates to the installer.

**Cons:** you depend on the host’s installer version; some hosts add promotional
plugins you will want to remove.

## Method 2: Manual install (full walkthrough with screenshots)

The manual method is what every “how to install WordPress” tutorial is really about.
It is the same process the one-click installer runs behind the scenes. Doing it 
once teaches you how WordPress is wired together — which helps enormously when something
breaks later.

### Step 1 — Download WordPress

Go to [wordpress.org/download](https://wordpress.org/download/) and download the
latest `.zip` (or `.tar.gz`). As of this writing, WordPress 7.1.x is current. Always
download from the official site — never from third-party mirrors.

Unzip the archive on your computer. You will get a folder named `wordpress/` containing
files like `wp-config-sample.php`, `wp-admin/`, `wp-content/`, and `wp-includes/`.

### Step 2 — Create a database

WordPress needs a MySQL or MariaDB database. Create one in your hosting control 
panel:

 1. In cPanel, open **MySQL Databases** (or **MySQL Database Wizard**).
 2. Create a database — e.g. `youruser_wordpress`. Note the full name (it usually includes
    your account prefix).
 3. Create a database user — e.g. `youruser_wpuser` — with a strong password.
 4. Add the user to the database with **All Privileges**.
 5. Write down: database name, username, password, host (usually `localhost`).

If your host uses a remote database server, the host will be something like `db123.
hostingprovider.com` instead of `localhost`. Check your host’s documentation.

### Step 3 — Upload the files

Upload the contents of the `wordpress/` folder (not the folder itself) to your web
root:

 * **cPanel File Manager:** upload the zip, then extract it in `public_html/`. Move
   the files out of the `wordpress/` subfolder into `public_html/`.
 * **FTP/SFTP:** connect with FileZilla (or similar), navigate to `public_html/`(
   or `www/`), upload all files.
 * **SSH:** `scp wordpress.zip user@host:~/public_html/` then unzip on the server.

After upload, `public_html/` should contain `index.php`, `wp-config-sample.php`,`
wp-admin/`, etc.

### Step 4 — Run the install wizard

Open your browser and go to `https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/install.php`. You will
be walked through the wizard. Here is every screen you will see, with screenshots
from a real installation:

**Screen 1 — Language selection.** Pick your language and click Continue.

![WordPress installation wizard language selection screen](https://i0.wp.com/dev.
ejohnny.ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-01-language-2026-10-19T18-53-30-
841.jpg?ssl=1)

Step 1 — Choose your language and click Continue.

**Screen 2 — “Before getting started.”** WordPress explains what it needs (database
name, username, password, host, table prefix) and offers to create `wp-config.php`
for you. Click “Let’s go!”.

![WordPress setup configuration before getting started screen](https://i0.wp.com/
dev.ejohnny.ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-02-before-start-2026-10-19T18-
53-35-429.jpg?ssl=1)

Step 2 — WordPress lists the database details it needs before continuing.

**Screen 3 — Database connection.** Enter the database details you wrote down in
Step 2. Leave “Database Host” as `localhost` unless your host told you otherwise.
Leave “Table Prefix” as `wp_` unless you want to run multiple WordPress sites in
one database (then use something like `site2_`). Click Submit.

![WordPress database connection configuration form](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.
ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-03-db-config-2026-10-19T18-53-40-011.jpg?
ssl=1)

Step 3 — Enter database name, username, password, host, and table prefix.

**Screen 4 — Successful database connection.** WordPress confirms it can talk to
your database. Click “Run the installation”.

![WordPress successful database connection confirmation](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.
ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-04-db-success-2026-10-19T18-53-49-447.jpg?
ssl=1)

Step 4 — WordPress confirms it can communicate with the database.

**Screen 5 — Site information.** Enter your site title, admin username (avoid “admin”),
a strong password, your email, and whether to discourage search engines from indexing
the site (check this only if the site is not ready for the public). Click “Install
WordPress”.

![WordPress site information form during installation](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.
ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-05-site-info-2026-10-19T18-54-01-147.jpg?
ssl=1)

Step 5 — Set site title, admin username, password, email, and search engine visibility.

**Screen 6 — Success!** WordPress confirms the installation. Click “Log In”.

![WordPress installation success screen](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.ro/wp-content/
uploads/2026/10/wp-install-06-success-2026-10-19T18-54-13-776.jpg?ssl=1)

Step 6 — Installation complete. Click Log In.

**Screen 7 — Login.** Enter the username and password you just created.

![WordPress admin login screen](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.ro/wp-content/uploads/
2026/10/wp-install-07-login-2026-10-19T18-54-19-089.jpg?ssl=1)

Step 7 — Log in with the credentials you created.

**Screen 8 — Dashboard.** You are in. WordPress is installed and ready.

![WordPress dashboard after successful installation](https://i0.wp.com/dev.ejohnny.
ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wp-install-08-dashboard-2026-10-19T18-54-41-227.jpg?
ssl=1)

Step 8 — The WordPress dashboard. Your site is live and ready.

### Step 5 — Log in and verify

After installation, your admin dashboard is at `https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/`.
Log in with the credentials from Screen 5. You should see the Dashboard with a “
Hello world!” post and a sample comment — those are safe to delete.

## Method 3: Local install (for development)

If you want to build or test a site on your own computer before going live, install
WordPress locally. Three common options:

### Option A — LocalWP (easiest)

[LocalWP](https://localwp.com/) is a free desktop app (Windows/macOS/Linux) that
spins up a complete WordPress environment (PHP, MySQL, web server) with one click.
Create a site, and it gives you a local URL like `mysite.local`. Best for beginners
and designers.

### Option B — XAMPP / MAMP / WAMP

These bundles install Apache + PHP + MySQL on your computer. Download XAMPP, start
Apache and MySQL, drop WordPress into `htdocs/`, and run the same wizard as Method
2. More manual, but you learn the stack.

### Option C — PHP built-in server (developers)

If you already have PHP and MySQL/MariaDB installed, you can run WordPress without
Apache or nginx:

    ```
    cd /path/to/wordpress
    php -S 0.0.0.0:8080
    ```

Then visit `http://localhost:8080` and run the wizard. This is exactly how the screenshots
in this guide were produced. It is not for production — only for local development
and testing.

## Method 4: VPS / command line (WP-CLI)

If you manage your own server (DigitalOcean, Linode, Hetzner, etc.), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/)
installs WordPress in one command. Assuming you have PHP, MySQL, and a web server
already configured:

    ```
    # Download WordPress
    wp core download --path=/var/www/html

    # Create the database (run in MySQL)
    mysql -u root -p -e "CREATE DATABASE wordpress; CREATE USER 'wpuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword'; GRANT ALL ON wordpress.* TO 'wpuser'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

    # Generate wp-config.php
    cd /var/www/html
    wp config create --dbname=wordpress --dbuser=wpuser --dbpass=strongpassword --dbhost=localhost

    # Run the install
    wp core install --url="https://example.com" --title="My Site" --admin_user="admin" --admin_password="strongpassword" --admin_email="you@example.com"
    ```

WP-CLI is the fastest method for developers and is ideal for scripting repeatable
deployments. It is also how many hosting providers automate their one-click installers.

## Post-install checklist (do these before you publish)

 1.  **Set permalinks:** Settings → Permalinks → choose “Post name” → Save. This gives
     clean URLs like `/my-post/` instead of `/?p=123`.
 2.  **Enable HTTPS:** install an SSL certificate (most hosts offer a free Let’s Encrypt
     certificate) and force HTTPS in Settings → General (change both URLs to `https://`).
     Add a redirect from HTTP to HTTPS.
 3.  **Delete defaults:** remove the “Hello world!” post, the “Sample Page”, and the
     default comment. Remove unused themes and plugins.
 4.  **Update everything:** Dashboard → Updates. Update WordPress core, themes, and
     plugins to the latest versions.
 5.  **Set a strong admin password** and enable two-factor authentication (use a plugin
     like WP 2FA or your host’s 2FA).
 6.  **Configure backups:** install a backup plugin (UpdraftPlus, BackWPup) or use 
     your host’s backup feature. Test a restore.
 7.  **Set your timezone and date format:** Settings → General.
 8.  **Configure reading settings:** Settings → Reading → choose “A static page” if
     you want a homepage, or leave “Your latest posts”.
 9.  **Install an SEO plugin:** Yoast SEO or Rank Math. Set your site title and meta
     description.
 10. **Disable file editing:** add `define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);` to `wp-config.
     php` to prevent editing theme/plugin files from the dashboard.

## Common errors and how to fix them

 * **“Error establishing a database connection”:** your `wp-config.php` database
   name, username, password, or host is wrong. Double-check them. Also verify the
   database user has privileges.
 * **“403 Forbidden” or blank page:** file permissions. Folders should be 755, files
   644. `wp-config.php` should be 600 or 640.
 * **White screen of death:** usually a PHP error. Enable debugging by adding `define('
   WP_DEBUG', true);` to `wp-config.php` and check the error log.
 * **“Installation already complete” / redirect loop:** `wp-config.php` exists but
   the database is empty. Delete `wp-config.php` and re-run the wizard, or check
   that the database has tables.
 * **Memory limit errors:** add `define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');` to `wp-config.
   php`.
 * **Upload size too small:** increase `upload_max_filesize` and `post_max_size`
   in `php.ini`, or ask your host.

## Frequently asked questions

**How long does it take to install WordPress?**
 One-click: 1–2 minutes. Manual:
10–15 minutes. VPS with WP-CLI: 2–3 minutes after server setup.

**Is WordPress free?**
 Yes. WordPress software is free and open source (GPL). You
pay for hosting and a domain name, not for WordPress itself.

**WordPress.org vs WordPress.com — what is the difference?**
 WordPress.org is the
self-hosted software (what this guide installs). You own everything and control 
all settings. WordPress.com is a hosted service run by Automattic — easier to start,
but limited unless you pay for higher tiers. For full control, use WordPress.org(
self-hosted).

**Can I install WordPress on a subdomain or subfolder?**
 Yes. Install in a subfolder(
e.g. `example.com/blog/`) or point a subdomain (`blog.example.com`) at a separate
directory and install there.

**Do I need to know how to code?**
 No. The install wizard is point-and-click. You
only need code if you want to customize themes or plugins beyond what the dashboard
offers.

**What if my host does not support WordPress?**
 Almost every host supports it. 
The requirements are PHP 8.1+ and MySQL 8.0+/MariaDB 10.6+. If your host lacks these,
switch hosts — do not downgrade WordPress to match old software.

## Conclusion

Installing WordPress is a five-minute job once you understand the steps: get hosting
and a domain, create a database, upload the files, run the wizard, and log in. The
one-click method is fastest for beginners; the manual method teaches you how WordPress
is wired; the local and WP-CLI methods are for developers. Whichever path you choose,
complete the post-install checklist before you publish — permalinks, HTTPS, updates,
backups, and security settings matter more than the install itself.

If you get stuck, the WordPress community is large and helpful: the official support
forums, the [developer documentation](https://developer.wordpress.org/), and countless
tutorials cover every edge case. Happy publishing.

[Looking for expert WordPress development? Check out idh.ro →](https://idh.ro/en)

### Share this:

 * [  X ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=twitter)
 * [  Facebook ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=facebook)
 * [More](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/#)

 * [  LinkedIn ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=linkedin)
 * [  Reddit ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=reddit)
 * [  Tumblr ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=tumblr)
 * [  Pinterest ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=pinterest)
 * [  Telegram ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=telegram)
 * [  WhatsApp ](https://dev.ejohnny.ro/how-to-install-wordpress-step-by-step/?share=jetpack-whatsapp)