There are pretty much two ways to install a WordPress plugin: by uploading the file through the auto plugin installer built right into WordPress via the Dashboard OR by manually installing it yourself in the plugins folder inside of your WordPress installation via FTP.

As always, prior to making any changes to your site, we do recommend that you perform a complete backup your site before proceeding. Check out our Make a cPanel Backup and Backup Your VPS or Dedicated Server articles for help.

Install

Install a WordPress Plugin Automatically through WordPress

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel (log into WordPress and navigate to your Dashboard as the main user)

2. Navigate to the Plugins in the left-hand side menu, then click Add New

3. Search for the name of the WordPress plugin or a descriptive keyword, author or tag in the search form

4. Find the plugin you want to install

5. Click Details to see more information about the plugin and instructions you may wish to print or save to help you set up the plugin later

6. Click Install now to start the install; a popup window will ask you to confirm your wish to install the plugin - so please do!
   
   If this is the first time you've installed a WordPress plugin, you may need to enter the FTP login credential information. If you've installed a plugin before, the login information will already be stored. This information is available through your web server host.

7. Enter the FTP login info if applicable

8. Click Proceed to continue with the installation; the resulting installation screen will list the installation as successful or note any problems during the install

9. If successful, click Activate Plugin to activate it, or Return to Plugin Installer for further actions
   Note: some WordPress plugins require further steps for customization. The Details readme file should contain step-by-step instructions. After installation, this information is available on the plugins panel for each plugin.

Install a WordPress Plugin Manually via FTP

Manual installation of a WordPress plugin requires FTP familiarity and the awareness that you may put your site at risk if you install a WordPress plugin that is incompatible with the current version or from an unreliable source.

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel (log into WordPress and navigate to your Dashboard as the main user)

2. Navigate to the Plugins in the left-hand side menu, then click Add New

3. Search for the name of the WordPress plugin or a descriptive keyword, author or tag in the search form

4. Find the plugin you want to install

5. Click Details to see more information about the plugin and instructions you may wish to print or save to help you set up the plugin later

6. Download your WordPress plugin to your desktop

7. If downloaded as a zip archive, extract the plugin folder to your desktop
   Note: this is very important as files must be extracted in order to be uploaded properly to the wp-content/plugins folder.

8. Read through the Details readme file thoroughly to ensure you follow the installation instructions

9. With your FTP program, upload the plugin folder to the wp-content/plugins folder in your WordPress directory

10. Navigate to Plugins and find the newly uploaded plugin in the list

11. Click Activate Plugin to activate it

As always, be sure to check the readme file for customization instructions and further information.

Uninstall

Uninstall a WordPress Plugin

To deactivate a plugin without permanently deleting it:

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel (log into WordPress and navigate to your Dashboard as the main user)

2. Navigate to the Plugins in the left-hand side menu

3. Find the plugin you wish to deactivate and uninstall

4. Click Deactivate

The plugin will initiate the deactivation on its own.

Most WordPress plugins have an option to completely uninstall themselves, though not all of them have this option.

Remove a WordPress Plugin Permanently

Be aware that the installation and removal of plugins can alter your WordPress installation as they can modify the code in your theme or your overall Wordpress installation.

To remove a WordPress plugin:

1. Check the instructions in the readme file of the plugin to learn how to properly uninstall the plugin

2. If the WordPress plugin installation required the addition of code to the WordPress theme, manually edit the theme files to remove it

3. Log in to the site via your FTP program

4. Go to the plugin directory and find where the plugin is installed

5. Delete the WordPress plugin folder and/or files from your server

Tips for Removing Plugins

To help minimize unwanted changes to your site while removing plugins, check out our tips:

• Upgrading WordPress may make changes to the code which could conflict with your WordPress theme modifications. Use a child theme or manually check the plugin's code to ensure it is still active.

• If you change themes, your changes will not automatically carry over to the new theme. You will need to copy or add them manually to the new WordPress theme (even if you use a child theme since it is not associated with the new theme).

• Updates to the WordPress theme may remove the plugin modification code. Use a child theme or make notes to remind yourself to re-add the plugin code to the updated theme.

See also Create a New Page in WordPress, Install a WordPress Theme, Install WordPress with Softaculous, Move Your WordPress Site to A Small Orange, Manage Your Widgets in WordPress
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