There are multiple ways you can install a plugin. Two of the most common ways are via the WordPress dashboard and via FTP.

Installing a plugin from the WordPress dashboard

Follow these steps to install a plugin from your WordPress dashboard. Make sure you are logged in and have the right capabilities to manage plugins.

  1. Hover over the menu option Plugins, then click on Add New.
  2. Press the Upload Plugin button.
  3. Press Choose File and select the plugin zip file.
  4. Press Open, then press Install Now.
  5. If the load worked press Activate Now.

If the installation did not work or you see an error after pressing Install Now, you may need to get a new zip file from your plugin provider.

Installing a plugin via FTP

Follow these steps to install a plugin via FTP.  To install it via FTP you will need direct access to your web host’s file server. Make sure you have a file transfer program (for example  Filezilla) available, and have the correct rights from your hosting provider.

  1. On your local machine unzip the plugin zip file.
  2. Log in to your site using FTP or SFTP.
  3. Upload the extracted folder to the wp-content/plugins/ directory on your site.
  4. Go to the WordPress Plugins dashboard and Activate the plugin.