How to Install Plugins in WordPress site – Multiple ways described with Pictures for beginners

Last Updated: November 3, 2018

WordPress is a complete CMS loved by millions of user worldwide. For WordPress users it is necessary that they should know how to work with plugins. In this tutorial I will explain you everything about plugins like – What are plugins, How to Install Plugins, How to download plugins and more.

What are Plugins

Plugins are a piece of software that expands the functionality of a WordPress website. For example WooCommece Plugin adds eCommerce features in your WordPress website, allowing it to list and sell unlimited products.

In the same way Easy Media WordPress Plugin can create Image-Video Gallery in your WordPress Website.

There are millions of WordPress Plugins which provide different functions like SEO, Slider, Animation, eCommerce, Optimization, Marketing and more. They allow you to make any sort of website by easily adding any functionality you want.

Install Plugins

Plugin Installation in your WordPress website can be done very easily by any of the following 3 ways –

Search and Install Plugins.
Download Plugins then Upload and Install.
Upload Plugins from FTP and Install.

Let’s talk about each of them in details.

Search and Install Plugins

WordPress provide a quick easy way to Search and Install Plugins from the dashboard itself. Go to Plugins > Add New section, then enter the name of the plugin in the search box, and click the enter button of your keyboard.

You will see the Plugin in the search result below, click the Install Now button against any of them to start the installation. The plugin will be installed in a few seconds time and you will be asked to Activate Plugin. So click the Activate Plugin link so that you can start using the plugin.

In the below pictures, it is shown how to install WooCommerce plugin by searching it in the search box and then clicking the ‘Install Now’ button.

Tip: Before installing a new plugin always check whether it is compatible with your version of WordPress or not. Also check its Ratings, a plugin with 3 stars of more is considered to be a good one. Clicking the More Details link provides good information about the plugins.

Download Plugins Upload and Install

Some premium plugins do not show up in the WordPress Search Plugin area. Therefore you have to download these plugins (in zip file) from their developer’s website. Then you have to upload these plugins to your WordPress website from WordPress Dashboard.

Steps to perform in this case are:

First Download the Plugin (from the developer’s website).
Go to Plugins > Add New in dashboard, and click the Upload Plugin Button.
Click the Browse button and select the plugin zip file.
Then finally click the Install Now button.

Note that when uploading plugins, WordPress only allows zip format.

A very popular premium plugin is Slider Revolution which can be downloaded in zip file. Then it needs to be uploaded and installed.

Upload Plugins from FTP and Install

You can even use FTP to upload the plugin in your WordPress Website and then activate it from Installed Plugins section of the dashboard. You will need an FTP account for your website, which can be created from the FTP area in your hosting account.

You can use a free FTP Client Software like FileZilla to upload the plugin. Note that in this method you have to first extract the plugin zip file, which will create a plugin folder with all files in it, and then upload this folder to wp-content/plugins directory of your website.

After the plugin is uploaded you can go to Plugins > Installed Plugins section in your WordPress dashboard and activate this plugin.

Update Plugins

Plugins are software and like any other software, it becomes necessary to keep them updated. Periodically plugin developers release updates of their plugins which provides new features and fix bugs.

These bugs can cause damage to your website by preventing certain features from working. They can also cause security issues.

WordPress has provided one click plugin update solution so that you can update them easily. Go to plugins page in dashboard and the plugins which have new versions will ask you to updates them. Simply click the Update Now link under them to update them to their latest version.

Free Plugins

WordPress is the best CMS from which any type of website can be built. There are millions of free plugins for WordPress which you can use in your website. You can get them from the plugin search area in your dashboard or you can download them from the WordPress site itself – https://wordpress.org/plugins/.

Now you can continue to explore more new plugins. If you face any issues while installing a WordPress plugin? Do let us know in the comments section below.