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How To Install WordPress Plugins – Short Course
When you install WordPress onto your new domain-name, the first thing you will need to do as a beginner is to learn how to install WordPress plugins. In fact, plugins are very important because they allow you to add new features into WordPress like tables, forms, galleries, SEO-tools and a lot more. Additionally, there are many free and paid WordPress plugins on the market and you will just need to search and install any of these plugins in order to achieve whatever you need in WordPress. So, below is a step by step guide that will help to show you how to install a new WordPress plugin;
Method-1: How to install a new plugin using a WordPress plugin search-engine:
- Install WordPress onto your domain-name: the first thing you will need to do is installing WordPress onto your domain in order to gain full-access to a WordPress Dashboard. In fact, if you are using wordpress.com then you won’t be able to install plugins and this implies that you will need to use self-hosted wordpress.org in order to install plugins in case you’re using a free domain from WordPress.
- Locate the plugin search-engine: after installing WordPress onto your domain, you will need to locate the admin-area by simply going to the Dashboard >> Plugins >> Add New and afterwards a new window will show-up with a plugin search-engine as shown in the image below.
- Search for a WordPress-plugin you want to install: after locating the WordPress plugin search-engine, you will now need to type-in the name of the plugin that you’re looking for. For example if I’m looking for table-plugin to install into my WordPress-website, then I will have to type-in “Table” in the plugin search-box and several WordPress table plugin will appear. So, select a preferred table-plugin to install as shown in the illustration below.
- Install and activate the selected plugin: after choosing a preferred table-plugin, you will now need to click on to the “Install Now” button in order to begin the installation-process and afterwards an activation button will appear. So, just click on “Activate” in order to make your installed plugin active or functional. So below are some of the illustrations on how to install and activate your plugin.
Below is an illustration on how to activate your TablePress plugin after installing it onto your WordPress account:
Note: after installing and activating the plugin, a new window will open-up showing all the installed plugins and a new plugin-activation message. In fact, the installed plugin (TablePress) will appear in the Dashboard Menu and in case you don’t find it there then you go-to settings and check for the name of the installed plugin.
Conclusion: Now you will be able to use your installed plugin to create your table by simply clicking on it in the Dashboard-menu as seen in the image below;
Method-2: How to install a plugin using the WordPress “Upload Plugin” button feature:
Some Paid WordPress plugin are not actually listed in the WordPress plugin-directory and can’t be installed using the first method. In fact, this is the reason as to why WordPress features an “Upload Plugin” button in order to install such plugins. So, below are some of the steps that you can follow when installing a plugin using the “Upload Plugin” button in the “Add Plugins” section.
- Download the plugin from its source: in case you already installed and activated a plugin yet it requires an upgraded version in order to perform certain functions, then click on any button that leads you to an upgrade window and follow the procedure that follow afterwards. So, below is an example of a plugin (WPForms-builder) that i already installed and activated but it requires an upgraded version for some features to work. So, I’m going to show several illustrations on how to download the pro-version of the WPForms-plugin.
Below is an illustration of an upgrade window that will appear after clicking on payments;
Or you can also go-to the Dashboard >> WPForms >> Addons and a new will open-up showing different Addons but you will need to upgrade to Pro-version to use them. So, click on the “Upgrade Now” button and you be redirected to new page that will enable you make a purchase for the pro-version of the plugin as shown in the illustrations below.
Below is an illustration of the window that will show-up after clicking on “Upgrade Now” or “Upgrade to Pro”;
Click on “Upgrade Now” and then select a plan in the window that appears as featured in the illustration below.
After selecting a preferred plan, you will be redirected to another window that will enable you to make payments as shown in the illustration below.
So, after clicking on the “Purchase” button, you will be provided with a downloading link that you will have to click in order to begin the plugin download which will be in a zip-file format. Save the plugin anywhere on your computer and then move to the next step.
- Upload your plugin: after downloading your plugin, Go to your Dashboard >> Plugins >> Add New and after click on the “Upload Plugin” button as shown in the illustration below.
Clicking on “Upload Plugin” button will bring-up a plugin upload-page and it from this page that you have to click on the “Choose file” button and afterwards select the plugin-file that downloaded earlier onto your computer as shown in the illustration below;
- Install and activate the plugin: after choosing your plugin-file, click on “Install Now” to begin the installation process and afterwards click on “Activate Plugin” in order to make it functional as shown in the illustrations below.
Below is an illustration of the WPForms-builder being installed and activated in order to enable you start to using its Pro-version.
Note: you will be done with installing your purchased plugin but you may also need to configure certain settings of the plugin in order to achieve optimum performance from it. However, settings vary for each plugin and you just need to read more about a particular plugin in order to configure its settings properly.
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