WordPress is one of the most popular pieces of software used to build a website, and it is estimated that around 25% of all websites on the internet were built using WordPress. One of the main reasons for this is its ability to install individual plugins, adding specific functionality.
Finding and installing a WordPress plugin can all be done from within the WordPress Dashboard and it only takes a minute or two.
- Login to your WordPress admin area. This is generally accessed by going to http://www.mydomain.com/wp-admin (replacing ‘mydomain.com’ with your actual domain name)
- Once logged in, click on Plugins > Add New
- Type in the name of the WordPress plugin or descriptive keyword, author, or tag in Search Plugins box or click a tag link below
- Find the WordPress Plugin you wish to install. Click Details for more information about the Plugin and instructions you may wish to print or save to help setup the Plugin
- Click Install Now to install the WordPress plugin. The resulting installation screen will list the installation as successful or note any problems during the install
- If successful, click Activate Plugin to activate it, or Return to Plugin Installer for further actions
One important thing to remember when dealing with WordPress plugins is that new security updates and fixes are released for each plugin periodically. It is important to ensure your installed plugins are kept up-to-date. Failing to do this may result in a security vulnerability appearing on your website, allowing the website itself to become compromised (“hacked”).