Here is the complete beginner’s guide to help you start your blog and see the bottom section to learn how to use WordPress.
All this information is free, feel free to take action and start building something new.
- Part 1: WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: Which Should You Choose?
- Part 2: How to Buy Hosting for Your WordPress Blog
- Part 3: How to Install WordPress on Bluehost
- Part 4: Basic Setup After Installing WordPress
- Part 5: << You are here >>
- Part 6: How to Choose a WordPress Theme
- Part 7: How to Install a WordPress Theme
- Part 8: 14 Tips to Secure Your WordPress Site
- Part 9: Pro Tips to Speed Up WordPress and Reduce Loading Times
We are expanding our WordPress guides , here we will provide you a complete guide to installing WordPress themes . Like WordPress plugin installation , WordPress themes can be installed from the dashboard or through FTP software. We will provide you guides for both methods, before we proceed, I would like you to read the following guide, it will help you get started with WordPress.
Before we proceed with this guide, here are some resources where you can download WordPress themes. While there are many free WordPress themes available, I always make sure to use a premium theme if you want to build a professional blog on WordPress:
- WordPress Official Theme Directory (Free Themes)
- Genesis WordPress Theme (SEO Optimized Theme)
- Astra WordPress Theme (Fast Theme)
- GeneratePress Theme (Popular Theme)
There are many other resources that you can check out in our collection of the Best WordPress Premium Themes Club.
However, you may want to install WordPress locally and test your WP theme before publishing it on your website .
First, when we install WordPress, by default we get the stock WordPress theme, currently Twenty twenty.
You can always search for themes from the WordPress free theme directory using the WP dashboard or you can download any .zip file of the theme and upload it directly using either of the two methods given below.
Method 1: Install plugins using WordPress plugin search
After installing WordPress , the first thing every beginner needs to learn is how to install WordPress plugins. Mastering this skill is key to realizing the full potential of your website.
The easiest way to install a WordPress plugin is to use the plugin search. The only downside to this option is that the plugin must be in the WordPress plugin directory, which is limited to free plugins.
First thing you need to do is visit the Plugins » Add New page within the WordPress admin area .
![How to upload and install a WordPress theme](http://127.0.0.1:86/uploads/image/202503/cb/d13c0d56973fe11d.webp "The "Add New" submenu under "Plugins" in the WordPress admin area")
You can now find plugins to install by typing in the plugin name or the functionality you want.
For example, here we’ll type “WPForms” into the search bar.
Once loaded, you will see a list of items like this:
Since we’re looking for WPForms (the best WordPress contact form plugin), we’ll click on the ‘Install Now’ button next to it.
WordPress will now download and install the plugin for you. Once the installation is complete, you will notice that the Install Now button changes to an Activate button.
Now, please note that a WordPress plugin will only work once you activate it. So, go ahead and click on the Activate button to start using the plugin on your WordPress site.
That’s it! You have successfully installed your first WordPress plugin.
The next step is to configure the plugin settings. Since these settings vary from plugin to plugin, we will not cover them in this article.
Method 2: Use WordPress to manage plugins and upload and install plugins
Paid WordPress plugins are not listed in the WordPress plugin directory and cannot be installed using the first method.
That’s why WordPress comes with an upload method to install these plugins. In this section, we will show you how to install a WordPress plugin using the upload option in the admin area.
First, you need to download the plugin from where you purchased it, it comes as a zip file. Once that’s done, you can navigate to Plugins » Add New from your WordPress admin area.
After that, just click on the ‘Upload Plugin’ button at the top of the page.
This will display the plugin upload form.
Here you need to click on the Choose File button and select the plugin file that you downloaded to your computer earlier.
After selecting the file, go ahead and click on the “Install Now” button.
WordPress will now upload the plugin files from your computer and install it for you. Once the installation is complete, you will see a success message like below.
Then, all that’s left to do is click on the ‘Activate Plugin’ button to start using the plugin.
The next step is to configure the plugin’s settings to suit your needs. Again, since these settings vary with each plugin, we won’t cover that in this article.
Method 3: Manually Install WordPress Plugins Using FTP
In rare cases, your WordPress hosting provider may have file restrictions that limit your ability to install plugins from the admin area.
In this case, your best bet is to install the plugin manually using FTP. However, the FTP manager method is the least friendly option for beginners.
Before we get started, you need to download the plugin's zip file and extract it to your computer.
Unzipping the plugin zip file will create a new folder with the same name. You will need to manually install the WordPress plugin into this folder using an FTP client .
Now, let’s make sure you can access your host through the FTP manager. If you don’t have your FTP username and password, then you may need to contact your WordPress hosting provider and ask them.
Once you have the extracted zip folder and your FTP login details ready, you can open your FTP client on your computer.
The first thing you must do is connect to your website using the FTP login credentials provided by your web host. Once connected, you can go to the "/wp-content/plugins/" folder on your website.
From here, simply upload the folder you extracted from the zip file to the "/wp-content/plugins/" folder on your web server.
For more information, see our guide on how to upload files to WordPress using FTP .
After uploading the file, you need to visit the WordPress admin area and click on the ‘Plugins’ menu item.
You should see that your plugin has been successfully installed on the Plugins page. To start using the plugin, go ahead and click on the ‘Activate’ link in its section.
After activation, you may need to configure the plugin settings. WordPress plugins have their own settings, which vary from plugin to plugin, so we won’t go into them here.
FAQs about installing WordPress plugins
As a beginner, you may have some questions about installing WordPress plugins. As the largest WordPress resource site, we hear these questions a lot.
In this section, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about installing WordPress plugins.
1. How do I find the best WordPress plugin to install on my website?
There are over 59,000 WordPress plugins in the free WordPress plugin directory alone, with many more available as premium plugins. This can make it a bit difficult to find the best plugin for the functionality you need.
We have compiled a list of all the essential WordPress plugins that most WordPress websites need .
We also have a detailed tutorial on choosing the best WordPress plugins that shows you what to look for when researching plugins.
2. What is the difference between installed plugins and activated plugins?
WordPress allows you to install a plugin but not use it at all. To use a plugin on your website, you need to “activate” it.
You can view active plugins by visiting the Plugins page in your WordPress admin area. These plugins will be highlighted with a blue background.
Additionally, you may see an “Upgrade to Pro” label or something similar. This tells you that you may want to check out the premium version of that plugin.
The plugin with the white background is installed on your website but not active.
3. Should I delete inactive plugins?
If you don’t use a plugin, we recommend that you remove it from your website. For more information on this topic, you can read our article “ Why you should delete inactive plugins in WordPress ”.
4. How many plugins can I install in WordPress?
You can install as many WordPress plugins as you want. It’s not the number of plugins that affects your site’s speed, but the quality of them. For more information, feel free to check out our article on how many WordPress plugins you should install .
5. How to uninstall a WordPress plugin?
You can uninstall WordPress plugins by visiting the Plugins page in your WordPress admin area.
If the plugin you want to remove is currently active, you will first need to deactivate it. After that, you can simply click on the ‘Remove’ button to remove it from your website.
For more detailed instructions, you may want to check out our guide on how to properly uninstall a WordPress plugin .
Personally, I find the dashboard method to be the best way to get rid of unused themes.
6. Is it safe to use outdated plugins?
Using outdated plugins can expose your website to security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, and performance problems. Keeping all your plugins updated is essential to maintaining a secure and efficient website.
Note: If you are switching from any existing WordPress theme where you are using its SEO features, don’t forget to export and import it into your new theme.
Anyway, I hope this guide on installing a WordPress theme has helped you get further with WordPress. If you have any specific questions related to WordPress, don’t forget to let us know.
Also, we would like to remind WordPress newbies to subscribe to our email newsletter to continue receiving more WordPress related topics.
Here are some carefully selected articles for you to read:
- 12 Best WordPress Plugins for Blogs and Business Websites
- GeneratePress Review: A Fast Loading Multipurpose WordPress Theme
- Free vs. Paid WordPress Themes: Which is Better for Your Business?
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