How to Install WordPress Manually (Step by Step)

Introduction

Installing WordPress manually is useful when you don’t want to use an auto-installer, need to control every step, or your panel’s auto-installer isn’t available. If you’d rather take the quicker route, see installing WordPress with the auto-installer.

The process involves downloading WordPress, creating a database, uploading the files to your hosting, and completing the setup wizard in your browser. If a site already exists on the domain or subdomain where you’re installing WordPress, back it up before replacing any files.

Requirements before installing

You’ll need a domain or subdomain pointing to the hosting, an active SSL certificate if you’ll use HTTPS, access to DirectAdmin or cPanel, a MySQL or MariaDB database, a user with permissions on it, access to the file manager or FTP/SFTP, and a compatible PHP version.

WordPress currently recommends PHP 8.3 or higher, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11 or higher, and HTTPS support. Real compatibility also depends on the plugins and theme you’ll be installing.

Step 1: download WordPress

Download the latest version from the official site: https://wordpress.org/download/. The file arrives as a .zip; once extracted you’ll find the wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes folders, plus index.php and wp-config-sample.php.

Don’t download WordPress from unofficial sites — the package could be modified or contain malicious code.

Step 2: choose the install folder

To install it at https://yourdomain.com, upload the files to the domain’s root folder (public_html or similar, depending on the panel). To install it at https://yourdomain.com/blog, create a blog folder inside the public root. For a subdomain, use the folder assigned to it (see what a subdomain is).

Avoid leaving files from a previous install inside the public folder that could conflict with WordPress.

Step 3: upload the files to your hosting

With the file manager: log in to the panel, go into the destination folder, upload WordPress’s .zip, and extract it, checking that index.php, wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes end up directly in the destination folder. A common mistake is leaving everything inside an extra folder called wordpress, which would make the site open at yourdomain.com/wordpress instead of the main domain.

With FTP or SFTP: connect with your account details, open the domain’s public folder, and upload every file from the package. SFTP is preferable when available since it encrypts the connection.

Step 4: create the database and user

In DirectAdmin: go to MySQL Management, choose Create New Database, create or assign a user, and use a long, unique password.

In cPanel: go to MySQL Databases, create the database, create a user, add it to the database, and grant all privileges.

On many servers, the panel automatically adds the account name as a prefix. Copy the full names, not just the part you typed.

Step 5: prepare wp-config.php

Find wp-config-sample.php, copy it, rename it to wp-config.php, and replace the sample values:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'full_database_name' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'full_database_user' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'secure_password' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

On most hosting DB_HOST is localhost, but not always — if the panel or support tells you a different server, use that value. Don’t change DB_CHARSET or DB_COLLATE unless you have a specific technical reason.

Generate unique security keys from https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/ and replace the sample block with the generated one — these keys help protect sessions and login cookies.

Step 6: open the WordPress installer

Go to the URL where you uploaded the files. If wp-config.php doesn’t exist, WordPress will ask for the database details and try to create it; if it can’t write to the folder, you’ll need to create it manually following the step above.

Step 7: fill in the site’s details

The wizard will ask for the site title (you can change it later), an admin username (avoid predictable names like admin), a long, unique password, an email address you have access to, and search engine visibility (only turn this on if you don’t want the site indexed while it’s under construction).

Click Install WordPress and wait for confirmation. Afterward you can reach the admin area at https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin.

Step 8: initial setup

Go to Settings > General and check the title, timezone, and email; go to Settings > Permalinks and select a suitable structure (see configuring WordPress permalinks); remove any plugins and themes you won’t use; update WordPress, plugins, and the theme; check Tools > Site Health; set up a backup system (see WordPress backup and restore); and confirm the site loads correctly over HTTPS.

Common issues

Error establishing a database connection

Check DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST in wp-config.php, and confirm the user has permissions on the database (see database connection error in WordPress).

A file listing or blank page shows up

Check that index.php is in the correct public folder. There may also be a PHP or server configuration issue.

WordPress opens at /wordpress

The files were extracted inside an extra folder. Move that folder’s contents to the location you want the site served from.

The site works over HTTP but not HTTPS

Check that the SSL certificate is issued and active for the domain, and confirm WordPress’s addresses start with https://.

Security tips

Use different passwords for WordPress, FTP, and the database, don’t share wp-config.php, keep WordPress and its components updated, only install plugins from trusted sources, remove .zip files and temporary copies from the public folder, and enable regular backups, keeping at least one copy off the server.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install WordPress without creating wp-config.php?

Yes. The installer can create it if the folder has write permissions, but you’ll still need the database details.

Can I install WordPress on a subdomain?

Yes. Create the subdomain in the panel first and upload WordPress to its assigned folder.

Is HTTPS mandatory?

It’s the recommended option to protect credentials, forms, and visitor data. Activate the SSL certificate first and use the https:// URL.

What do I do if the installer can’t connect to MySQL?

Check the credentials, the user’s privileges, and the DB_HOST value. If everything looks right, the database server’s status may need to be checked.

Conclusion

To install WordPress manually you need to upload its files, create a database, configure wp-config.php, and complete the setup wizard in your browser.

If you’d rather hand off the install, maintenance, or security of your site, a professional hosting service can help keep it updated, protected, and backed up.