How to Install WordPress: Local Setup and Web Hosting

Creating a WordPress site is relatively simple and quick, even if you know nothing about this world. By following this tutorial you will be able to have your WordPress site up in under 5 minutes!

Two methods are available for creating a WordPress site:

1. Install WordPress locally — only you will be able to see your site, so it will not be connected to the internet until you transfer it to a web host.
2. Install WordPress directly on your web hosting: automatically or manually

Install WordPress locally, quickly and easily

WordPress is written in PHP and relies on a MySQL database, so we will need to install XAMPP on your computer, which includes an Apache server with MySQL and PHP.

1. Go to XAMPP
2. Select your operating system then select version 7.4.
3. Install XAMPP
4. Select the directory you want on your hard drive in the installer

Next you will need Bitnami, an all-in-one tool to install WordPress easily on XAMPP.

Here are the steps:

1. Install Bitnami for WordPress click here
2. Launch the Bitnami installation
3. Choose the directory where XAMPP is located, adding a folder you can name “WordPress” for example.
4. Select the folder you added (WordPress in our example)
5. Continue the installation
6. Choose your WP username and password (don’t forget it)
7. Leave the default settings
8. Enable or disable the cloud (personally disabled)
9. Once complete, if you are not redirected, open a browser and enter the URL http://127.0.0.1:81/
10. Click on “Access WordPress”
11. Add to the right of your browser’s URL bar: /wp-admin (http://127.0.0.1:81/wordpress/wp-admin).
12. Log in with your username and password
13. That’s it — you have your WordPress site running locally!

Unsure whether to use WordPress? Visit our dedicated article!

Install WordPress on a hosting provider

There are 2 different ways you can install WordPress on your hosting. The first method consists of using the “one-click install”. In general, hosting services allow you to create WordPress quickly and easily with the click of a button. Alternatively, it is possible to install WordPress manually on your host.

Install WordPress with “one-click”

There are many possibilities depending on your hosting choice, but it is generally not difficult to find their small button for automatically creating your WordPress site. We will therefore describe the procedure for one of the many possible WordPress hosts, in this case Kinsta:

By the way, you should really read this article to find out why we choose to promote Kinsta: Kinsta, the ultimate WordPress hosting.

1. Go to your Kinsta account then select Sites → Add a site:

2. Select the “Install WordPress” option:

All you have to do is complete the form, adding your domain name, the site name, the site title, etc.
For the location of your data centre, choose the one closest to your users — if it is a site intended for a French audience, choose Belgium.

That’s it! You have installed WordPress on the Kinsta host. If you want to learn more, visit our article on creating a WordPress site.

Every hosting provider is different, but in general the automatic procedure is never difficult. Sometimes a single button after payment is all it takes.
If you are a developer, note that it is possible to create a WordPress site locally with DevKinsta, then migrate it in a few clicks to your Kinsta hosting.

Install WordPress manually on your hosting provider

If you want to install WordPress manually on your hosting, simply go to fr.wordpress.org/ and download the latest version of WordPress. Then follow these steps:

1. Unzip the WordPress file.
2. Create a database on your server (the exact method depends on your hosting provider — do not hesitate to contact them)
3. Connect to your FTP using Filezilla software (your FTP credentials are generally sent by email after payment of your hosting.)
4. Upload all the unzipped WordPress files (excluding the folder itself) to the root of your domain (probably the “www” folder). *Do not include the WordPress files at the root if you want to use WordPress for a subdomain or subdirectory — in that case, add them in a folder with the name you have chosen.
5. Launch the WordPress installation by going to: /yoursite.com/wp-admin/install.php * or /mysite.com/directory-name/wp-admin/install.php
6. Follow the WordPress installation instructions (database name and the name you chose when creating it in step 2). Leave the fields filled in by default.
7. Enter the site title, your username, password, etc. (do not check the search engine visibility option, otherwise you will not be visible on Google).
8. That’s it!

Summary of WordPress installation

As you have seen, whether you are installing WordPress locally or on a hosting provider automatically or manually, it will take no more than 10 minutes. In all cases, it is relatively quick and very easy. If you have any questions or need help anyway, do not hesitate to contact us on Twitter or write a comment!