How To Install and Uninstall WordPress Plugins For Beginners Comprehensive Guide

If you just finished setting up a self-hosted WordPress blog, Congratulations btw! Or already had one. And you’re looking to learn how to install WordPress plugins or uninstall them properly, even those that won’t delete easily, then this post can help.

We’ll look at the various simple ways of installing WordPress plugins from the Dashboard, the cPanel, and manually using an FTP client.

And, on top of that, we shall also look at how you can uninstall them from the dashboard, even if a WordPress plugin won’t delete. 🙂

Read the 10 types of WordPress plugins to install in your newly created WordPress blog if you don’t know them already.

And so, with no further delays, let’s get started!

Shall we?

But first,…

 

What Are WordPress Plugins?

WordPress plugins are small integrable utility apps that add new features and extend the functionality of your WordPress website/s.

Mostly from upcoming and established expert developers, featuring both Free and Paid options, you get over 54k plugins in the WordPress directory to extend your WordPress experience.

And this not talking of the thousands already available, for free or selling from third-party websites and individual internet marketers.

What’s cool is that you too can learn how to create WordPress plugins and give them out to others for free or profit from them.

Now that you know what WordPress plugins are, let’s see how you will install and uninstall them.

 

How To Install WordPress Plugins From Dashboard.

To install your chosen WordPress plugins from the dashboard, follow the steps laid out below.

1. From the WP dashboard, click on Plugins > Add New.
2. And from the “Add New” plugins page’s search field, search for your desired plugin.
3. Click on the corresponding “Install Now” button for the plugin to install and click it again to “Activate“.

Congrats! You’ve installed the plugin.

But, what about if you bought a premium plugin?

How will you install it then?

 

How To Upload A Plugin To WordPress And Install It From Admin Dashboard.

As you know, if it’s a custom or premium plugin you’ve downloaded or bought from a third-party website it won’t be searchable within the WordPress directory.

So how can you go about installing such a plugin?

Simple!

By uploading it using WordPress’ Admin “Upload Plugin” function, present within the “Add New” plugins page on the top left corner.

The steps are similar to earlier ones with the only difference being the upload process.

Below are the steps to do it.

1. From the WordPress Admin dashboard, click on Plugins > Add New.
2. Once on the “Add New” plugins page, on the top left corner, click on “Upload Plugin” button.
3. A small window will drop from where you’ll click on the “Choose File” button and select the .zip file you got of the Plugin you bought/wish to install.
4. Once selected click on the “Install Now” button beside it to begin the upload and installation process (usually takes a few seconds).
5. After the above installation is done, click on the “Activate Plugin” button that will show up to activate the plugin and make it live.

Congratulations! My friend, you’ve done it!

But can you do it manually?

Yip!

 

How To Install WordPress Plugins Manually.

You can also install WordPress plugins manually using a FTP client.

Note: If you feel this File Transfer Protocol (FTP) process to be somewhat advanced or intimidating for you, use the next section’s workaround.

And to do this finally, follow the action steps below (video example below).

1. Download and Install a free FTP client like FileZilla.
2. Open and connect the application to your FTP server using your hosting’s configuration settings.
   

   Note: Most web hosting companies give you a simple configuration file that you import to FileZilla, confirm your password, and get connected.

3. Once connected, locate the folder with your WordPress installation, and open the plugins folder. Wp-content/plugins.
4. Drag and drop your plugin’s unzipped files folder to this folder.
5. Now log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and go to Plugins.
6. Find the newly added plugin within the installed plugins and click on its corresponding “Activate” button link to activate it.

Done!

Now that wasn’t too hard, right?

Below’s a video to further help you learn these steps properly, courtesy WPBeginner.

Either way below is a simplified version of this seemingly advanced process.

 

How To Install WordPress Plugins Without FTP.

Didn’t like the manual WordPress plugin installation method above?

Don’t worry, I got you! 🙂

Below is the simplified steps method to install WordPress plugins without FTP.

1. Log in to your cPanel and using the help of “File Manager” locate the root folder with your WordPress installation.
   

   Note: If your domain is the primary one for hosting, go to public_html. If not go to yourdomain.com folder.

2. And from the WP folder, navigate to the plugins folder (wp-content/plugins) folder and open it.
3. From inside the folder, locate the “Upload” button above and click it. This will open a new window from where you’ll upload your plugin’s .zip file.
4. Once the upload is done, close the window. Return to your plugins folder, extract the new plugin file you just uploaded, and delete the original .zip file.
5. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and go to the Installed Plugins page.
6. Locate your newly added plugin and activate it.

Ta-da!

You’re done, my friend.

Note: Some plugins need further steps to configure them properly. Simply follow their configurations guide prompts and you’ll be good.

But can you uninstall the WordPress plugin/s you just installed?

I sure hope, Yes!

But for clarity, not to leave anyone hanging, read the next section on the how.

This is because, at some point, in your blogging journey you might encounter some really stubborn plugins that just won’t uninstall.

Then what will you do oh?

 

How To Uninstall WordPress Plugins.

That which has been installed can also be uninstalled. ?

And to uninstall WordPress plugins that you don’t need/want anymore. Follow the steps below.

1. From the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
2. Locate the plugin you don’t need/want anymore from the installed plugins list and click on its corresponding “Deactivate” button link to deactivate it from the site.
3. Next, a “Delete” button link option will show up. Click on it and confirm the deletion from the message pop-up to remove the plugin completely.

That’s it!

You’ve successfully uninstalled/deleted a WordPress plugin.

But sometimes, as I wrote earlier, things don’t always go as planned and you might encounter some stubborn WordPress plugins that won’t delete.

But if a WordPress plugin won’t delete or deletion failed, don’t worry. The next section holds the answer to.

 

How To Disable WordPress Plugin From cPanel.

Is a WordPress plugin not deleting and giving you grief?

I know the feeling; you don’t want a plugin anymore.

So you go as usual to the plugins page, deactivate it, hit delete, page refreshes, and what do you know? A “You cannot delete a plugin while it is active on the main site.” message shows up.

And the plugin is once again active, “Didn’t you just deactivate this plugin?” And any subsequent deactivations do nothing to deactivate.

Don’t worry, for there’s a solution that works. Disable the WordPress plugin from cPanel and delete it there or from the dashboard. Phew!

So, follow the action steps below to disable and delete a WordPress plugin from cPanel and dashboard, respectively.

1. Log in to your cPanel and go to the plugins folder within your WordPress installation.
2. Next, locate the plugin’s folder of the plugin that won’t delete. ?
3. Rename the Plugin folder to something else. Ideally, add an extra letter or number. ex. StubbornPlugin > StubbornPlugin1 / StubbornPluginG.
4. Log In to your WordPress Admin Dashboard and go to the Installed Plugins page. The plugin should be automatically deactivated since there’s no plugin installed with the name you renamed it to.
5. Now easily and happily hit the “Delete” button link again and puff! Plugin’s deleted.

You can now pop that champagne bottle and celebrate.

Bye-bye stubborn plugin!

Note: Make sure to delete any manual short codes for those plugins you delete to prevent nasty errors that might spoil a user’s experience of your blog.

 

Is There Another Alternative To Using FTP or cPanel To Install and Uninstall WordPress Plugins?

Yes!

Now while some of the above WordPress plugin installation and uninstallation methods involve using an FTP client and the cPanel, they aren’t the only ways.

In fact, there’s an even simpler way, using a WordPress plugin to do it all.

And the WordPress plugin I’m referring to here is the WP File Manager.

An FTP like replacer file manager that helps you edit, delete, upload, download, zip, move, copy and paste files within your root folder from the WordPress backend.

This means you don’t need to bother with an FTP client or login your cPanel to locate your WordPress installation folder, your start from right there. 🙂

So install the plugin and perform any of the earlier listed actions that you want comfortably.

 

Signing Out! Can You Now Install/Uninstall WordPress Plugins?

It’s my hope that this post has helped you learn how to install/uninstall WordPress plugins and that you’re now comfortable doing it.

I wish you all the best blogging and below are some other awesome blog posts I’ve picked out for you to help on your journey.

1. Create A Free Logo Online And Download In A Few Minutes.

2. 10 Types Of Must Have Plugins Every New WordPress Blog Needs.

3. How To Convert Your Blog Articles Into Videos.

4. How To Move Your Current WordPress Blog To A New Domain.

5. Write Unique and Original Blog Articles Fast.

6. Best Royalty-Free Stock Photo Sites For Awesome Blog Post Images.

That’s it from me today on how to install WordPress plugins and uninstall them even those that won’t delete.

And I hope you got value out of it. If so, share it with your fellow blogging friends and get a guaranteed 5 years’ worth of good blessings. ?

Btw if you want to learn how you can build up your new WordPress blog into a thriving successful online business, that pays you even while you sleep or away? Then you might find this platform here a heaven-sent. Simply sign up for free and start the training.

Till next time, my friend! ?

Stay Blessed! ?