Install a Plugin Print

WordPress plugins are scripts you install to extend the functionality of your blog. For example, one common plugin is Subscribe to Comments Reloaded. When added, it allows readers to receive notification of follow-up comments for posts they've commented on. WordPress doesn’t ship with this feature already included — you must install it via a plugin.

 

WordPress's philosophy is to keep the core light and simple. And then allow people to add, in a cafeteria style, the plugins they need for the functionality they want. The process of discovering new plugins — and suddenly transforming your blog into something more — can be exciting.

 

You install a plugin in the same way you install a theme, except you upload it to wp-content/plugins rather than wp-content/themes. However, in contrast to themes, you can update plugins directly from within WordPress (when the plugin author has updates). This is because plugins are centralized in a WordPress plugin repository that your WordPress software hooks into.

 

To install a plugin:

 

1. Go to WordPress plugin repository.
2. Browse for the plugin you wan to install, such as the Subscribe to Comments Reloaded plugin.
3. Click the Download button and download the file.
4. If the file is zipped, unzip it using a tool such as 7-zip or Winzip.
5. Look for a readme.txt file included with the plugin to see if it has special installation instructions.
6. Open your FTP program (such as Filezilla), and upload the plugin to wp-content/plugins.
7. Log in to your blog's admin panel and click the Plugins tab on the far right.
8. Click Activate next to your plugin.
9. Configure the specific plugin settings as described in the readme.txt file, and then save it. Usually the plugin has a subtab available when you click the Settings tab on the far right. You can then define options you want for the plugin. If the plugin is a widget, go to Design > Widgets and add the widget to your sidebar.