For new people interested in installing WordPress you can do this much easier than some blogs will lead you to believe. I will show you how I install WordPress fast with no issues.
How long does it take to install WordPress? If you are using a Cpanel installer, you can install WordPress in as little as 2 minutes. People who do not have a Cpanel installer will have to use more steps. About 80% of hosts will have Softaculous App installer that will make the process much simpler.
If you would like to see how I speed up the process, I go into details below.
Installing WordPress using Cpanel Softaculous
If you are one of the many people who bought a decent host, then you will have access to a Cpanel. It looks like something below:
If you scroll all the way down the page to the bottom of the Cpanel you find that there is called “Softaculous App Installer”.
How to use the Softaculous installer to install WordPress
Inside the Softaculous installer you find it has many applications that can be installed with just a click. Locate the WordPress installer and click it to begin the process.
Once you click install, it will ask you some basic questions such as:
- Choose the version you want to install
- Choose Protocol
- Choose Domain
- In Directory
- Site Name
- Site Description
- Admin Username
- Admin Password
- Admin Email
- Select Language
It’s import to note that not all of settings may be the same in your version of Softaculous. We will go over all the settings listed above. While some of them may seem simple to under its important that you know which setting does what.
Choose the version you want to install? WordPress 5.0 just came out and since this happen it has forced many people to question what they would like to use. Most times WordPress 5.0 is a great alternative and the sooner you get started the better. We have an article on will WordPress 5.0 break my site?
Choose Protocol: Some websites will start off with HTTP and then move to HTTPS as soon as they have an SSL certificate. Depending on your host host give away SSL certificates for free so if you are starting your WordPress site I would recommend HTTP.
Choose Domain: If you are on a host that allows multi domains then you might have a list here of all the websites you have under that account. It’s important that you choose the correct domain.
In Directory: This one is a big one that messes up a lot of new people. In directory stands for where you want the WordPress site to exist. If you want WordPress to be a content management system, your whole website then leave this blank. This will point your site to WordPress as soon as someone types your website address.
If you would rather have just a WordPress blog and want to combo it with another provider, then a common thing to do is to use the extension blog. Which would mean someone would have to type in http://www.yourdomain.com/blog.
Site Name: This is self explanatory. Whatever the name of your new site will be. Themes will often override this but it’s a good idea to put the name like you want it to appear as a backup.
Site Description: This is a tagline or some other piece of information about your site. Some people will leave this section blank.
Admin Username: This often a place where people don’t think of it as security related but make the admin username different from the site name and different from your own name. Bots will often try brute force hacking which is when it tries different combinations of username and password. If your username is something very obvious, then you are leaving your website open to attack.
Admin Password: Password is another spot that most people could improve on. WordPress already will tell you if they consider your password weak. One way to increase your password complexity is by using a simple phrase. By increasing the length of your password it will take much larger to crack, 12 to 14 characters is a decent size.
Admin Email: Make sure this is an email you have access to because it will send you install information after you are complete. If you are new to WordPress keeping this information handy can help you.
Select Language: WordPress does a great job of making sure most of their websites work with any language on the planet. You should select the language that is your native tongue but you can also make your website user friendly by using a plugin like wpml.
There are other options you will see such as select plugins and database options but these are often best left alone. You also install a theme from the WordPress repository.
Once you get to the bottom of the screen, you will find a place to that will email you once the install is completed. This takes about a minute and then the install is completed.
Congratulations you have installed WordPress and should be able to access your site using the instructions that were emailed to you.
Related Questions
What happens if the install fails? If a WordPress install fails, it will send you an email explaining what happened. I would contact my hosting company and see if they can sort out whatever the WordPress issue is. In most cases I have found 99% you will never have a problem.
What if I need to install WordPress manually? There are many sites out there that go into the details of installing WordPress manually. It’s a big hassle but if you follow the instructions, you should find that the process while long can be done without a problem.
Is this the fastest way? This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to install WordPress that I have found. Often I can have a site up and running within a few minutes of installing it. Some hosts use a different app installer but most ask the same questions or leave out details to speed up the process.
I hope this article has helped you better understand how you can install WordPress fast. How long does it take to install WordPress, not long if you use this method.
