How to Install WordPress on Your Computer
You probably own a WordPress website already. But did you know that you can install on your computer too? Yes, you read it right. It is possible to install WordPress on your computer and create a fully functional local website.
There are many benefits to installing WordPress on your computer. For example, you can try out new themes or plugins without worrying about breaking anything, or maybe customize the website style and check out the preview quickly.
In today’s tutorial, I am going to show you how to install WordPress on your computer and enjoy all these awesome benefits.
Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Installing XAMPP
There are some basic requirements before you can install WordPress on your computer. You need to install a server along with PHP and MySQL on your machine.
While you can install each of these separately, some installer programs offer all these services in a single package. Some common choices include WAMP, XAMPP, MAMP, etc. Among these, XAMPP works on all common OS including Windows, Mac, and Linux. That’s why I will use XAMPP for this tutorial.
First of all, download the XAMPP installer from the Apache Friends website. Then, install it by following the standard procedure. Once the installation is complete, you will be asked if you want to open the control panel. You can open it now or do it later.
Starting the Server and Database
You can run the server from the XAMPP control panel. If you haven’t opened the control panel already, go to the XAMPP installation directory, and click the “xampp-control.exe” file. The control panel looks like the following –
While there are various services available, we need only two of them – Apache and MySQL. Between these, Apache is the server and MySQL is the database. Click “Start” to initiate both of these services. Make sure they are marked as green.
Now, open your browser, and go to this address –
http://localhost
If you see a welcome page like the following, you have successfully started the server –
If you are using Skype, you might get an error as both Skype and Apache are set to use the same port. Check out this tutorial to deal with that problem.
Creating a Database
You will need a database to install WordPress. To create a new database, open your browser, and enter the following address –
http://localhost/phpmyadmin
This will take you to a page like the following –
As you can see, you need to log in to create the database. Use “root” as the username, leave the password field empty, and click “Go.” This is the default account for your database system.
Once you have logged in, click “Databases” on the top menu. This will bring a screen like the following –
Provide a name for your database, and click “Create.” Note down the name of your database; we will need this name shortly.
Installing WordPress
Now that you have installed the server and created a database, it is time to install WordPress. To do that, you need to download the WordPress file. Visit the official download page and download the latest version of WordPress.
The downloaded file will be a zip archive. Extract the archive, and you will get a folder titled “WordPress.” This folder contains the necessary WordPress files.
Next, follow these steps –
- Copy the extracted WordPress folder,
- Go to the XAMPP installation directory,
- Find out the “htdocs” directory and open it,
- Paste the “WordPress” folder into the “htdocs” directory.
Now, get back to your browser, and go to the following address –
http://localhost/wordpress/
This will open a page like the following –
Choose your desired language, and click “Continue.” The next page will tell you that you will need the database name, username, password, and host to install WordPress. That’s alright; I will tell you what to do. Click “Let’s go” to get started.
In the next page, you will be asked for the database details. Use the following information –
- Database Name: Provide the name of your database.
- Username: root
- Password: leave it blank
- Database Host: localhost
- Table Prefix: wp_
Once you have provided the necessary information, click “Submit.” If everything is okay, the next page will inform you that you are ready to start the installation process.
Click “Run the Installation,” and you will be taken to a page like the following –
This page asks you to provide some information. Here’s how to provide the information –
- Site Title: Provide a title for your website. You can change it later.
- Username: Provide a username for the admin account. Keep in mind that you can’t change this username. Copy the username on a notepad.
- Password: Provide a password for the admin account. Copy the password to the notepad too.
- Your Email: Provide a valid email address.
- Search Engine Visibility: Leave this unchecked.
Once you have provided all the information, click “Install WordPress.”
The next page will show a success message confirming that you have installed WordPress correctly. Now you can log in to your WordPress site by using the username and password you provided a while back.
Managing WordPress
Now that you have installed WordPress on your computer, you are ready to explore all the available options. First of all, login to the admin panel by using the following URL –
http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin
Provide the username and password you used while installing WordPress, and click “Log In.” This will take you to your website dashboard. Now, you have access to all the WordPress features and options right on your computer.
Final Words
Having a local WordPress installation enables you to try out new features, themes, plugins, or make style changes without affecting your live website. It is a must-have for WordPress developers and enthusiasts.
And now that you have read this step-by-step tutorial, you know how to install WordPress on your computer. Let me know if you still have any questions. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
