Topics

  • What are plugins?
    • How practise they relate to WordPress core?
    • What are some examples?
  • Finding and Installing Plugins
    • Finding Plugins
    • Plugin Compatibility
      • Compatibility of New Plugins
      • Compatibility of Installed Plugins
    • Installing Plugins
      • Automatic Plugin Installation
      • Upload via WordPress Admin
      • Manual Plugin Installation
    • Plugin Favorites
      • Favorite a Plugin
      • View a User's Favorite Plugins
    • Updating Plugins
      • Transmission Plugin Update From The Dashboard
      • Manual Plugin Update From The Plugins Folio
      • Enable Automatic Plugin Update
      • Disable Automatic Plugin Update
      • Bulk Update WordPress Plugins
    • Uninstalling Plugins
      • Automatic Uninstallation
    • Troubleshooting
      • Resources To Help Diagnose The Issue
      • Possible Resolutions
        • Make sure that the plugin is activated after information technology is installed.
        • If you know which plugin is causing the issue:
        • If you don't know which plugin is causing the consequence:
      • Plugin Management
        • Must-Utilize Plugins
      • Developing Plugins

What are plugins?

WordPress Plugins are PHP scripts that extend the functionality of WordPress. They enhance the features of WordPress or add entirely new features to your site. Plugins are frequently developed by volunteers and are unremarkably free to the public.

Plugins are available via the WordPress Plugin Directory. Although plugins y'all find here are thoroughly tested and considered safe to use, they are of varying quality and are often works in progress.

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How do they relate to WordPress core?

The WordPress content management system software, or WordPress core, provides the chief functionality for publishing content and managing users. Each WordPress plugin is an additional piece of software that tin can exist hands installed to extend the functionality of WordPress core.

This allows you lot to customize your WordPress site with your desired functionality. Since then much functionality is provided through plugins, WordPress cadre is full-featured and customizable, without having to include everything for everyone.

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What are some examples?

Some of the more popular plugins in the WordPress Plugin Directory autumn into these categories:

  • Spam control
  • SEO
  • Information import and consign
  • E-commerce
  • Security
  • Caching

This is just a modest sample. There are thousands of plugins available in the directory, so there'southward a good chance you'll find some that are useful to you.

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Finding and Installing Plugins

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Finding Plugins

You lot tin browse and search for plugins in the WordPress Plugin Directory. Each plugin listed in that location is available for download as a zip file y'all can upload to your WordPress site.

An alternative style to find and install plugins is from within the WordPress admin screens. Navigate to Plugins > Add New, and you can browse and search for plugins from within your dashboard.

Each plugin listed there has an "Install Now" button and so you can easily add it to your site.

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Plugin Compatibility

If a plugin hasn't been updated since the most recent update to WordPress core, it may be incompatible, or its compatibility may exist unknown. Yous can view compatibility data about plugins from the Add Plugins page, or from the Installed Plugins listing.

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Compatibility of New Plugins

To learn about the compatibility of a plugin earlier you install information technology, navigate to Plugins > Add New. Each plugin description on this folio includes a note that reads "Compatible with your version of WordPress" or "Untested with your version of WordPress." You can click the "More than Details" link to see information about this plugin's compatibility.

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Compatibility of Installed Plugins

To larn about the compatibility of plugins you've already installed, click the "Plugins" link in the left nav of your site's dashboard. Each item on this list should contain a "View details" link. Click this to see data most this plugin's compatibility with different versions of WordPress.

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Installing Plugins

There are 3 ways to install WordPress plugins.

Automated Plugin Installation. Any plugin bachelor in the WordPress Plugins Directory can be installed via the built-in plugin installer.

Upload via WordPress Admin. Yous can easily add a new plugin by uploading a zip annal of the plugin from your local computer.

Manual Plugin Installation. In some cases, you may need to manually upload a plugin directly using an SFTP client.

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Automatic Plugin Installation

This is the simplest method of installing a plugin. To add a plugin using the congenital-in plugin installer:

  1. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
  1. Use the search form in the peak-right to search by keyword, writer, or tag.
  1. On the search results that appear, click a plugin'south title or the link 'More Details' to read more about it, including installation notes, plugin documentation, or other useful information.
  2. Click the Install Now push to install the plugin.
  3. Once the plugin installation is consummate, click Activate to activate the plugin.

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Upload via WordPress Admin

If you take a copy of the plugin as a zip file, you tin can manually upload it and install information technology through the Plugins admin screen.

  1. Navigate to Plugins > Add together New.
  2. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the screen.
  1. Select the zero file from your local filesystem.
  1. Click the Install At present button.
  1. When the installation is complete, you'll see "Plugin installed successfully." Click the Activate Plugin button.

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Manual Plugin Installation

In rare cases, y'all may need to install a plugin by manually transferring the files onto the server. This is recommended merely when absolutely necessary, for example when your server is not configured to permit automated installations.

This procedure requires you lot to be familiar with the process of transferring files using an SFTP customer. It is recommended for advanced users and developers.

Hither are the detailed instructions to manually install a WordPress plugin by transferring the files onto the webserver.

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Plugin Favorites

You can add together a plugin to your list of favorites, and you can view and easily install another WordPress.org user'south favorite plugins.

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Favorite a Plugin

  1. Log in to the WordPress Plugins Directory using your WordPress.org ID.
  2. Find the plugin you want to similar and go to the plugin's page.
  3. Click the heart icon next to the Download button.
  1. One time y'all accept favorited a plugin, it volition testify up in your WordPress.org public profile. If you accept published a review of the plugin, your rating of the plugin will also appear here.

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View a User's Favorite Plugins

To see a WordPress.org user'southward favorite plugins (including your own):

  1. Browse to the Add together Plugins admin screen (Plugins > Add New).
  2. Click the Favorites tab.
  1. Type the user's proper noun in the "Your WordPress.org username" field.
  1. Click Get Favorites.
  2. Each of the plugins listed here has an 'Install Now' button that you tin can use to add together the plugin to your site.

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Updating Plugins

Plugin developers update their plugins occasionally by adding new features, improving code quality, and keeping them secure. To ensure that these changes are applied on your site immediately, you should keep your WordPress plugins up to date. This helps to meliorate your site'due south WordPress security and performance.

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Manual Plugin Update From The Dashboard

Your WordPress Dashboard automatically notifies you when a plugin needs to be updated — y'all tin view this notification under the Dashboard->Updates tab.

  1. Scroll down to the Plugins section.
  1. Select the checkbox for the plugins you want to update and then click  'Update Plugins' button.

Notation: Always brand sure you have a electric current backup of your site before updating your plugins. Sometimes bug can happen during the update process.

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Transmission Plugin Update From The Plugins Page

You can observe the plugins that demand to be updated on your site's Plugins page.

To find whatsoever plugins installed on your site that need to exist updated:

  1. Click the "Plugins" link in the left nav of your site's dashboard.
  2. Look down the listing of installed plugins for any that include a line reading "There is a new version…"
  3. Click the "View version…" link in that note to view details about the plugin's update.
  4. Click the "update at present" link to update the plugin.

NOTE: E'er make certain you accept a current backup of your site before updating your plugins. Sometimes bug can happen during the update process.

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Enable Automatic Plugin Update

WordPress introduced automated updates for WordPress plugins in WordPress 5.five. This allows yous to enable automatic updates for private WordPress plugins directly from the Plugins Page in the WordPress dashboard.

  1. Go to Plugins -> Installed Plugins page inside WordPres Admin area. Here you lot'll encounter the listing of all your installed plugins.  Each plugin in the listing has a link 'Enable auto-updates' in the right-most column (under Automatic Updates).
  2. Select the checkbox for the plugins you lot want to enable machine-update and click the link  'Enable automobile-updates' for the selected plugin. This will enable automatic updates for the selected plugin.

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Disable Automatic Plugin Update

  To terminate your plugins from updating automatically, practise the following:

  1. Become to Plugins -> Installed Plugins page inside WordPres Admin expanse. Hither you'll see the list of all your installed plugins.
  2. Each plugin in the list that has auto-update enabled will have a link 'Disable motorcar-updates' in the right-most column (under Automated Updates).
  3. Select the checkbox for the plugin you want to disable auto-update and click the link  Disable auto-updates' for the selected plugin. This will disable automated updates for the selected plugin.

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Majority Update WordPress Plugins

If you lot take several plugins on your website that need an update, and so y'all can majority update those plugins.  It is e'er recommended to practice a quick review of all the plugins before updating.

  1. Go to the Plugins page and click on the 'Update Available' link. This will bear witness yous the list of all plugins that accept updates bachelor.
  1. Click the checkbox to select all the plugins you want to update.
  1. From the 'Bulk Actions' driblet down, select 'Update' and click 'Apply'.

If all goes well with the updates, you will meet a bulletin proverb that the updates were completed successfully.

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Uninstalling Plugins

Plugins have a safe and piece of cake-to-utilize uninstaller. If that is non bachelor, you can also manually uninstall the plugins.

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Automatic Uninstallation

The safe and like shooting fish in a barrel fashion to uninstall a plugin is via the WordPress admin screen.

  1. Navigate to your Plugins admin screen and locate the plugin to be uninstalled.
  2. Select the checkbox side by side to the plugin proper noun and click the "Deactivate" link.
  1. One time the plugin is successfully deactivated, click the plugin'due south "Delete" link.

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Troubleshooting

Occasionally, a WordPress Plugin may non work as expected. This section provides helpful resource and steps you tin can take for troubleshooting plugin issues.

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Resources To Help Diagnose The Event

  • Review the plugin's documentation to confirm that you've followed the instructions. You can find this data in the Plugins page nether the name of each Plugin > View details.

Notation: If you have admission to the plugin files, you can also find this information in the Plugin's folder within readme.txt.

  • Search the WordPress Back up Forums for the name of the Plugin and keywords associated with the problem you are experiencing or the specific error message that is displayed.
  • Search the WordPress Plugins Directory for the name of the Plugin. On the Plugins page, select the Support tab to read about issues reported in the Support Forums for that plugin.
  • Go to the website of the plugin author and check their blog and Plugin page for known problems or advice.
  • Search the web with the name of the Plugin and keywords associated with the trouble you are experiencing or the specific mistake message that is displayed.
  • Mail a question in the WordPress Support Forums with the proper noun of the Plugin and keywords associated with the trouble you are experiencing or the specific error bulletin that is displayed. Make sure to include the trouble in the title of the question. For advice on how to meliorate your chances of getting help, run into Finding WordPress Assist.

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Possible Resolutions

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Brand sure that the plugin is activated after it is installed.

  1. Become to the Plugins > Installed Plugins from the WordPress admin screen.
  2. Observe the Plugin and click 'Activate'.

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If you lot know which plugin is causing the issue:

  1. Deactivate that plugin and activate it once again to come across if this helps.
  1. In some cases, the plugin may exist buggy or incompatible. Deactivate the plugin. Search for other similar plugins, install and activate it and run into it this revolves the issue.

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If you don't know which plugin is causing the issue:

Sometimes problems may be caused by a conflict with different WordPress plugins. At that place are a few different means you can tell which plugin is causing the issue.

  • You installed a single plugin and experienced issues with your site shortly after that.
  • You lot updated a single plugin and experienced issues with your site soon after that.
  • In that location's an error message telling you exactly which plugin file is causing the effect.
  • Try deactivating plugins one at a fourth dimension until yous find the one that's causing the issue.
  • Once you find the plugin that is causing the issue, you can either deactivate and activate it again to encounter if this helps. Or you can find other similar plugins from the WordPress Plugins Directory, install and activate it and see if this resolves the issue.

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Plugin Management

Plugins are managed from the Plugins admin screen of your WordPress site.

Hither yous will find a list of all installed plugins, whether they are active or inactive. From this screen, you can activate, deactivate and delete plugins.

Plugins listed in bold are currently agile.

Each plugin on the listing likewise contains links to further information about the plugin.

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Must-Apply Plugins

Must-utilize plugins (a.g.a. mu-plugins) are plugins installed in a special directory inside the content binder and which are automatically enabled.

Must-apply plugins practise not show in the default listing of plugins on the Plugins folio and cannot exist disabled except by removing the plugin file from the must-utilise directory, which is found in wp-content/mu-plugins by default.

For more details, please refer Must Use Plugins.

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Developing Plugins

The WordPress community relies on plugin developers to maintain a salubrious and growing collection of plugins. A large role of what makes WordPress valuable is the extensive and freely available plugins.

You can help WordPress users by creating your own plugins for distribution through the WordPress plugin directory.

You can get started with the WordPress plugin development using the resources in the WordPress Plugin Developer Handbook.