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Installing WordPress in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide

Bildschirm mit dem WordPress-Installation-Screen

Installing WordPress is easier than ever in 2026 — and at the same time the first 30 minutes after installation are the most important for a site that stays healthy in the long run. In my training sessions I often see installations that run, but which have security and SEO mistakes built in from the start that can only be corrected later with effort. In this guide I show you the three routes (host one-click, manual, local) — and which settings you should apply immediately after installing.

Screen showing the WordPress installation screen

Before you start: two decisions

  1. Choose a host. The underrated lever. WordPress runs on any PHP/MySQL server, but host performance differs by a factor of ten. More in the existing pillar article WordPress Page Speed 2026. For most solopreneurs I recommend Raidboxes, Easyname with a LiteSpeed plan, or a World4You host with a managed WordPress package. Mass shared hosts (1&1, the Strato standard plan) work, but are unsuitable as a performance foundation.
  2. Register a domain. Ideally directly with the host, so that DNS and directory are already linked. If the domain sits with another provider, you will need to change the name servers.

Method 1: one-click installation at your host (recommended)

Almost every host offers a one-click WordPress installation. With Raidboxes or other managed hosts it is even simpler: you book a "box" directly and WordPress comes pre-installed.

The generic procedure:

  1. In your host's control panel, choose install WordPress (the labels vary: "site setup", "application installer", "Softaculous").
  2. Select the domain or subdomain.
  3. The database is usually created automatically. If not: create a new MySQL database with its own user. Note the database name, user and password — in your password manager.
  4. Enter the site title — you can change it later under Settings → General.
  5. Choose an admin username — never "admin" (see the security section below). A suggestion: first name plus two digits, for example "martin-83".
  6. Have the admin password generated (16+ characters, special characters, digits). Save it in your password manager.
  7. Admin email — never the site's later contact address (so not info@your-domain.at). I recommend a separate address used only for WP (for example admin@your-domain.at or a Gmail address).
  8. Language German (DE) or German (AT) — this affects date and number formats.
  9. Install.

After one to two minutes WordPress is reachable at https://your-domain.at, with the admin panel at /wp-admin.

One-click installer in the host panel

Method 2: manual installation via FTP

Necessary when the host has no one-click installation, or when you need a particularly tailored installation (WordPress in a subdirectory, for example).

  1. Download WordPress from wordpress.org (the official version, not .com).
  2. Unpack the ZIP on your local machine.
  3. Upload via FTP/SFTP to the root directory of your domain (usually /public_html/ or /htdocs/). FileZilla, Cyberduck or Transmit are suitable clients.
  4. Create the MySQL database in the host panel, assign a user with full rights, note the password.
  5. Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php, open it in a text editor and enter the database values:
define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'database_user' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'strong_password' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' ); // or as specified by your host
define( 'DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4' );
define( 'DB_COLLATE', '' );
  1. Insert salt keys from the WordPress salt generator (api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/) and replace them in wp-config.php.
  2. Save the file and upload it.
  3. Open your browser at https://your-domain.at/wp-admin/install.php — WordPress guides you through the last step (site title, admin user).
wp-config.php with database configuration in the editor

Method 3: install locally (for development)

If you only need WordPress for learning or testing on your own machine, Local by Flywheel (Mac/Windows), DevKinsta or MAMP are the easiest routes. All three are free. Local by Flywheel has the friendliest wizard.

  1. Install the Local app.
  2. Click "Create a new site".
  3. Choose a site name, PHP version (8.2+) and database engine.
  4. Create an admin user.
  5. Start site — done. Your local test installation runs in the browser.

Local sites are perfect for testing plugins and themes before making changes in production. Never develop locally and then "just copy it over" — a clean migration to the live server is a workflow of its own, see Migrating WordPress.

The first 30 minutes after installation

A fresh installation is not production-ready. Apply these settings before anything else:

1. Change permalinks from "plain" to "post name"

Settings → Permalinks → "Post name" → Save. The default is ?p=123 — SEO-dead. Post name gives /my-post/. Change it, no discussion.

2. Check the admin username

If "admin" was chosen during installation: create a new admin user with a different name, log in with the new one, delete the old "admin" user.

3. Move the login URL

Brute-force bots constantly attack /wp-admin and /wp-login.php. Instructions in my article Changing the WordPress login URL.

4. Enable 2FA

Mandatory in 2026. Plugin: WP 2FA (free) or Solid Security Pro. Link an authenticator app via QR code.

5. Enable an SSL certificate

Automatic with modern hosts via Let's Encrypt. If not: enable SSL in the host panel, change the site URL under Settings → General to https://, and if necessary add define('FORCE_SSL_ADMIN', true); to wp-config.php.

6. Clear out the default content

  • Delete the "Hello world" post.
  • Delete the sample page.
  • Delete the sample comment.
  • Uninstall any Twenty Twenty-Two/Three/Four theme you are not using.
  • Uninstall the "Hello Dolly" plugin.

7. Install an SEO plugin

Rank Math or Yoast SEO — see my comparison Yoast vs. Rank Math. Work through the setup wizard.

8. Install a caching plugin

WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache or WP Super Cache. See WordPress Page Speed 2026.

9. Install a backup plugin

UpdraftPlus — take the first backup right after installation, before any data is in there that you would not want to lose.

10. Set up a cookie banner

Mandatory in German-speaking countries. Real Cookie Banner or Borlabs Cookie. More in GDPR compliance Austria or GDPR Germany.

Would you rather not learn WordPress by trial and error? In my online course we go through the first 30 minutes together on a real installation — you see every click, every setting, every security check. → To the online course

The right order: theme or content first?

From practice: decide on the theme first, then create a few sample posts, then plugins, then write content. Anyone working in the reverse order builds content for a theme they end up changing — and then has to reformat everything.

Rule of thumb: on new sites I invest one to two hours in choosing a theme before I even start writing. More on theme selection in my article WordPress themes 2026.

Common problems during installation

"Error establishing a database connection" — wp-config.php is configured incorrectly. Check the DB name, user, password and host. localhost is not correct everywhere — some hosts use something like db.customer123.example.com.

"Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" permanently — delete the .maintenance file in the root. See my article WordPress maintenance mode.

The browser shows only a blank page (WSOD) — PHP memory too small. Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');. If that does not help: check the PHP version (should be 8.2+).

/wp-admin loads, but login does not work — clear browser cache and cookies. If the "WPS Hide Login" plugin is active: use the correct URL.

"This site can't be reached" after linking the domain — DNS not yet propagated. Wait up to 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need prior technical knowledge?
For the one-click installation: no. For the manual installation: FTP knowledge and comfort with text editors on the server.

How long does a complete installation take?
With one click: five minutes until WP runs, 30 minutes for a secure setup, another one to two hours for the theme and basic plugins. Manually: add 20 minutes.

Which WordPress version should I install?
Always the latest major version. One-click installers do this automatically. For a manual installation, always download from wordpress.org.

Do I get updates automatically?
Security updates yes; for major version updates I can advise you, or you choose manually. More in WordPress maintenance checklist.

Does WordPress work without MySQL?
No. WordPress needs MySQL or MariaDB as its database. Some hosts offer SQLite as an alternative — it works for test sites but is not production-ready.

How many WordPress installations can I run at one host?
That depends on the plan. Managed WordPress packages typically allow one installation per box. Shared hosting plans are often unlimited, but share a common performance ceiling.

Conclusion

Installing WordPress takes five minutes. Installing WordPress properly, with all the security, SEO and performance settings, takes 90 minutes. Anyone who skips that second hour pays it back tenfold later — in the form of hacked sites, performance problems or SEO damage.

If you would rather have those 90 minutes explained in a structured way than sift through 15 contradictory YouTube videos, my online course is the direct route: I show you the exact order of my setup standard, with every click. → To the online course

Image source, featured & inline: illustrations created specifically in the pletzenauer design (no stock photos).

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