WordPress Tutorial: How to Manage WordPress Plugins

Proper control of your WordPress plugins will determine how well optimized or completed your website is. Whether you want to boost security of a site, make it load faster, or introduce new functionality, knowing how to manage your WordPress plugins makes all the difference between good times and regretful moments.

In this article, we will discuss:

• How to Install a WordPress Plugin
• How to Update WordPress Plugins
• How to Remove WordPress Plugins
• Review

How to Install a WordPress Plugin

Follow the steps below to install a WordPress plugin.

1. Log in to the WordPress Dashboard. Please see the WordPress Tutorial: How to Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard article for instructions on how to access the WP Admin.
2. Once you are logged into your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the left side of the page and click on Plugins.
   
   
    
3. Select Add New Plugin.
   
   
    
4. On the Add Plugins page, click the Upload Plugin button to install your downloaded plugin.
   
   
    
   1. Clicking the Upload Plugin button will prompt you to choose a file you wish to install.
      
      
       
   2. Select Install Now after choosing a file.
      
      
       
   3. Click Activate Plugin to complete and activate the installed plugin.
      
      
       
   4. The plugin has been activated.
      
      
       
5. Another option to install a plugin is to search for it in the Search plugins field.
    
   1. All the available plugins will show, and you can click the Install Now button to install the plugin of your choice.
      
      
       
   2. Once installed, click the Activate button to complete the installation and activate the plugin.
      
      
       
   3. The plugin has been activated.
      
      

How to Update WordPress Plugins

Follow the steps below to update WordPress plugins.

1. Log in to the WordPress Dashboard. Please see the WordPress Tutorial: How to Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard article for instructions on how to access the WP Admin.
2. Once you are logged into your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the left side of the page and click on Plugins.
   
   
    
3. Select Installed Plugins. All of the installed plugins will be shown here.
   
   
    
4. If there is an update available for the plugin, it will be shown under the plugin information, as seen in the image below.
   
   
    
   Note: You may click on the View version to view the version details of that plugin, or you can click on update now to update the plugin to the latest version.
5. The plugin has been updated.
   
   

How to Remove WordPress Plugins

Follow the steps below to remove an installed plugin.

1. Log in to the WordPress Dashboard. Please see the WordPress Tutorial: How to Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard article for instructions on how to access the WP Admin.
2. Once you are logged into your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the left side of the page and click on Plugins.
   
   
    
3. Select Installed Plugins. All of the installed plugins will be shown here.
   
   
    
4. If the plugin is active, you must first deactivate it before deleting it. To do this, click the Deactivate Plugin button. This will refresh the page, and the plugin will be listed as inactive.
   
   
    
5. To delete the plugin, click the Delete button under the plugin.
   
   
    
6. Next, WordPress will prompt you with a confirmation of the deletion. Click OK to completely delete the plugin.
   
   
    
7. A confirmation message will show that the plugin has been deactivated.
   
   

Keeping your plugins up to date and organized will add functionality to your site and keep most problems associated with it at bay. Do not forget to look for quality plugins and to clean out the unused or hopelessly outdated ones. The strategies described here will help empower you in improving your WordPress experience while maintaining a website that continues to meet its objectives.