How To Use Plugins In WordPress

Posted by TotalDC

Since we are learning about WordPress basics, let’s look at how to use plugins in WordPress. Plugin allows you to easily modify, customize, or enhance WordPress websites or posts. The WordPress Plugin is a software that can be uploaded to expand the functionality of the site. They add services or features to WordPress. Plugins are used to make your work easier. Here are the steps to add plugins.

Step 1 – On the left sidebar, click on Plugins – Installed Plugins as shown on the screen.

how to locate installed plugins meniu in wordpress

Step 2 – You will see the following page.

overview of plugins page in wordpress

Here you can view the already installed plugins.

Step 3 – Click on – Plugins Add New menu as shown in the following screen.

how to locate add new plugin option in wordpress menu

Step 4 – A list of plugins appears that are used in WordPress. Here you can install plugins from the available list or you can upload them by clicking on Upload Plugin.

overview of add plugins screen in wordpress

When you click on Upload Plugin you’ll get the following page.

how to upload plugin screen in wordpress

if you click on Choose File, you can add files from your system. Or you can directly choose the plugin that you need and click on Install Now.

overview of install now option in wordpress

When you click on Install Now, the package starts to download and gets installed. Then, click on Activate plugin to activate that plugin to use in WordPress as seen in the following screen.

how to activate plugin option in wordpress

After clicking on Activate Plugin you’ll find the installed plugin in the list.

overview of all activated plugins in wordpress

Here you can view a few options such as All, Active, Inactive, and Update available.

When you click on Active the following page appears. Here you can view all the activated plugins.

When you click on Inactive, the plugins that are available but are not activated are displayed. You can activate this plugin by clicking on Activate.

plugin activated message

And when you click on Update available, you’ll get a list of plugins that must be updated. Click on Update and you get a message as Updated. Or if you have more than one plugin that needs the same action applied look at Bulk Actions and select any of the options.

bulk actions in wordpress

Click on the Apply button to update, delete, activate, or deactivate each of the plugins by checking the boxes.

Or if you have so many plugins, that you can’t find the one you are looking for you can just type your plugin name in the Search Installed Plugins text box that is already installed and click on the Search Installed Plugins button.

search installed plugins

When you click on the Search installed Plugin button you get the following page with your respective plugin.

search installed plugins result window

Here are all the basics that you need when working with plugins in WordPress.