How to Install WordPress Manually on Shared Hosting (Step-by-Step Beginner Guide)

You’re excited to launch your WordPress site, but then you log into your hosting panel and realize something’s missing. No one-click installer. No Softaculous. No easy button.

Suddenly, what felt simple turns into a wall of confusing options:

• How do I upload the files?
• What’s a database, and how do I connect it?
• What if I mess something up?

This is where many beginners get stuck or give up before their site even goes live.

But here’s the good news: Manual WordPress installation is 100% doable when you know the right steps. In fact, learning this skill gives you full control over your setup and a deeper understanding of how your website runs behind the scenes.

At Codex Digest, we’ve taught thousands of beginners how to confidently build and manage WordPress sites. This guide is no different. In this article, we’ll walk you through every step clearly, and we’ve included a full video tutorial to make it even easier.

Why Learn to Install WordPress Manually?

It’s true that most hosting providers make it easy to install WordPress in one click using tools like Softaculous. But there are plenty of reasons you might need or want to install it manually:

• Your hosting plan doesn’t include auto-installers.
• You want full control over every step of the process.
• You’re troubleshooting or migrating a site manually.
• You simply want to learn the process (great for deepening your WordPress skills).

While the manual method involves more steps like uploading files, setting up a database, and configuring your wp-config file, it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Let’s get started.

Watch Our Full Tutorial Video

If you prefer to see the process in action, start by watching our complete video walkthrough on how to install WordPress manually on shared hosting.

Step-by-Step: How to Install WordPress Manually on Shared Hosting

Follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth installation.

1. Download WordPress

• Visit WordPress.org.
• Click the “Get WordPress” button.
• Download the latest version as a ZIP file to your computer.

2. Log in to your cPanel

• Sign in to your hosting account.
• Locate and open cPanel or whatever control panel your host uses.
• Navigate to the File Manager tool.

3. Upload the WordPress Files

• Inside File Manager, go to the public_html directory. This is your root folder.
• Click Upload.
• Drag and drop the WordPress ZIP file you downloaded.

After it finishes, refresh your File Manager to see the ZIP file listed.

4. Extract and Move the Files

• Extract the ZIP file directly inside public_html.
• You’ll now see a new folder named “WordPress.”

All your WordPress files are currently inside that folder, but they need to be in the root (public_html) for your site to work properly.

Here’s what to do:

• Open the WordPress folder.
• Select all files and folders inside.
• Click Move and move them to public_html.

Once that’s done, clean up:

• Delete the empty WordPress folder.
• Delete the ZIP file to keep your file manager organized.

5. Set Up Your Database and User

Still inside cPanel:

• Go to MySQL Databases.
• Under “Create New Database,” enter a name (e.g., mywebsite_db) and click Create Database.
• Scroll down to “MySQL Users” and create a new user with a strong password.
• Add that user to the database and check All Privileges.

Important: Take note of the database name, username, and password; you’ll need them in the next step.

6. Start the WordPress Installation Process

Open a new browser tab and visit your domain (e.g., www.yourdomain.com). You’ll land on the WordPress installation screen. Click Continue. Then click Let’s Go.

Now it’s time to fill in your database details:

• Database Name: Paste your saved database name.
• Username: Paste your database username.
• Password: Paste your database password.
• Database Host: Leave as localhost.
• Table Prefix: You can customize this for extra security.
• Click Submit.

7. Run the Installation

If everything’s set up correctly, you’ll see a message confirming the connection. Now:

• Click Run the Installation.
• Fill in your site details, such as site title, admin username, password, and email.

When ready, click Install WordPress.

8. Log In to Your New WordPress Site

Once installation is complete, you’ll see a success message.

• Click Log In.
• Enter your admin credentials.
• Welcome to your WordPress dashboard!

You can now start customizing your site, installing themes, and adding plugins.

Final Cleanup and Security Tips

Before you get too excited and start designing, take a few minutes to clean up and secure your site:

• Delete any leftover files (like ZIPs) in File Manager.
• Install a security plugin (like Wordfence or Sucuri).
• Set up SEO basics (Yoast SEO is a great start).
• Configure backups (UpdraftPlus is beginner-friendly).

Want an easier way next time? Check out our full tutorial on how to install WordPress using Softaculous for a simple one-click setup.