Install a Plugin on WordPress.com

Plugins are powerful tools designed to extend the functionality of your WordPress site. Developed by a vibrant community of individuals and companies, these add-ons can significantly enhance your website's capabilities. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of installing plugins on your WordPress.com website, ensuring you can leverage their full potential.

Before Installing a Plugin

Before proceeding with plugin installation, it's important to recognize that WordPress.com websites come equipped with a rich set of built-in features, often surpassing those found on a self-hosted WordPress site. This means that for many common functionalities, a separate plugin may not be necessary. We highly recommend reviewing the following list to confirm that the feature you require isn't already integrated into your site.

Features Included on All WordPress.com Sites

• Robust Security protection to safeguard your site from threats.
• Akismet (advanced anti-spam protection) to keep your comments and forms clean.
• Essential SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools to improve visibility.
• WordPress.com stats (our version of Google Analytics) for insightful visitor data.
• Global Content Delivery Network (CDN) for faster content delivery.
• Easy-to-use Contact forms for visitor communication.
• Email subscriptions to grow your audience.
• Advanced Commenting features, including comment likes, user mentions, and notifications.
• Rich Galleries, encompassing tiled galleries, slideshows, and more visual options.
• Dynamic Content Carousel to showcase your posts.
• Convenient Payment buttons for selling products or services.
• The Paid Content block to restrict access for paying subscribers.
• Integrated Social media sharing buttons to boost your content's reach.
• Donations features to support your projects.
• Effortless Exports for creating backups of your site’s content.
• Flexible Imports supporting many popular platforms for content migration.
• Seamless Infinite scroll for enhanced user experience.
• Intelligent Related posts suggestions to keep visitors engaged.
• User-friendly Likes functionality for content interaction.
• Versatile Embeds to display content from popular external platforms.
• Practical Event Countdown timers.
• Integration with Eventbrite Events.
• Interactive Polls to gather audience feedback.
• Quick Duplicate Posts & Pages functionality for efficient content creation.

Enhanced Features with WordPress.com Plans

By upgrading your site with a WordPress.com plan, you can unlock a multitude of additional powerful features tailored to specific needs:

Premium Plan

• All features included in the Personal plan.
• Advanced Google Analytics integration for in-depth visitor insights.
• Monetization through WordAds advertising.
• Convenient PayPal buttons for easy transactions.
• Direct Video uploads via VideoPress.
• Customizable CSS editor for design flexibility.
• Streamlined Appointment bookings functionality.
• The OpenTable block for restaurant reservations.

Business Plan

• All features included in the Personal & Premium plans.
• Comprehensive Advanced SEO tools to maximize search engine visibility.
• Automated site backups and convenient one-click restore capabilities.
• Dedicated Staging sites for testing changes safely.
• The ability to install plugins, significantly expanding site functionality.
• Freedom to upload third-party themes for unique designs.
• Option to add custom code (JavaScript, iframes, and more) for tailored functionality.
• Developer access via SFTP, SSH, and database access.

Furthermore, our Commerce plan includes all the above free and paid features, combined with everything essential for running a successful online store, providing a complete solution for e-commerce businesses.

While numerous third-party providers offer a wide array of WordPress services, it's crucial for WordPress.com site owners to be aware of the comprehensive features already integrated into their plans. Many functionalities commonly offered by external services such as Cloudflare, Sucuri, and others, including speed optimization, intelligent caching, advanced web analytics, robust security features, free SSL certificates, and a global Content Delivery Network (CDN), are already part of WordPress.com subscriptions. Therefore, before committing to any third-party service, we strongly advise verifying that the desired feature is not already available within your existing WordPress.com site plan.

How to Install a Plugin

Plugin installation is a powerful feature exclusive to WordPress.com sites equipped with the Business and Commerce plans, as well as legacy Pro plans. If you are on a Business plan, please ensure you have activated it to enable this functionality. Users with Free, Personal, or Premium plans will need to upgrade their plan to gain access to the plugin installation feature.

Once you have chosen the best plugin for your needs, you can seamlessly install it on your website by following the steps outlined below. These instructions assume you are using the standard WordPress.com dashboard interface.

1. Navigate to your website’s dashboard.
2. In the left-hand sidebar menu, click on Plugins to access the plugin management section.
3. You can browse popular plugins by scrolling down, or utilize the search box to locate a specific plugin by name or desired functionality.
4. Click on a plugin name to view its detailed page, which provides information on its features, operational mechanics, and configuration options.
5. Before installing, carefully review the following crucial information about the plugin to ensure compatibility and reliability:
   • Ratings: This reflects feedback from users who have previously installed the plugin. Consistently low ratings may suggest potential issues or a less than optimal user experience.
   • Last updated: A recent update date indicates active development and ongoing support, which is vital for security and compatibility. Avoid plugins that have not been updated for an extended period.
   • Active installations: A high number of active installations typically signifies a popular, well-tested, and widely supported plugin.
   • Tested up to: Verify that the plugin is compatible with the version of WordPress you are running. WordPress.com sites are automatically kept up-to-date with the latest WordPress version.
6. Once you are satisfied with your selection and have reviewed the plugin's details, click the "Install and activate" button to seamlessly integrate it into your site and make it immediately functional.

Install a Premium Plugin

WordPress.com offers a curated selection of carefully chosen premium plugins available through the WordPress.com Marketplace. These exclusive plugins are prominently featured on the Plugins page of your dashboard. To explore the full range of available premium plugins, click on the "Browse all" link.

To purchase and install any premium plugin from the WordPress.com marketplace, follow these steps:

1. Access your website’s dashboard.
2. From the left-hand sidebar, click on Plugins to navigate to the marketplace. If you are using the WP Admin interface, you can find the marketplace under Plugins in the left sidebar.
3. Select your desired premium plugin, or click "Browse all" to view the complete catalog of available premium plugins.
4. Before finalizing your choice, you can select your preferred billing cycle (monthly or annual) above the "Purchase and activate" button. Once ready, click this button to initiate the installation and activation process.

It is important to note that, similar to all WordPress.com subscriptions, any premium plugins you acquire can be conveniently managed from the Purchases section of your account. For more detailed information, please refer to our guide on how to manage your purchases.

Install a Plugin with a .zip File

Some plugins may not be listed in the standard plugin search results within your WordPress.com dashboard. In these situations, you can typically obtain the plugin directly from its developer's official website, often provided as a compressed .zip file. This method allows you to install plugins that are not available through the WordPress.com Marketplace or default search.

To install a plugin using a .zip file, follow these steps:

1. Go to your WordPress.com dashboard.
2. In the left-hand menu, click on Plugins.
3. At the top of the Plugins screen, look for the "Add New" button (or similar wording, depending on your interface style) and click it.
4. On the next screen, you should see an "Upload Plugin" button. Click this button.
5. Click "Choose File" and navigate to the .zip file of the plugin you downloaded from the developer's website. Select the file.
6. Click "Install Now" to upload and install the plugin.
7. Once the installation is complete, click "Activate Plugin" to make it active on your site.

Install a Plugin via SFTP

For advanced users or specific development requirements, plugins can also be installed directly through the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). This method grants direct access to your site's underlying file system, enabling the manual upload and management of plugin directories. SFTP is particularly advantageous for tasks such as troubleshooting plugin conflicts, installing unusually large plugins that might time out during standard uploads, or when alternative dashboard installation methods are unavailable. Utilizing SFTP requires an SFTP client (like FileZilla or Cyberduck) and familiarity with your site's unique SFTP credentials.