The WordPress Manager is an indispensable utility designed to streamline the management of all your WordPress installations from a centralized location. It empowers users to modify various settings for their WordPress sites efficiently, eliminating the need to log into the WordPress admin panel for routine tasks.
Note: This powerful feature was introduced in Softaculous version 5.6.1.
Accessing WordPress Manager
There are two convenient methods to access the WordPress Manager and take control of your WordPress sites:
From your Softaculous enduser panel, simply click on the "WordPress" icon, which is typically found in the upper right corner of the interface. This provides quick access to the manager for a holistic view of your installations.
Alternatively, if you are on the All Installations page, you can access the WordPress Manager directly by clicking the "WordPress" icon located next to the specific WordPress installation you wish to manage.
Install WordPress
Installing a new WordPress site through the manager is a straightforward process, designed for ease of use:
Initiate the installation by clicking the dedicated Install button.
Proceed to fill out the comprehensive installation form. Here, you will specify crucial details such as the desired protocol (HTTP/HTTPS), domain name, installation directory, database name, preferred administrator login credentials, and the site's language. The form will look similar to the example provided below.
During this stage, you are also given the option to pre-select any additional plugins that you would like to have installed automatically with your new WordPress site.
Upon successful completion of the installation process, Softaculous will promptly provide you with direct links to your newly established WordPress installation.
Clicking on these convenient links will redirect you, based on your choice, either to the main public-facing page of your website or directly to the WordPress admin homepage.
Auto Login to WordPress Admin Panel
For enhanced convenience and streamlined workflow, the WordPress Manager offers an auto-login feature. Simply click the "Login" button located adjacent to your site's URL. This functionality enables you to automatically access your WordPress administration panel as an administrator, completely bypassing the need to manually enter your password.
Upgrade Installation
Maintaining an up-to-date WordPress installation is paramount for ensuring optimal security, performance, and access to the latest features. If an update is available for your WordPress installation, a prominent "Upgrade Now" button will be displayed next to the current version number. Clicking this button will initiate a seamless upgrade process, guiding you through each step.
Auto Upgrade Core Settings
The WordPress Manager provides flexible and customizable options for managing automatic updates to the WordPress core software:
- Do not Auto Upgrade: Select this option if you prefer to retain full manual control over all WordPress core updates.
- Upgrade to Minor versions only: This setting ensures that your WordPress core will only receive updates for minor releases (e.g., version 5.5.1 will be updated to subsequent 5.5.x versions, but not to a major release like 5.6.x).
- Upgrade to latest version available (Major as well as Minor): Choosing this option will automatically update your WordPress core to the very latest available version, encompassing both minor maintenance releases and major feature updates (e.g., 5.5.1 will update to 5.5.x versions and then to 5.6.x when such a major version becomes available).
Once you have selected your preferred auto-upgrade setting, it will be saved automatically, and a confirmation message will appear to indicate success.
Auto Upgrade Plugins/Themes Settings
You have granular control over the automatic upgrade behavior for both your WordPress plugins and themes. By enabling auto-upgrade for plugins or themes, the system will perform checks for available updates once every 24 hours and apply them automatically. To activate or deactivate this feature, simply toggle the "Enable/Disable" button, and your preference will be saved, accompanied by a success message.
Enable/Disable Search Engine Visibility
Manage your website's visibility to search engines directly from the WordPress Manager. This setting, which mirrors the functionality found in WordPress's Reading options, is particularly useful during development phases. If you are working on a development site, cloning a live site, or if your website is not yet complete, you can disable this setting to prevent search engines from indexing it prematurely. When your site is ready for public exposure, simply enable this setting. Toggle the "Enable/Disable" button to save your choice, and a success notification will confirm the change.
Enable/Disable WordPress CRON
WordPress features a default CRON job mechanism that automates various scheduled tasks across your site. However, on very large websites, this default `wp-cron` behavior can sometimes lead to considerable consumption of server resources. The WordPress Manager provides the flexibility to enable or disable this `wp-cron` setting as required. Simply click the "Enable/Disable" button to apply your preference, and a success message will confirm the alteration.
Enable/Disable WordPress Debug Mode
The WordPress debug mode, which is initially disabled, is an invaluable diagnostic tool when you encounter issues on your website. Activating it can help pinpoint the exact cause of problems by displaying error messages and warnings. You can conveniently enable or disable debug mode directly from the Softaculous WordPress Manager. After toggling the "Enable/Disable" button, your preference will be saved, and a success message will confirm the change.
Note: For the security and performance of your live production site, it is strongly recommended to disable debug mode once you have finished the debugging process. Leaving it enabled can potentially expose sensitive information.
Change Website URL
Should you need to update your website's URL, the Softaculous WordPress Manager offers a simple and effective solution. This feature is particularly useful if you have inadvertently changed your site URL within the WordPress admin panel to an invalid address, which might lock you out. To correct or modify the URL, simply enter the new "Website URL" value into the designated field and click the "Save Site Info" button. The updated URL will be automatically reflected in your WordPress database, restoring access if necessary.
Change Site Name
You can effortlessly update your website's name directly from the Softaculous WordPress Manager. To do so, enter the new "Site Name" value into the provided field and then click the "Save Site Info" button. The updated site name will be automatically applied and saved within your WordPress database.
Change Password
If you've forgotten a password for any user account on your WordPress site, or if you simply need to reset a user's password, the Softaculous WordPress Manager provides a convenient utility for this purpose:
Begin by accessing the Manage Users Utility within the WordPress Manager.
From the list, select the desired Username for which you want to change the password, then enter the New Password you wish to assign to that user.
Manage Plugins
Installed Plugins
The "Installed" section provides a comprehensive and organized list of all plugins currently installed on your WordPress installation. From this centralized view, you can easily activate, deactivate, or delete plugins as needed to manage your site's functionality and performance effectively.
Add Plugins
The "Add Plugins" section offers a convenient way to expand your site's capabilities by allowing you to search for and install any plugin available from the official wordpress.org repository. Plugins selected through this intuitive feature are automatically activated immediately upon installation, ensuring seamless integration.
Upload Plugin
For plugins not readily available on wordpress.org, or for custom-developed plugins, the "Upload Plugin" section provides a straightforward method for installation. You can easily install such plugins by simply uploading their corresponding zip files directly to your WordPress installation.
Manage Themes
Installed Themes
Within the "Installed" section, you will find a complete and categorized list of all themes currently installed on your WordPress installation. This area empowers you to efficiently activate, deactivate, or delete themes, giving you comprehensive control over your site's visual appearance and design.
Add Themes
The "Add Themes" section streamlines the process of customizing your site's look by allowing you to easily search for and install any theme available from the extensive wordpress.org theme directory. When a new theme is installed via this method, it is automatically activated, effectively replacing any previously active theme and instantly updating your site's design.
Upload Theme
For custom themes or those not readily available on wordpress.org, the "Upload Theme" section provides a straightforward and efficient method for installation. You can easily install such themes by simply uploading their corresponding zip files directly to your WordPress installation.
Add User
Do you need to expand your team by adding new users with specific roles, such as Editors or Authors, to your blog? The Softaculous WordPress Manager includes a robust, built-in tool specifically designed for easily adding WordPress users with various predefined roles:
Begin by navigating to the Manage Users Utility within the WordPress Manager interface.
Click on the "Add user" tab to access the comprehensive user creation form.
From the available options, select the appropriate User role for the new account and then fill in all the required details, including a username, email address, and a strong password.
Finally, click the "Add user" button. The new user will be successfully created and added to your WordPress site with the specified role.
Install Featured Plugins
The Softaculous team has diligently developed a comprehensive suite of essential WordPress plugins, each designed to significantly enhance various aspects of your WordPress website. These powerful tools cover critical areas such as Security, reliable Backups, robust SEO optimization, efficient Cache management, intuitive Page building, seamless SMTP integration, versatile File Management, and a feature-rich theme boasting over 600 professionally designed templates.
A significant benefit for Softaculous users is that the Pro versions of these highly valuable plugins and themes are included as part of your Softaculous license. Therefore, if you or your hosting provider has already purchased an active Softaculous license, you can enjoy the full premium features of these plugins at absolutely no additional cost.
To conveniently install these featured plugins across your WordPress installations, please follow these simple steps:
Open Softaculous from within your control panel interface.
Click on "WordPress Manager" to access its dashboard.
Select all the WordPress installations where you wish to deploy these plugins, then click on the Featured Plugins button.
Locate and click the Install button next to each specific plugin you want to install. The selected plugins will then be automatically installed across all the WordPress installations you chose in the previous step.
Select WordPress Installations and click on Featured Plugins button
Click on Install button to install the plugins you wish to use
Note: A unique license key, beginning with "SOFTWP-", will be automatically generated for each WordPress site. This license will provide access to all the aforementioned Pro plugins, and its validity is seamlessly synchronized with your main Softaculous license expiry date.
The development team is continuously working to enhance the WordPress Manager, and future versions are anticipated to introduce even more advanced features and functionalities, further simplifying WordPress site administration and maintenance.
