How to Install WordPress CMS Manually Using cPanel

Overview

This tutorial demonstrates the complete five-step manual process for installing WordPress CMS on a live web hosting server via cPanel. Starting with downloading the official WordPress core archive directly from wordpress.org, the guide walks through accessing File Manager, uploading the compressed archive, extracting the core files, and moving them out of the subfolder into the website's root directory.

Introduction and 5-Step Overview

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The tutorial outlines five fundamental steps required to manually deploy WordPress on a web host using cPanel: downloading the core WordPress files, uploading and placing them on the server, creating a MySQL database, configuring a MySQL database user with appropriate privileges, and completing the WordPress web-based installer setup.

• Manual WordPress installation gives direct control over server file placement and database configuration.
• The five key steps include downloading files, uploading to server, creating a database, creating a database user, and running the installer.

Step 1: Downloading WordPress Core Files

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Navigate to the official WordPress website at wordpress.org and click 'Get WordPress'. Download the latest version of the core archive (version 6.1.1 in the video) as a zip file to your local computer desktop.

• Download WordPress exclusively from the official site (wordpress.org).
• Save the compressed .zip archive to an easily accessible local directory such as the Desktop.

Step 2: Uploading and Extracting Files in cPanel File Manager

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Log into your cPanel dashboard and open 'File Manager'. Navigate into 'public_html' or the target subdomain folder (e.g., public_html/blog.bentechs.com). Click 'Upload' and drag the downloaded WordPress zip archive onto the upload window. Once the progress bar reaches 100%, return to the directory, right-click the zip archive, and extract it. Open the newly extracted 'wordpress' folder, select all files and subfolders, and move them up into the parent target directory so they sit in the website's root. Afterwards, permanently delete the empty 'wordpress' folder and the uploaded zip archive to save server storage.

• Files must reside directly inside the root directory of the domain or subdomain, not inside an extra 'wordpress' subfolder.
• Extract the archive on the server and use the 'Move' function in File Manager to relocate contents.
• Delete the original zip archive and empty folder after extraction to keep the server clean.

Step 3: Creating a MySQL Database

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Return to the main cPanel tools menu and select 'MySQL Databases' under the Databases section. In the 'Create New Database' field, enter a database name suffix (e.g., 'blg', resulting in 'bentechs_blg' with the hosting account prefix). Click 'Create Database' and record the full database name in a text document for reference.

• Databases in cPanel prepend the cPanel account username as a prefix.
• Record the exact database name into a text document for the WordPress configuration step.

Step 4: Creating a Database User and Assigning Privileges

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Under 'MySQL Users' -> 'Add New User', enter a username suffix (e.g., 'blog' to create 'bentechs_blog'). Use the cPanel Password Generator to create a strong, 100% strength password. Copy and record this password in your text document, then click 'Use Password' and 'Create User'. Scroll down to 'Add User To Database', select the newly created user and database, and click 'Add'. In the privileges window, check 'ALL PRIVILEGES', uncheck 'DROP' for security hardening as recommended in the video, and click 'Make Changes'.

• Generate a strong 100% password using the built-in password generator and save it locally.
• Users must be explicitly linked to the database using 'Add User To Database'.
• Unchecking 'DROP' privilege prevents malicious or accidental database table dropping.

Step 5: Executing the WordPress Web Installer

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Open a new browser tab and navigate to the target domain or subdomain URL (e.g., blog.bentechs.com). WordPress will automatically detect the core files and load the configuration wizard. Choose your preferred language (e.g., English United States) and click 'Continue'. On the welcome screen, click 'Let's go!' and enter the recorded database connection details: Database Name (bentechs_blg), Username (bentechs_blog), Password, Database Host (localhost), and Table Prefix (wp_). Click 'Submit' and then 'Run the installation'. Complete the site information form with your Site Title, WordPress Admin Username, Admin Password, and Email Address. Click 'Install WordPress', then log into the admin dashboard at /wp-login.php.

• Navigating to the domain initiates the WordPress web installer setup-config.php.
• Keep localhost as the Database Host and wp_ as the Table Prefix unless specific custom settings are required.
• Distinguish between database user credentials (used for MySQL connection) and WordPress admin credentials (used for logging into /wp-admin).