How to Install WordPress with One Click

Softaculous ships with every NexzaHost plan and installs WordPress properly — database created, salts generated, file permissions set — in less time than a manual install takes to download.

Install it

1. Open the installer

In cPanel, scroll to Software and open Softaculous Apps Installer. WordPress is the first entry under Blogs. Click Install Now.

2. Choose protocol and domain

Set the protocol to https:// if your SSL certificate is already active, and pick your domain from the list. Leave the In Directory field empty — this is the single most common mistake. If you leave the default wp in that box, your site installs at yourdomain.com/wp instead of yourdomain.com.

3. Set the site name and admin account

Enter your site name and tagline; both are editable later. For the admin account:

• Choose a username that is not admin, administrator, or your domain name. Automated login attacks try those first, every day, on every WordPress site on the internet.
• Use the generated password rather than inventing one, and save it to a password manager.
• Use a real email address you can access — it is the only way to reset the password.

4. Pick a plugin set, then install

Softaculous offers optional plugins. Accept a caching plugin if one is offered; skip the rest and add what you need later. Deselect any automatic theme install unless you specifically want it. Click Install and wait for the confirmation screen, which shows your site URL and admin URL.

Right after installing

A fresh WordPress install is not a finished one. Five minutes now saves a lot later.

• Set permalinks. Settings > Permalinks > Post name. The default URL format contains query strings and is bad for both readers and search engines.
• Delete what you are not using. Remove the sample page, the Hello World post, and every theme and plugin you will not use. Unused plugins still receive security vulnerabilities.
• Run AutoSSL if you have not. Security > SSL/TLS Status in cPanel, then set both URLs under Settings > General to https://.
• Turn on automatic updates for minor core releases and for plugins you trust.
• Set the site title and timezone under Settings > General, so scheduled posts publish when you expect.

If something goes wrong

• "Error establishing a database connection" immediately after install usually means the install was interrupted. Delete the installation in Softaculous and run it again rather than trying to repair it.
• The site installed in a subfolder. You left the In Directory field filled. The quickest fix is to remove the installation in Softaculous and reinstall with that field empty.
• You cannot reach `/wp-admin`. Clear your browser cache and try a private window. If a security plugin has locked you out, message support — we can disable plugins from the filesystem to get you back in.

Our LiteSpeed servers pair well with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, which is free and noticeably faster than the general-purpose alternatives on this stack. It is worth installing before you start building.