WordPress is the world’s most widely used content management system: it is used to build blogs, company websites, portfolios and, with WooCommerce, online shops. It takes just a few minutes to install on good hosting, and you don’t need to know how to code.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what you need for the installation, how to install WordPress with a single click or manually, what to configure straight after installation, and what to do if something isn’t working.

What do you need for WordPress?

Domain name. This is your website’s address, for example cegnev.hu. If you don’t have one yet, you can check whether it’s available using the domain search tool. The domain’s A record (or name servers) must point to your hosting account; otherwise, the site won’t be accessible after installation, and the SSL certificate won’t be issued either.

Hosting that meets WordPress’s requirements:

Requirements	Recommended
PHP	Version 8.3 or later
Database	MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or later
HTTPS	Free Let’s Encrypt certificate
PHP memory	At least 256 MB; 512 MB with add-ons and an online shop
Storage	1–5 GB for an average website

All three of aWh’s shared hosting plans are suitable for WordPress:

• WordPress hosting: with WP Toolkit, which lets you install, update and set up a staging environment with a single click; from €13.06 per year.
• cPanel hosting: also includes WP Toolkit and daily JetBackup backups; from €19.58 per year.
• Web hosting: with KeyHelp control panel and application installer; from €6.53 per year.

Prices are exclusive of VAT. We have a separate guide on choosing WordPress hosting.

WordPress.org or WordPress.com? This guide is about the WordPress.org software, which you install on your own hosting and over which you have complete control. WordPress.com is a service where WordPress is hosted by the company; it is simpler, but plugins and customisation are limited depending on your subscription plan.

Method 1: One-click installation

WP Toolkit (aWh cPanel and WordPress hosting)

1. Log in to cPanel and open the ‘WordPress Management’ menu item in the left-hand menu (or under the ‘Domains’ section); this is the WP Toolkit.
2. Click on the ‘Install WordPress’ button.
3. In the ‘Installation path’ section, select the https protocol and the domain, and leave the ‘directory’ field blank if WordPress is to be installed in the root of the domain.
4. Enter the website address, the WordPress admin’s username (the suggested random name is fine, just make sure it isn’t admin), the password (the ‘Generate’ button creates a strong one) and your own email address. The website language is set to Hungarian by default.
5. Click the ‘Install’ button. It’ll be ready in a minute or two: the installer will create the database and apply the basic security settings, and you can log in straight away using the ‘Log in’ button in the WP Toolkit.

The steps are also illustrated with images in the WP Toolkites article on installing WordPress.

KeyHelp application installer (aWh web hosting)

On the KeyHelp interface, under the ‘Applications’ menu, click the ‘Install’ button in the WordPress section and select your domain. By default, the installer suggests a subdirectory named wordpress/: if you want the site to be accessible directly via the domain, clear this field. Replace the pre-filled ‘admin’ username and enter your own email address. The installer creates the database automatically and generates a password: you’ll find this on the summary page after installation. An overview of the interface is included in our KeyHelp getting started guide.

Video: WordPress telepítése WP Toolkit segítségével cPanel szerveren (aWh, in Hungarian)

Method 2: Manual installation

This is useful if your hosting provider doesn’t offer an automatic installer, or if you want complete control.

1. Creating a database

In cPanel, under the MySQL Database Wizard menu item:

1. Create a database (for example, felhasznalo_wp).
2. Create a database user with a strong password.
3. Assign the user to the database with all privileges (ALL PRIVILEGES).
4. Make a note of the database name, username and password.

The steps are described in the article on creating a MySQL database and user.

2. Uploading files

1. Download the latest version of WordPress from hu.wordpress.org (the Hungarian version comes with the translation included).
2. In cPanel’s File Manager, navigate to the public_html folder, upload the ZIP file and extract it. If the files have been placed in a wordpress subfolder, move its contents to the root of the public_html folder.
3. You can also upload the extracted files via FTP (for example, using FileZilla over SFTP). We have a separate guide on uploading files via FTP.

3. Running the installer

Open your domain in your browser. The WordPress installer will ask:

• the database name, username and password,
• the database server (usually localhost on shared hosting),
• the table prefix (it’s worth choosing a custom one instead of the default wp_).

The installer uses these to create the wp-config.php file. Then just enter the site name and the administrator’s details, and you’re done. The manual installation process is also described in the article on installing WordPress manually.

First steps after installation

1. HTTPS: check on the Settings › General page that the WordPress and website addresses https://-sel begin with ‘https’, and enable the HTTPS redirect on your hosting account.
2. Permalinks: Under Settings › Permalinks, select the ‘Post name’ option to ensure your URLs are descriptive (cegnev.hu/rolunk instead of ?p=123). Do this before publishing your first posts.
3. Time zone and language: Budapest, Hungarian.
4. Delete sample content: the ‘Hello World!’ post, the sample page and any unused themes and plugins.
5. Visibility: whilst the site is under construction, you can request that search engines do not index it under Settings › Reading; don’t forget to turn this off when the site goes live.
6. Security: strong passwords, two-factor authentication for admin accounts, and only plugins from trusted sources. Our WordPress security checklist brings together the most important settings.
7. Updates: enable automatic installation of minor updates, and test major updates first; the WP Toolkit can help with this too (for example, with the Smart Update feature).
8. Backups: daily backups are performed on aWh’s cPanel and WordPress hosting plans; for information on WordPress’s own backup system, see the article on WordPress backups.
9. Plugins: only install the ones you really need. Our plugin guide explains which ones are the most important.

Video: WordPress alapvető beállításai WP Toolkit segítségével (aWh, in Hungarian)

Common errors

• “Error establishing a database connection”: incorrect database name, username, password or server specified in the wp-config.php file, or the user is not assigned to the database. We have a separate article on the causes of and how to fix database connection errors.
• White screen: either a PHP error in a plugin or template, or insufficient PHP memory. See the article on what to do about the White Screen of Death (WSOD).
• The site is not displaying WordPress: there is an old index.html file left in the public_html folder, which takes precedence; please delete or rename it.
• The padlock isn’t showing: either the certificate hasn’t been issued yet (the domain must point to the hosting), or the WordPress address http://.
• File upload limit: if a template or large image cannot be uploaded, increase the upload_max_filesize value; the article on changing the maximum upload size (upload_max_filesize) explains how to do this.

Summary

Installing WordPress on a good hosting service takes just a few clicks using WP Toolkit or the KeyHelp installer, or a few minutes if done manually: database, file upload, installer. Set aside an hour for post-installation configuration (HTTPS, permalinks, security, backups, updates), and your site will be off to a solid start.

Check out our WordPress hosting plans

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to install WordPress?

It takes 2–5 minutes with the one-click installer, or 10–20 minutes if done manually. Setting up the domain and SSL may take a few minutes or (if the domain is being transferred now) a few hours.

Is WordPress free?

Yes, WordPress is open-source, free software. You have to pay for the domain and hosting, and there may be paid themes and plugins.

Do you need programming skills to install it?

No. Anyone can install it using a one-click installer, and no programming is required for day-to-day content management either.

Can I install multiple WordPress sites on a single hosting account?

Yes, if the plan allows for multiple domains or subdomains, each one will be placed in its own directory and have its own database. You can also install it in a subdirectory (for example, cegnev.hu/blog).

How do I install it in Hungarian?

In the installer, select Hungarian, or if you’re installing manually, download WordPress from hu.wordpress.org. You can also change this later under Settings › General.

Which version of PHP do you need?

WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or later. PHP 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 are available on aWh’s hosting plans, whilst older versions are also available on cPanel hosting plans if required by an older plugin.

Should I choose automatic or manual installation?

If you’re a beginner, go for the automatic option: it’s quicker, and the installer helps with updates and backups too. Manual installation is useful if there’s no installer available, or if you need to make custom settings.

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