2 popular ways to install WordPress at HostGator:
- Standard WordPress Installer (this page)
- QuickInstall 1-Click Installer
- Fantastico 1-Click Installer
Standard Install — The traditional way to install WordPress. A brief overview of steps: first download the package, upload it to your host, configure the database and follow the installation process provided in the WordPress package.
QuickInstall — A custom 1-click installer built by HostGator. It is better supported and more up to date than Fantastico because it is maintained by HostGator.
Fantastico 1-click installer — Fantastico is a 3rd party 1-click installer that installs WordPress in a few easy steps. If you have the choice between using it or QuickInstall, use QuickInstall.
We hope you find this guide helpful. If you do, please share your HostGator experience with others by using the social buttons above and by leaving a HostGator review for others to learn from.
Watch install video or follow the steps below:
Before you begin, you will need:
- HostGator Account (Sign up)
- cPanel Username & Password
- DNS configured (Domain name pointed to HostGator Server)
Step 1: Download WordPress from WordPress.org

- Download the WordPress Package (.zip). Available here: http://wordpress.org/download/
*Note WordPress 3.2.1 was the latest version when this document was made. It is recommended to always use the newest version of WordPress.
Step 2: Go to HostGator cPanel

- Go to http://YOURDOMAIN.COM/cpanel.
- Log in to cPanel. Enter the username and password then click ‘Login’.
Step 3: Launch ‘File Manager’

- Click ‘File Manager’ which is under the “Files” section (Select “Web Root” in the dialogue box that appears after you click on ‘File Manager’. By default, the web root puts you into the ‘public_html’ folder which we will install to. Not pictured.).
Step 4: Use “File Manager” to upload WordPress Package

- Verify you are in the “public_html” folder (This is the top level folder).
- Click Upload. An upload window will pop out. In the upload window, click ‘Choose File’ or ‘Browse’. Select the WordPress Install Package (The ‘.ZIP’ file that was downloaded from WordPress.org) and click ‘Open’. (Not Pictured)
- Highlight uploaded Uploaded Package (Back in the File Manager, after using the upload window).
- Click ‘Extract’ (There should not be any extra files or folders in the directory you install to. EXCEPT the ‘cgi bin’ folder and/or the .htaccess file. Extra files could mess up WordPress).
- Double Click to open the newly created ‘wordpress’ folder.
*Optional – You can also upload the .Zip of WordPress already extracted via FTP. We recommend Filezilla FTP client software for this. Detailed instructions for this are outside the scope of this tutorial.
Step 5: Move Files to Root Directory

- Click ‘Select all’ while in the ‘wordpress’ directory.
- Click ‘Move File’, you will now see a pop up screen. In the popup screen, delete ‘wordpress’ after /public_html/ and click ‘Move File(s)’ (not pictured).
*Note this moves the WordPress installation to the main domain or ‘root directory’ of the website. If you want to keep the installation in a subfolder, you can simply leave folder and files the way they are or rename the ‘wordpress’ folder to any other name.
Step 6: Launch MySQL Database Configuration

- Click on ‘MySQL Databases’ after scrolling down to the “Databases” section in cPanel.
Step 7: Create MySQL Database and User

- Create a New Database by entering the name where it says ‘New Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our database is called ‘dropline_WORDPRESS’), then click ‘Create Database’.
- Create a New User by entering the username where it says ‘Username: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our username is ‘dropline_USER’), next enter the password, then click ‘Create User’.
- Add the USER to the DATABASE by selecting ‘User: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ to ‘Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com it is ‘User: dropline_USER’ to ‘Database: dropline_WORDPRESS’) and click ‘Add’.
- Check ‘All Privileges’ and click, ‘Make Changes’ (Not Pictured). STORE YOUR DATABASE, USERNAME AND PASSWORD in a safe place.
Step 8: Start the WordPress Install

- Go to http://YOURDOMAIN.com/wp-admin/install.php
- Click ‘Create a Configuration File’
*Note this checks to see if you have already created the wp-config.php file. If you have none, this screen will create the file for you.
Step 9: Gather your Database Information

- Click ‘Let’s go!’ after making sure you have your database information ready to go.
Step 10: Enter Database Information

- Enter your Database Name
- Enter your Database Username
- Enter your password
- Don’t change ‘Database Host’ or ‘Table Prefix’ unless you know what you’re doing. These settings work for a majority of people.
- Click ‘Submit’.
Step 11: Run the Install

- Click ‘Run the install’
Step 12: Configure WordPress Site Settings

- Enter your sites name. For us it is ‘Dropline Menu’. This is a human readable name for your site.
- Pick the WordPress administrator’s username. We went with the default which is ‘admin’. It’s better to picks a more secure username.
- Create a strong WordPress administrator password.
- Choose the administrator’s email. This is where the installation information will be sent on completion as well as the email that wordpress will send your forgotten password or username.
- Check ‘allow my site to appear in search engines like google and technorati’ to keep your site public and available to be found by search engines.
- Click ‘Install WordPress’
Step 13: WordPress Installation Completion

- Click ‘Log In’ to see the backend of your new WordPress installation
Step 14: Log In to WordPress

- Enter your administrator username and password for your WordPress site and click ‘Log In’. Also you can login by going to YOURDOMAIN.COM/WP-ADMIN for us it’s DROPLINEMENU.COM/WP-ADMIN.
Congratulations! You are ready to start using WordPress to develop your website! Just have your login information handy and you are set.
Step 15: Visit Your New WordPress Site

- Visit the “Frontend” of the site to make sure it is working properly by visiting it at YOURDOMAIN.COM (Ours was DROPLINEMENU.COM).
Other HostGator WordPress Install Methods:

Steven Johnson, a WP Hosting Reviews senior editor, works from Atlanta and covers all things related to WordPress and Hosting.
He graduated from Georgia Tech in Chemical Engineering, has managed hosting companies and now builds WordPress and Joomla Websites for small to medium companies full time.