Installing a WordPress plugin is very easy. Here are three different ways you can install a plugin in WordPress.
1. Through the Search option in the Plugins tab of your WP Admin Panel
With this method, you can only install plugins available in the WordPress Repository. These are plugins that follow GPL, and that are compliant with all of WordPress’s guidelines.
1.1 – After logging into your website’s WordPress Admin Panel, click on Plugins => Add New
1.2 – You will see a screen like the one in the screenshot below. Type in the plugin name or a keyword. WordPress will offer you a list of all plugins available for your search terms. Once you choose the one you want, simply click on the Install Now button.
1.3 – Once the plugin is installed, you can click on Activate to use the plugin. You can also activate the plugin later, from the Installed Plugin tab.
2. Uploading your plugin manually in the WP Dashboard =>
2.1 – To use this method, you first need to download your plugin from the original source. Make sure to retain the .zip format (many systems will automatically unzip your file, and move the original .zip file to the trash).
2.2 – Now head over to your WordPress Admin Panel and click on Plugin => Add New. You will now be offered the opportunity to upload the .zip file you have previously downloaded.
2.3 – Click on Choose file to select the .zip file on your computer. Press Enter to select and close the import window. Now click on Install Now.
2.4 – Once installed, don’t forget to Activate your plugin.
3. Installing the plugin using an FTP Client =>
3.1 – After downloading your plugin from the original source, unzip it. Using your FTP Client of choice, navigate to your WordPress install file and identify the wp-content folder. Inside it, locate the plugins folder.
3.2 – Upload your plugin folder into it. Your path will be something like ***/wp-content/plugins/
3.3 – Now Go to Plugins => Installed Plugins => to Activate your plugin (see point 2.4 above)
Note: Should you run into this issue “The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini” check out the WordPress Support Forum’s topic tag “upload_max_filesize” and follow the suggestions in it.