DirectAdmin tutorials
How to Install WordPress on DirectAdmin: App Installer and Manual Methods
By ProWebHosting team. Published 13 September 2026. 10 min read.
To install WordPress on DirectAdmin, either open the app installer in your DirectAdmin account, choose WordPress, fill in the site title and admin details and click install, or do it manually: download WordPress from wordpress.org, upload and extract it into public_html with File Manager, create a database under MySQL Management, then open your domain in a browser and complete the five-minute setup wizard.
WordPress runs on most websites in Pakistan for a reason: it is free, it has themes for every kind of business and it installs in minutes on any DirectAdmin account. This guide shows both routes. The app installer takes about three minutes and suits almost everyone. The manual route takes about fifteen and is worth knowing so you understand what the installer does for you.
Before you start
You need three things: a DirectAdmin login, a domain that is either already pointed at your hosting or that you are happy to install on before pointing, and a decision about where WordPress will live. Most sites install at the root of the domain so the home page is https://yourdomain.pk. If you are adding a blog to an existing site, install into a folder such as /blog instead.
- Turn on free SSL first. Go to Account Manager, then SSL Certificates, and request a Let's Encrypt certificate. Installing WordPress on https from the start avoids fixing mixed-content warnings later.
- Check the PHP version under Account Manager, then PHP Settings. Current WordPress releases list their supported PHP versions on wordpress.org; pick a current, supported version.
- Make sure the account has a spare database. Our Promotional plan includes 5 databases and each WordPress site needs one. See the hosting plans page for the other tiers.
Route 1: the app installer (about three minutes)
Every ProWebHosting plan includes a one-click app installer for WordPress. Depending on the server, it is either DirectAdmin's built-in WordPress Manager under Advanced Features, or a third-party installer listed under Extra Features. The form is nearly identical in both, so the steps below apply to either.
Installing WordPress with the app installer
- 1
Open the installer
Log in to DirectAdmin and open the app installer in your DirectAdmin account. Choose WordPress from the list of applications and click the install or create option.
- 2
Choose the location
Select your domain and choose https as the protocol. Leave the directory field empty to install at the root of the domain, or type a folder name such as blog to install in a subfolder.
- 3
Set the site title and admin login
Enter a site title (you can change it later), an admin username that is not "admin", a long password and your email address. The email is where WordPress sends password resets, so use one you check.
- 4
Let the installer create the database
The installer creates a database and database user for you automatically. You do not need to open MySQL Management. If it offers a choice, let it create a new database rather than reusing one.
- 5
Click install and wait
The installer downloads the current WordPress release, unpacks it, writes wp-config.php and runs the setup. It usually finishes in under a minute and shows you the site URL and the admin URL.
- 6
Log in to WordPress
Open https://yourdomain.pk/wp-admin and sign in with the username and password you chose. You are done; skip ahead to the first settings section.
The installer route has one more advantage: the app installer keeps a record of the installation, so later you can reset the admin password, update the database connection or remove the site from the same screen.
Route 2: manual install (about fifteen minutes)
The manual method is what the installer automates. It is useful when an installer is not available, when you want a specific WordPress version, or when you are restoring a site from another host and want full control. There are four parts: download, upload, database, and the setup wizard.
Step A: download WordPress
Go to wordpress.org and download the latest release as a .zip file. Do not download WordPress from any other site; unofficial copies sometimes contain malware. The archive is a folder called wordpress containing all the files.
Step B: upload and extract with File Manager
Getting the files onto the server
- 1
Open File Manager
In DirectAdmin go to System Info & Files, then File Manager. Navigate to domains, then your domain, then public_html. This folder is the root of your website.
- 2
Remove placeholder files
A new account usually has a default index.html or similar placeholder in public_html. Delete it so it does not take priority over WordPress.
- 3
Upload the zip
Use the upload action in File Manager and select the wordpress .zip file from your computer. Uploading the archive is much faster than uploading thousands of individual files.
- 4
Extract it
Select the uploaded zip and choose the extract action. You will now have a folder called wordpress inside public_html.
- 5
Move the contents up one level
Open the wordpress folder, select all its contents and move them into public_html, so that wp-config-sample.php and wp-admin sit directly in public_html. Then delete the empty wordpress folder and the zip file.
Step C: create a database in MySQL Management
Creating the database and user
- 1
Open MySQL Management
Go to Account Manager, then MySQL Management, and click Create new Database.
- 2
Fill in the form
Enter a short database name, a database username and a strong password. DirectAdmin adds your account username as a prefix, so a database called wp becomes something like youruser_wp, and the user becomes youruser_wp as well. Note the full prefixed names.
- 3
Save the three values
Copy the full database name, the full database username and the password into a safe place. The WordPress wizard asks for all three in the next step. The database host is localhost.
Step D: run the WordPress setup wizard
Finishing the install in your browser
- 1
Open your domain
Visit https://yourdomain.pk in a browser. WordPress detects that it is not configured and shows the setup screen. Choose your language.
- 2
Enter the database details
Type the full database name, username and password from MySQL Management. Leave the database host as localhost and the table prefix as wp_ unless you have a reason to change it. WordPress writes wp-config.php for you.
- 3
Create the admin account
Enter a site title, an admin username that is not "admin", a strong password and your email address. Leave "Discourage search engines" unticked unless the site is not ready to be found.
- 4
Log in
Click Install WordPress, then log in at https://yourdomain.pk/wp-admin. The site is live.
If the wizard cannot write wp-config.php, it shows the file contents for you to create manually. Open File Manager, create a new file called wp-config.php in public_html, paste the contents and save. Then reload the wizard.
First settings after installing
- Settings, then General: confirm both the WordPress Address and Site Address start with https:// and match your domain exactly.
- Settings, then Permalinks: choose "Post name". This gives readable URLs and matters for search engines. DirectAdmin's Apache setup supports the .htaccess rules WordPress writes.
- Dashboard, then Updates: apply any core, theme or plugin updates before you add content.
- Delete the sample post, sample page and unused default themes. Fewer files means fewer things to update.
- Set the timezone to Asia/Karachi under Settings, then General, so scheduled posts and logs use Pakistan time.
- Install a caching plugin. On shared hosting, caching is the single biggest speed win, and it reduces the CPU your account uses.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Error establishing a database connection" | Wrong database name, user or password, or missing prefix | Re-check the full prefixed names in MySQL Management and edit wp-config.php in File Manager |
| Site loads at /wordpress/ instead of the domain | Files left inside the extracted subfolder | Move everything up into public_html |
| Page shows the hosting placeholder | Default index.html still present | Delete index.html from public_html |
| Pages other than home give 404 | Permalinks saved but .htaccess missing or not writable | Re-save Permalinks; check .htaccess exists in public_html |
| Browser warns "not secure" | SSL not issued, or site address set to http | Issue Let's Encrypt under SSL Certificates; set both addresses to https in Settings |
| Plugin needs a newer PHP | Account on an older PHP version | Change it under Account Manager, then PHP Settings |
When something breaks and the cause is not obvious, the error log under System Info & Files, then Site Summary / Statistics / Logs usually names the file and line. For anything database related, our MySQL and phpMyAdmin guide shows how to inspect the database directly.
Need hosting that just works?
Would rather we install it? Every ProWebHosting plan includes help getting your first WordPress site running; message us on WhatsApp with your domain and we will set it up.
Frequently asked questions
Does DirectAdmin have a one-click WordPress installer?
Yes. Depending on the server, DirectAdmin offers its own WordPress Manager under Advanced Features or a third-party app installer under Extra Features. Every ProWebHosting plan includes an app installer for WordPress.
Is the manual WordPress install better than the app installer?
No, both produce the same WordPress. The installer is faster and keeps a record for later maintenance; the manual method gives you control over the exact version and files. Use the installer unless you have a specific reason not to.
What database host should I enter for WordPress on DirectAdmin?
Enter localhost. The database runs on the same server as your website, and DirectAdmin databases are reachable at localhost with the prefixed database name and user from MySQL Management.
Why does my new WordPress site show at yourdomain.pk/wordpress/?
The files are still inside the wordpress folder that the zip extracted to. Move the contents of that folder up into public_html using File Manager and delete the empty folder.
Can I install more than one WordPress site on one DirectAdmin account?
Yes, as long as your plan includes enough databases and addon domains or subdomains. Each site needs its own database and its own folder. The Advanced plan includes 15 databases and 5 addon domains, for example.
Do I need to create a database if I use the app installer?
No. The app installer creates the database and database user for you and writes them into wp-config.php. You only create a database yourself in MySQL Management when installing manually.
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