Upload a WordPress Plugin using cPanel little bit different than using WordPress admin dashboard. While you have a paid theme or plugin you should need to upload using admin area or cPanel file manager. Also, you’ll use other third-party tools such as FileZilla.
Here in this step-by-step guide will help you how to upload a WordPress plugin using cPanel file manager. By installing a plugin using cPanel it’s same as Installing the WordPress theme.
- Install a WordPress theme | Using cPanel
- Install a WordPress plugin | Admin Panel | Upload
How to upload a WordPress Plugin using cPanel
First of all, you need to log on to your web hosting account dashboard. Select and open the File Manager
On the next screen, it displays all file on your web hosting server. Open the Publi_html folder.

Public_html folder is a root folder for all your domains. once you open the folder, it contains the WordPress site files and folders. Open the wp-content folder. The content folder contains plugins, themes, and uploads. Select and open the Plugins folder.

It contains all the installed plugins on your WordPress site. Now you need to upload your plugin. Click on the Upload button for uploading the plugin.

Select the file or simply drag and drop there. The uploading was automatically started when you place the file. Make sure the Maximum file allowed for upload is greater than your upload file.

Once the file is uploaded, Now you need to extract the .zip formatted file. Select the uploaded file and then choose Extract button.

After completion of extracting, just reload the file manager and you’ll there is a folder named as what uploaded file contains. Here you’ll see I’m uploading the optinmonster.zip then folder creates optinmonster.

Yeah.! Now you’re ready to activate the plugin by going to your WordPress admin dashboard and select Plugins » Installed Plugins and activate the plugin.

Now you’re done. Once the plugin is activated you’re ready to use it. 🙂
If you like this article, please share to more people. Any queries while uploading a theme or plugin using cPanel, let me know in the comments.!