How to Install XAMPP and WordPress on Windows Localhost

Setting up a local WordPress environment on your Windows system is an essential step for developers, bloggers, and designers. By creating a local WordPress site, you can experiment with themes, plugins, and site features before deploying changes to your live website. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to install XAMPP and WordPress on your Windows localhost. Let’s get started!

 

 

What Is XAMPP?

XAMPP is an open-source software that allows you to create a local server environment. It includes:

• Apache: The web server.
• MariaDB/MySQL: The database.
• PHP & Perl: Server-side scripting languages.

Using XAMPP on your local machine helps streamline the web development process.

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing XAMPP

Step 1: Download XAMPP

1. Visit the official XAMPP website: https://www.apachefriends.org.
2. Click on the Download button for Windows.
3. Select the PHP version you want to install. For WordPress, choose a version that meets the WordPress requirements.

Step 2: Install XAMPP              

1. Once the download is complete, open the installer.
2. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes.
3. In the installation wizard:
   • Select Components: Keep Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin checked. Additional components can be deselected unless needed.
   • Installation Directory: Use the default path (e.g., C:\xampp), or choose your preferred location.
   • Click Next and wait for the installation to complete.
4. Launch XAMPP Control Panel by checking the box at the final step of the installer.

Step 3: Start the Apache and MySQL Services

1. Open the XAMPP Control Panel.
2. Start the Apache and MySQL modules by clicking their respective Start buttons.
   • Green indicators signify that the services are running.

Troubleshooting

If Apache fails to start:

• Check if another service is using port 80. Adjust the port settings by editing the httpd.conf file in the C:\xampp\apache\conf folder.

 

Setting Up WordPress

Step 1: Download WordPress

1. Visit the official WordPress website: https://wordpress.org/download/.
2. Click Download WordPress to get the latest version.
3. Extract the downloaded .zip file to reveal the WordPress folder.

Step 2: Create a Database for WordPress

1. In the XAMPP Control Panel, click Admin next to MySQL to open phpMyAdmin.
2. Click New in the left sidebar to create a new database.
3. Enter a name for your database (e.g., wordpress_local) and select utf8_general_ci as the collation.
4. Click Create.

Step 3: Move WordPress Files

1. Copy the extracted WordPress folder.
2. Paste it into the C:\xampp\htdocs directory.
3. Rename the folder to something relevant (e.g., mywebsite).

Step 4: Configure wp-config.php

1. Open the WordPress folder in C:\xampp\htdocs.
2. Rename the file wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php.
3. Open the file in a text editor.
   • Replace database_name_here with your database name (e.g., wordpress_local).
   • Replace username_here with root (default XAMPP user).
   • Replace password_here with an empty string (default XAMPP password).
4. Save the file.

Step 5: Install WordPress

1. Open your web browser and go to http://localhost/mywebsite (replace mywebsite with your folder name).
2. Follow the installation wizard:
   • Choose your language.
   • Enter your site details (site title, admin username, password, and email).
3. Click Install WordPress.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed WordPress on your Windows localhost using XAMPP.