There are three ways to install ClassicPress:

Switch to ClassicPress from WordPress

There are many reasons why migrating from WordPress to ClassicPress is the smart thing to do. So, if you’ve got an existing WordPress website and you want to switch to ClassicPress, the migration plugin is made for you! Migrating your WordPress website to ClassicPress is easy and only takes a few minutes.

Can I migrate to ClassicPress from any version of WordPress?

It is possible to migrate from any version of WordPress from 4.9.0 up to and including 5.5.1. We update the plugin as quickly as possible when a new version of WordPress comes out, though this may not be immediate.

If you have any questions, we’d be happy to help you on our support forum.

How to migrate

Please back up your site before proceeding with the steps below.

1. Download the migration plugin To download the plugin, click the button below. You don’t need to unzip the file after it has downloaded. Switch to ClassicPress 2. Add the plugin to your WordPress installation Login to your existing website and navigate to Plugins > Add Plugin

Press the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page

button at the top of the page Browse to the file you downloaded on your computer and select the file

Press Install Now

Press Activate Plugin (activating the plugin will not switch your website — you’re in full control over when the switch will happen) 3. Go to the ClassicPress migration screen Once activated a new menu item will appear under your Tools menu. Hover over Tools and then press Switch to ClassicPress (clicking this link will not switch your website) 4. Run the migration On the Switch to ClassicPress page you’ll see a series of circles — they should all be green with a big tick/check mark in the middle. If they’re not, this means your website might not be suitable for a switch — head over to our support forum if you need help. Press the Switch this website to ClassicPress now button and wait for the installation to complete.

IMPORTANT: migration can take up to 60 seconds. Please don’t refresh your browser screen after initiating the switch.

Install a New ClassicPress Site

Described below is how to do a fresh install of ClassicPress. If you have problems, don’t hesitate to call on the community.

Before starting, you’ll need a few things to make the installation process as smooth as possible. See more details on ClassicPress Documentation.

Hosting environment This is a place to store your site’s files and content so that the site is visible to the world. The hosting environment usually comes with a domain name. (You can also install ClassicPress on your local computer and try it out, but a site made this way won’t be available to the public. If you haven’t done this before, you’ll need a web server program such as DesktopServer by ServerPress or Local by Flywheel.) Program to copy files to the server If you’re installing ClassicPress on a hosting environment, you’ll need to use a program to copy files back and forth. We recommend an SSH account set up with your hosting provider and using this account to copy files via SFTP (FTP is another option, but not secure). Installation steps Once you’ve completed the above requirements, you can proceed with the installation. Download ClassicPress Download the zip file for the latest version of ClassicPress by clicking the ‘Download’ button above. Unzip the file on your local computer. Upload the unzipped folder to your server (using either SFTP or FTP). Create a MySQL or MariaDB database for ClassicPress (contact your web host if you aren’t sure how to do this). Run the ClassicPress Install by going to the domain name associated with your site. Fill in the information requested, including the database information set up in Step 4.

Install ClassicPress Using One-Click Installers

It’s also possible to install ClassicPress by using the Installatron and Softaculous one-click web application installers. Both are available in cPanel, DirectAdmin and Plesk control panels and can greatly simplify the installation.

If these aren’t available to you in your control panel, or if ClassicPress doesn’t show up in the list of available applications, contact your hosting provider and ask them to install the latest version of Installatron/Softaculous with the ClassicPress installer.