Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

Downloading WordPress Locally: A Complete Beginner's Guide

If you're new to WordPress development, you might be wondering what it means to download WordPress locally. When you download WordPress locally, you are essentially setting up a development environment on your computer, which allows you to create, test and modify your WordPress website without affecting your live site.

In this article, we will show you how to download WordPress locally step-by-step without any hassle.

Step 1: Install a Local Development Environment

The first step is to install a local development environment on your computer. There are several options available, such as MAMP, XAMPP, and Local by Flywheel. These platforms provide all the tools you need to run WordPress on your computer.

For the purpose of this article, we will use Local by Flywheel, which is a free platform that provides a user-friendly experience.

Step 2: Create a New WordPress Site

Once you have installed your local development environment, you can create a new WordPress site by following these steps:

1. Open Local by Flywheel and click on the "+ Add Site” button.
2. Choose a name for your site.
3. Select the environment you want (e.g., PHP 7.1 or 7.2).
4. Choose your preferred language and timezone.
5. Click on the Create Site button.

Local by Flywheel will install WordPress on your computer and create a new site for you.

Step 3: Download WordPress

To download WordPress locally, you need to visit the official WordPress website and download the latest version of WordPress. Once you have downloaded it, you need to extract the files and copy them to your local site's folder.

Step 4: Move WordPress Files to the Local Site Folder

To move the WordPress files to your local site's folder, follow these steps:

1. Go to your local site’s dashboard via the Local by Flywheel app.
2. Click on the File Manager tab.
3. Navigate to the wp-content folder and delete the existing folder.
4. Upload the wp-content folder from the extracted WordPress files.

Step 5: Run WordPress Locally

After successfully following the above steps, you can now log in to your local WordPress site by visiting the site URL (which usually looks like http://your-site-name.local or http://your-site-name.dev). This URL can be found in the Local by Flywheel app.

Congratulations! You have downloaded WordPress locally and can now start building and customizing your site offline without affecting your live site.

Conclusion

Downloading WordPress locally is the best way to experiment with your WordPress website without affecting your live site. By following the easy steps we have laid out in this article, you can set up a functional development environment on your computer in no time. Start exploring WordPress in a safe and secure environment today!