install wordpress locally

5 Steps How To Install WordPress Locally For FREE (Mac Or Win)

What You Will Learn

In this guide, I will share you how to install WordPress locally for free using local by flywheel. This method is also suitable if you are using Mac IOS or Windows. Another advantage of using this method is that you can install not only one, but multiple set of WordPress locally & is best for testing or practice purpose.

You will be able to practise or test to build your website with WordPress on your own computer or laptop without need you to pay for domain name & hosting until you are ready.

Another good thing with this method is that, you can build multiple different WordPress site locally for others & show them your sample website after you have done by providing them a special link with username & password for them to view your sample work.

Step 1: Install the app

  • Go to localwp to download the app.
  • Select the OS you are using, Mac or Win & download.
  • After downloaded the app, install it to your computer.


Step 2: Install WordPress locally

After installed localwp, run the app.

Click on the (+) icon at the bottom left to add a local site.

Select, either using the default or custom, the settings you want. I suggest you use the default settings for best compatibility.

Next, enter the username, password & email for this installation login. Noted this down somewhere, because you will need this details to log in to this WordPress installation.

After that, click the (Add Site) button to start the installation.

If you see some error message during the installation, just click the (OK) button to continue the installation first, we will fix this error in the next step.

After the installation completed, If you don’t see the error during the installation, you will not see the warning sign & you can log in to your local WordPress by clicking the (Admin) button.

If you see the error during the installation, you will see a (Warning) sign at the top of the menu & you are unable to log in to your local site. Go to Step 3 to fix the error.


Step 3: Error fixing (Optional)

If you see some error during the installation process, you will need to open your Windows explorer or something similar & browse to this directory C:/Windows/System32/drivers/

In that folder, you will see a file call (hosts). Right-click on this file to uncheck the (Read-Only) option checkbox & click on (OK) to apply it.

Next, go back to the localwp app menu to click on the (Fix It) button at the top to fix it. You should be able to remove the warning message after that.

After the error is fixed, you can continue to click on the (Admin) button to log in to your local site by key in your selected username & password earlier.


Step 4: How to enable SSL & the basic functions

In this step, I will explain the basic function for this localwp app. At any time, if you want to add another local site, you can click on the (+) icon to add another site.

On the left side menu, you will see the (Local site) icon, if you click on it, you will see all you installed site here & the installation details.

Another thing is you can right-click on any of your local site installation & this is where you can clone the site, export the site, rename, delete, etc.

You can also edit the installation & settings on the main tabs (OVERVIEW, DATABASE & TOOLS)

If you want to enable the SSL or https on your local site, click on the (OVERVIEW) tab, then go to (SSL) & click on the (TRUST) button.

Next, login to your local site to install Really Simple SSL plugin & activate it. This is the simplest way, but I don’t think is necessary for local site.

For me, I will only enable https on actual site by using simple coding without installing plugin.


Step 5: How to share your local site

If you would like to share your local site to others, under the (OVERVIEW) tab, there is a (LIVE LINK) option, click on (Enable) to generate a special link with password where you can send to others for them to log in to view your local site.

Take note that, in order for others to see your local site, you need to turn on your computer & connected to internet.

Conclusion & Suggestion

This is one of the easiest & free method to install WordPress locally, but the downside is that, if your computer goes offline & your site will also go offline.

If you want your site to be live online, you will need to get the actual hosting & domain name. Click here for best hosting details & you may also like to refer here for tips on how to choose a perfect domain name.

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