Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download and Setup WordPress on Windows 8.1

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) used by millions of users around the world. It allows you to create, edit, and publish content online, making it an ideal tool for bloggers, business owners, and website developers.

If you're running Windows 8.1 and want to download and set up WordPress, you're in luck. In this article, we'll walk you through the process step-by-step.

Step One: Download XAMPP

Before you can install WordPress on your computer, you first need to download and install XAMPP. This is a free package that allows you to run a web server on your local machine.

To download XAMPP, go to the [official website] (https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html) and click on the "Download" button. Choose the version that is compatible with Windows 8.1 and wait for the download to complete.

Step Two: Install XAMPP

Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file and double-click on it to begin the installation process. Follow the on-screen prompts to install XAMPP on your computer.

Step Three: Start the XAMPP Control Panel

After successfully installing XAMPP, you need to start the XAMPP control panel to begin setting up your WordPress site. Locate the XAMPP icon on your desktop, right-click on it and select "Run as administrator."

Step Four: Start Apache and MySQL

Once the XAMPP control panel opens, you'll need to start Apache and MySQL. These are the two components that a web server requires to run.

To start Apache and MySQL, click on the "Start" button next to each component. If successful, you should see a green "Running" message next to both Apache and MySQL.

Step Five: Download WordPress

With Apache and MySQL running, you can now proceed to download WordPress. Visit the [official WordPress website] (https://wordpress.org/download/) and click on the "Download WordPress" button. The latest version of WordPress will download.

Step Six: Extract WordPress

Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file and extract it to the C:/xampp/htdocs folder on your computer. This is where the web server looks for files to serve over the internet.

Step Seven: Create a Database

WordPress needs a database to store all the content you create. To create a database, open your web browser and go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin/. This will open the phpMyAdmin dashboard.

Click on the "Databases" tab and enter a name for your database. Click "Create" and your database will be created.

Step Eight: Install WordPress

With everything set up, you can now begin installing WordPress. Open your web browser and go to http://localhost/wordpress/. This will launch the WordPress installer. Follow the on-screen prompts to install WordPress on your computer.

Conclusion

That's it! You have successfully downloaded and set up WordPress on your Windows 8.1 computer. You can now begin creating and publishing content using this powerful CMS.