1. Home
  2. Knowledge Base
  3. Getting Started
  4. Easily Install and Activate WishList Member on Your WordPress Site
  1. Home
  2. Knowledge Base
  3. Video Tutorials
  4. Easily Install and Activate WishList Member on Your WordPress Site

Easily Install and Activate WishList Member on Your WordPress Site

Close-up of a person's hand using a computer mouse, with a blurred computer screen in the background, indicating a work or installation process.

Installing the WishList Member plugin onto your WordPress site only takes a few quick steps. All you need is your WishList Member zip file and license key to complete the installation. This can be done using the standard method or an alternative method.

We will provide all the details below (including a Video Tutorial).

Downloading WishList Member

After purchasing WishList Member, you were sent an email with your download link and license key. You can also download WishList Member and get your license key at any time by visiting the Downloads section of the Customer Center. The screenshot below shows access to WishList Member Pro, but you may have a different product and software version.

If you have access to any other downloads, they will be visible after scrolling further down on your Downloads page.

Screenshot of the WishList Member dashboard highlighting the 'Downloads' section with arrows pointing to the 'Download WishList Member Pro 3.25.1' button and obscured License Key, indicating the steps to download and activate the plugin.

Locating the Downloaded WishList Member Zip File

After the download completes, the WishList Member zip file will typically be in your Downloads folder. If not, a quick search for “wishlist-member” using your computer's search feature should help you locate it.

The screenshot below shows where the zip file is typically found.

The zip file you download may have another name and version number, but will always contain the text “wishlist-member”.

Screenshot of a file manager window with 'Downloads' folder selected, highlighted by a red box, and an arrow pointing to the 'wishlist-member-pro-v3.25.1' file, indicating the location of the recently downloaded WishList Member plugin

Installing the WishList Member Plugin

For the standard installation method, head over to the WordPress Plugins > Add New Plugin section. Click Upload Plugin and use the Choose File button to locate the downloaded WishList Member zip file from your computer.

Screenshot of the WordPress dashboard showing the 'Add Plugins' page with a red box around the 'Upload Plugin' button and an arrow pointing to the 'Choose File' button, ready for uploading a new plugin in zip format.

The Explorer popup will appear. Select the downloaded WishList Member zip file, and click the Open button.

Screenshot of a file selection dialog window overlaid on the WordPress 'Add Plugins' page, with the 'wishlist-member-pro-v3.25.1.zip' file selected, and an arrow pointing to the 'Open' button to proceed with the plugin upload.

Click the Install Now button and WordPress will install WishList Member for you in a few seconds.

Screenshot of the 'Add Plugins' page in the WordPress dashboard with the 'wishlist-member-pro-v3.25.1.zip' file selected for upload, and an arrow pointing to the 'Install Now' button, ready to begin the installation process.

Once the WishList Member plugin is installed, click the Activate Plugin button.

Screenshot showing the successful installation of the 'wishlist-member-pro-v3.25.1.zip' plugin on the WordPress dashboard, with an arrow pointing to the 'Activate Plugin' button to complete the setup process.

Your WishList Member plugin is now installed and activated. The next step is activating your license.

Activating Your WishList Member License

Now, you can complete the process by activating your license key at the WishList Member Dashboard. Start by clicking WishList Member in the WordPress menu.

Screenshot of the WordPress dashboard indicating that a plugin has been activated, with an arrow pointing to the 'WishList Member' menu item on the sidebar, suggesting that the WishList Member plugin is now active and ready for configuration.

Once at the license screen, enter your WishList Member license key into the corresponding field and click the Save & Continue button.

Your license key is found on the Downloads page (the same page where you can download your plugin or add-ons).

Screenshot of the WishList Member plugin page on WordPress, with a prompt to 'Enter your WishList Member License Key.' The license key field is displayed with an obscured key, and an arrow points to the 'Save & Continue' button, indicating the next step in activating the plugin.

Congratulations! You are now all set. You will be directed to the WishList Member Dashboard where you will see WishList Member installed and activated.

You can also use the WishList Member Setup Wizard at any time to keep things rolling and configure your site.

Screenshot of the WishList Member dashboard within WordPress, showing 'Your Membership Stats' and a 'Membership Success Checklist' with completed items. The 'License Information' section has a partially visible License Key and an arrow pointing to the 'Run Wizard Now' button, indicating the next step in setting up the WishList Member plugin.

FTP Method to Install WishList Member

In certain scenarios, you might prefer to install WishList Member using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Why would you use this alternative method over the standard method?

  • High-Speed Internet Connections: FTP can be faster for those with high-speed internet, making it a more efficient installation method.
  • Upload Size Limitations: Some WordPress hosting environments have a capped upload size that might prevent the direct uploading of larger plugins. FTP bypasses this limitation by allowing you to upload files directly to your server.

Installing the WishList Member Plugin Using FTP

Extract the WishList Member zip file on your computer. With most computers, right clicking the downloaded zip file will bring up an extract option.

You will be prompted for an extraction location. Depending on the speed of your computer, it may take a few minutes to extract the zip file into a wishlist-member folder you can upload.

Screenshot of a file explorer window with the 'wishlist-member-pro-v3.25.1' file selected, and a context menu open with the option 'Extract All...' highlighted, suggesting the next step to unzip the downloaded WishList Member plugin.

If not already installed, a FTP client (like FileZilla), can connect to your website's server. You will need the following connection information below. If you're unsure on how to get this info, your hosting provider can provide it to you.

  1. FTP Host/Server Address: This is the address of the server where your website is hosted. It might look like an IP address (192.168.1.1) or a domain name (ftp.wlptest.com, sftp.wlptest.com).
  2. FTP Username: The user account you'll use to log in. This may or may not be the same as your hosting account username.
  3. FTP Password: The password for your FTP user account. Ensure this is kept secure and confidential.
  4. Port Number: While the default FTP port is 21, some providers may use a different port for secure FTP connections (SFTP), typically port 22.
  5. Connection Type: Confirm whether your provider supports FTP, SFTP (Secure FTP), or FTPS (FTP Secure). SFTP is recommended for its enhanced security.

Use SFTP if available, as it encrypts your data for secure transfer over the internet.

Once you have these FTP details mentioned above, you can input them into your preferred FTP client software (like FileZilla, Cyberduck, or WinSCP) to connect to your server and manage your website's files.

Once your FTP client is running, navigate to the wp-content/plugins directory. If needed, your hosting provider can tell you how to find the plugin directory.

The example screenshot below shows FileZilla accessing the site files.

Make sure to upload the wishlist-member folder. This is the folder that was within the earlier extracted zip file.

Screenshot of an FTP client interface with blurred connection details. The local site directory is set to the 'Downloads' folder on the user's computer, and an arrow points to the 'plugins' directory in the remote site panel, indicating where to upload the WishList Member plugin files to the WordPress site.


Upload the extracted WishList Member folder to the plugins directory.

Screenshot of an FTP client interface with the 'wishlist-member' folder selected in the local site pane. A context menu is open with 'Upload' highlighted, and an arrow points to the 'plugins' directory of the remote WordPress site, indicating the action to upload the WishList Member plugin.


Now the WishList Member plugin has been uploaded via FTP and will appear on the WordPress > Plugins section. On the plugins page, scroll down until you see WishList Member and click the Activate Link.

After activation, a WishList Member menu item will appear.

After clicking the WishList Member menu item, you can enter your license key into the corresponding field as shown in the screenshot below.

Your WishList Member license key can be found in the Customer Center Downloads page (the same page where you can download your plugin or add-ons).

These WishList Member license activation steps are the same for both the standard plugin uploader method or the FTP alternative method.

Your license is now activated and you will be directed to the WishList Member Dashboard.

Whether you choose the standard plugin upload method or the FTP alternative method, you've taken a significant step towards creating your own membership site. As you embark on your journey, remember the WishList Member Setup Wizard is available for easy configuration and management of your site.

WishList Member Support and the Quick Start Guide are also available if you have any further questions on the installation and activation of WishList Member.

Video Tutorial

WishList Member Quick Start Guide Series

This article is part of the WishList Member Quick Start Guide series. You can use the links below to jump to any of the steps within the guide.

Was this article helpful?

Related Articles