Bluehost has been a WordPress-recommended host since 2005, and the setup process reflects that relationship.
What You Need Before You Start
Before installing WordPress, make sure you have the following in place:
- An active Bluehost hosting plan
- A registered domain name (either through Bluehost or pointed to your account)
- Your SSL certificate ready to activate, which Bluehost provides free on all plans
If you are setting up on a live domain rather than a temporary URL, confirm the domain is connected to your hosting account before beginning.
Bluehost recommends verifying your SSL certificate is active from the start so your site launches with HTTPS enabled rather than requiring a separate configuration step afterward.
Method 1: Installing WordPress Through the Bluehost Portal (Recommended)
This is the fastest and most straightforward method for the vast majority of users. It requires no technical knowledge and takes under five minutes from start to finish.
Step 1: Log In to Your Bluehost Portal
Go to bluehost.com and click Log In in the top navigation. Enter your credentials to access the Bluehost Portal.
Step 2: Navigate to the Websites Tab
Click Websites in the left-side menu. This is your central hub for managing all sites connected to your Bluehost account.
Step 3: Add a New Website
On the Websites page, click the Add Website button in the upper-right corner. A prompt will ask you to choose a site type. Select WordPress.
Bluehost will begin installing WordPress automatically. You do not need to do anything during this step.
Step 4: Choose How to Build Your Site
Once WordPress finishes installing, you will see two options:
- AI Site Creator. Use this to build a new WordPress website from scratch. The AI tool generates a professionally designed site based on your inputs.
- Import an Existing WordPress Site. Use this if you are migrating an existing WordPress site to Bluehost or cloning an installation to a new domain.
For a new site, select AI Site Creator.
Step 5: Describe Your Website
Enter a site title, a brief description, and choose a site type that best matches your project. You can also upload a logo at this stage or use the Create with AI option to generate one. Click Next when ready.
Step 6: Select Your Experience Level
The AI tool will ask about your familiarity with WordPress. Choose from Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. This selection customizes the setup experience to match your comfort level, not your access to features.
Step 7: Choose a Website Design
The AI Site Creator generates several layout options tailored to your site type. Hover over each design to preview it. Click Preview on your preferred layout to see it in more detail.
Step 8: Publish or Customize
If you are happy with the layout as generated, click Save and Publish in the top right corner of the preview screen.
If you want to make further adjustments before publishing, click Select and Customize to enter the full editing view.
Once you confirm your layout, you will be automatically redirected to your WordPress admin dashboard. Your site is live.
Method 2: Installing WordPress Through cPanel
If your Bluehost account uses the cPanel interface, the installation path depends on your hosting plan type.
On shared hosting, the WordPress installer is accessed directly through the Website section in cPanel. Softaculous is available in cPanel on shared hosting, but automatic database creation through Softaculous is disabled on shared plans, meaning you would need to create the database manually before using it.
The Website section installer handles this for you automatically and is the simpler route for most shared hosting users.
On VPS and Dedicated hosting, Softaculous is fully available with automatic database creation enabled, making it a straightforward one-click installer option from within cPanel.
Step 1: Log In and Access cPanel
Log in to your Bluehost Portal. Click Hosting in the left-hand menu, then click the cPanel button in the hosting details page. cPanel will open in a new tab.
Step 2: Find the WordPress Installer
In cPanel, scroll to the Website section and select WordPress Management. Click the Install button to proceed.
Step 3: Configure the Installation
You will be prompted to make the following choices:
- Domain: Select the domain name you want to install WordPress on from the dropdown.
- Directory: Leave this field blank if you want WordPress to power your entire site at the root level (e.g., yourdomain.com). Enter a subfolder name such as “blog” if you want WordPress installed in a subdirectory (e.g., yourdomain.com/blog).
- Admin credentials: Click Advanced Options to set a custom email address, username, and password for your WordPress admin account. Avoid using “admin” as your username, as this is a known security risk.
Step 4: Agree and Install
Read through the license and service agreements, check the required boxes, and click Install Now. The installer handles database creation and file setup automatically.
On VPS or Dedicated hosting using Softaculous: In cPanel, scroll to the Software section and click Softaculous Apps Installer. Select WordPress, click Install, configure your domain, directory, and admin credentials, and click Install Now. Softaculous will handle database creation automatically on these plan types.
Method 3: Manual WordPress Installation
Manual installation is intended for advanced users who need direct control over the database configuration or are dealing with a scenario where the automated installer does not apply. It involves more steps but produces the same end result.
Step 1: Download WordPress
Download the latest WordPress package from wordpress.org to your local computer and unzip the file to a folder.
Step 2: Upload WordPress Files to Your Hosting Account
You have three ways to get the WordPress files onto your Bluehost account:
- File Manager in cPanel. Upload the unzipped files directly through the browser-based file manager
- FTP client. Use an FTP application to connect to your hosting account and upload the files
- SFTP. A more secure alternative to FTP that works the same way
Upload the contents of the unzipped WordPress folder to your public_html directory if you want WordPress at your root domain, or to a subfolder within public_html if installing in a subdirectory.
Step 3: Create a MySQL Database and User
In cPanel, open MySQL Databases. Create a new database, then create a new database user and assign that user to the database with full permissions. Note the database name, username, and password, as you will need these in the next step.
Step 4: Configure wp-config.php
In your uploaded WordPress files, locate the file named wp-config-sample.php. Rename it to wp-config.php.
Open the file for editing, then enter the database name, username, and password you created in the previous step into the appropriate fields. Save the file.
Step 5: Run the Installation
Navigate to your domain in a browser. You will be prompted to select a language, then directed to the WordPress setup screen. Fill in the following:
- Site Title: This can be changed at any time
- Username: Choose a unique admin username and avoid using “admin”
- Password: Use a strong password
- Email: Enter the email address for admin notifications
Click Install WordPress. The installation will confirm completion and provide your login link.
What to Do Immediately After Installing WordPress
Once WordPress is installed, take these steps before you start adding content:
Set up your permalink structure. Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard and choose a URL structure. The Post Name option is widely used and is clean for both readability and SEO. Save your changes.
Activate your SSL certificate. Ensure your site URL begins with https rather than http. Bluehost provides a free SSL certificate on all plans, and it can be activated through the Bluehost dashboard. Your site address and WordPress address under Settings > General should both reflect https.
Update everything. Go to Dashboard > Updates and install any available updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins. Outdated software is one of the most common sources of security vulnerabilities.
Set a secure admin username and password. If you used a default or weak username during setup, create a new admin account with a strong, unique username and delete or demote the original.
Check the Search Engine Visibility setting. Go to Settings > Reading and confirm the Discourage search engines from indexing this site checkbox is unchecked. This setting is sometimes enabled by default during development and will prevent your site from appearing in search results if left on.
Choosing Between the Installation Methods
| Scenario | Recommended Method |
| New Bluehost account, first WordPress site | Bluehost Portal |
| Existing account with cPanel interface | cPanel installer |
| Migrating an existing WordPress site | Portal import option |
| Advanced setup with manual database control | Manual installation |
| VPS self-managed hosting | VPS one-click installer via Bluehost Portal |
Final Thoughts
For most users, the Bluehost Portal method is the right starting point. It handles database creation, file installation, and initial site setup automatically, and the AI Site Creator gets you to a working, designed WordPress site faster than any manual process would. The cPanel method is a reliable alternative for accounts on the older interface, and manual installation is there when you need it for more complex configurations.
Once WordPress is installed and the post-setup checklist is complete, you are ready to start building.
