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To publish a WordPress site, finish and review the site, choose its address, then make it publicly visible. On WordPress.com, publishing is a dashboard action: launch the site and set Settings → Reading → Site Visibility to Public. A self-hosted WordPress site also requires compatible web hosting, a working WordPress installation, and a domain or host address.
Choose between WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress
The correct publishing steps depend on where WordPress runs. WordPress.com is a managed platform that provides the hosting environment. Self-hosted WordPress uses the WordPress software on a web host that you select and maintain, directly or through the host’s services.
| Consideration | WordPress.com | Self-hosted WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Managed by WordPress.com | You obtain and manage compatible hosting |
| Initial setup | Sign up, choose a design, and configure the site in the dashboard | Obtain hosting and install WordPress; many hosts offer automatic installation |
| Address | Free .wordpress.com or wpcomstaging.com address, or a custom domain |
A domain or host-provided address, according to your host |
| Maintenance | Platform handles the underlying service | Responsibility varies by host and plan; compare updates, backups, security, and support |
| Backups | Depends on the WordPress.com plan | Depends on your host, plugins, and your own backup process |
WordPress.org explains that a WordPress site needs a web server. WordPress-specific hosting may include installation, backups, updates, or developer tools, but features differ by provider. Check current WordPress requirements and the exact plan terms before choosing a host.
Prepare the site before making it public
Build the essential pages
Set the design, homepage, navigation, and content categories. At minimum, check the pages visitors need to understand your site and contact you. WordPress.com lets you add pages from the dashboard and publish each page from its editor.
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Review the visitor experience
- Read the site title, headings, and body copy for errors.
- Check that the homepage and navigation point to the intended pages.
- Test links, buttons, images, downloads, and forms.
- Confirm that contact details and any required legal information are present.
- Check the layout on a phone as well as a desktop screen.
Confirm account access
For WordPress.com, confirm the account email and make sure you can sign in before launch. Keep administrator credentials and recovery details secure.
Choose the site address
A custom domain is optional on WordPress.com. You can publish using the free address WordPress.com provides, which contains .wordpress.com or wpcomstaging.com. You can also register, transfer, or connect a custom domain.
If you plan to use a custom domain, make the intended address primary before launch. A newly registered or connected domain may take 24–72 hours to become fully active, according to WordPress.com Support. During that period, visitors may see the previous address or an incomplete result.
For self-hosted WordPress, your domain is configured through the registrar and hosting provider. Follow the host’s DNS and domain instructions; the exact controls differ between providers.
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Launch a WordPress.com site
New WordPress.com sites begin in Coming Soon mode. They are not publicly available until you launch them.
- Sign in to your WordPress.com dashboard and open the site.
- Go to Settings → Reading.
- Scroll to Site Visibility and choose Launch site.
- After launch, return to Settings → Reading → Site Visibility.
- Select Public and save the setting.
WordPress.com documents Public as the setting that makes the site visible to everyone on the internet, including search engines. Launching the site and selecting public visibility are related but separate controls in this workflow.
Publish a self-hosted WordPress site
- Choose a host whose current server requirements are compatible with WordPress and whose maintenance, support, security, and backup features fit your needs.
- Point your domain to the hosting account using the host’s required DNS records or nameservers.
- Install WordPress using the host’s installer or the standard WordPress installation process.
- Complete the WordPress settings, select a theme, and add your pages, menus, media, and content.
- Configure the domain, HTTPS, updates, security, caching, and backups according to the host and any services you use.
- Open the domain while logged out and test the public site on desktop and mobile.
There is no single self-hosted “publish” button shared by every provider. The site becomes reachable when the hosting installation, domain routing, and visibility settings are working together.
Check the live site as a visitor
Do not rely only on the editor preview or an administrator session. Open the site in a private browser window while logged out, preferably on a phone as well as a computer.
- Open the homepage and each navigation item.
- Follow internal and external links.
- Submit the contact form and verify where the message arrives.
- Check images, downloads, buttons, menus, and any login or checkout flow.
- Look for Coming Soon, maintenance, password-protection, or staging screens.
If a WordPress.com visitor still sees Coming Soon immediately after launch, clear the browser or site cache and try a private window. Allow a short time for the change to appear before diagnosing a configuration problem.
Verify HTTPS and domain status
For domains and subdomains hosted on WordPress.com, WordPress.com says SSL certificates are supplied automatically. Provisioning usually takes a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours. Check the domain’s security or SSL status in the dashboard and resolve any domain setup issue shown there.
That automatic SSL statement applies to WordPress.com-hosted domains and subdomains. On self-hosted WordPress, HTTPS depends on the hosting provider and the certificate arrangement you configure; do not assume the WordPress.com process applies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Set up a backup plan
Backup availability is plan-specific on WordPress.com and provider-specific for self-hosted sites. WordPress.com currently lists automated backups for Business and Commerce plans, generally at least daily, with restore points from the prior six months while the site remains on an eligible plan. It lists no automated backups for Free, Personal, or Premium plans; those users can export content and media, while automated backup requires a plan change. Plan features can change, so confirm the current dashboard terms before relying on them.
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Fix common launch problems
The site still shows Coming Soon
On WordPress.com, confirm that you used Settings → Reading → Site Visibility and selected Launch site, then set visibility to Public. Clear caches and test while logged out. A newly connected domain may still be activating.
The custom domain does not open
Check that the intended domain is primary, that the registrar and host records match the provider’s instructions, and that the 24–72-hour activation window has not elapsed. Do not change DNS records at random; use the provider’s domain-status guidance.
HTTPS is pending
For WordPress.com, allow up to 24 hours for certificate provisioning and check the domain-security status. For self-hosted WordPress, contact the host or follow its certificate setup procedure.
The page looks different when logged out
Compare the logged-out page in a private window with the editor view. Caching, visibility settings, missing assets, or access restrictions can affect visitors differently from administrators.
Quick Recap
Final launch checklist
- The site address is correct and the preferred domain is selected.
- The homepage, title, navigation, pages, links, forms, and media have been reviewed.
- The WordPress.com site is launched and set to Public, or the self-hosted domain and installation are reachable.
- The site works while logged out on a phone and desktop browser.
- HTTPS status is valid or still within the provider’s stated provisioning period.
- A backup or export arrangement is understood for the exact plan and host.
- You know how to update the site and where to obtain hosting or platform support.
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