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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchYou can build a WordPress site on your Windows PC with XAMPP by starting its Apache and database services, placing WordPress in XAMPP’s htdocs folder, creating a database in phpMyAdmin, and completing WordPress’s installer. This guide uses XAMPP for Windows; Linux and macOS installation paths and controls differ. A local XAMPP setup is for learning and development, not a secure public-facing production server.
Check XAMPP and WordPress compatibility first
Apache Friends currently lists Windows XAMPP packages with PHP 8.0.30, 8.1.25, and 8.2.12. The newest listed package is 8.2.12; its bundled components include Apache 2.4.58, MariaDB 10.4.32, phpMyAdmin 5.2.1, and XAMPP Control Panel 3.2.4. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or later and MariaDB 10.11 or later, or MySQL 8.0 or later. WordPress can run on older legacy versions, but they are not recommended for production. For a local learning or development site, XAMPP 8.2.12 can still be used.
Check the current package details on the Apache Friends downloads page and WordPress’s server requirements page, since software versions can change.
Install XAMPP on Windows
- Open the Apache Friends download page and download the Windows 64-bit installer for the PHP version you want.
- Run the installer. Retain at least Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin. The control panel calls the database module “MySQL,” although current XAMPP packages bundle MariaDB.
- Install XAMPP in the default location, normally
C:xampp. AvoidC:Program Fileswhen possible: Windows permissions there can make it harder to edit files such as those inhtdocs.
See the XAMPP Windows FAQ for installation details and the WordPress Core XAMPP guide for the local-install context.
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Start Apache and the database service
- Open XAMPP Control Panel.
- Click Start in the Apache row, then click Start in the MySQL row.
- Confirm both rows turn green and show Running.
- Visit
http://localhost/. If Apache is using its default port, the XAMPP start page should appear.
XAMPP’s default ports are Apache HTTP 80, Apache HTTPS 443, and MariaDB/MySQL 3306. The XAMPP Windows FAQ explains its default configuration.
Place WordPress in XAMPP’s web folder
- Download the current ZIP from the official Get WordPress page. Avoid unofficial, modified, or “nulled” packages.
- Extract the ZIP. It normally creates a folder named
wordpress. - Move that folder into
C:xampphtdocs. You can keep the namewordpressor rename it to a project name without spaces, such asmysite.
For the example project name mysite, the files should be in C:xampphtdocsmysite, and the local address will be http://localhost/mysite/. If you keep the folder name, use http://localhost/wordpress/. XAMPP’s default public directory is xampphtdocs; the WordPress Core guide to installing from ZIP describes placing the extracted files locally.
Create a database in phpMyAdmin
- Open
http://localhost/phpmyadmin/on the same computer. - Click the Databases tab.
- Under Create database, enter a name such as
mysite. Choose a Unicode collation if prompted;utf8mb4is suitable for WordPress. - Click Create, and remember the exact database name for the WordPress installer.
A typical fresh XAMPP setup uses database name mysite, username root, a blank password, and host localhost. Leave the password blank only if the local root account has no password. The database can simply be named mysite; root is the username, not a required prefix for the database name. If you prefer, create a separate database user and grant it all privileges for this WordPress database, as allowed by WordPress installation documentation.
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XAMPP’s basic phpMyAdmin configuration is intended for access from the local computer through localhost or 127.0.0.1. Do not expose phpMyAdmin externally; doing so creates a significant security risk. See the XAMPP Windows FAQ.
Run the WordPress installer
- Open the project URL:
http://localhost/mysite/if the folder is namedmysite, orhttp://localhost/wordpress/if you kept the default folder name. - When WordPress asks for database details, enter the database name you created, username
root, password blank only if root has no password, database hostlocalhost, and table prefixwp_. - Click Submit. If the database connection succeeds, click Run the installation.
- Enter a site title, administrator username, password, and email address. For a local-only site, leave Discourage search engines from indexing this site selected, then click Install WordPress.
WordPress can create wp-config.php during setup when the file does not already exist. Consult the WordPress installation documentation or the Learn WordPress installation lesson for installer details.
Log in and open the local site
Go to http://localhost/mysite/wp-admin/ to sign in if the project folder is mysite. For a folder named wordpress, use http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin/. The site is available through the local computer unless you deliberately configure network access.
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Configure wp-config.php manually only if needed
Manual configuration is optional. If the installer cannot create the file, or you want to set it up yourself, use a plain-text editor:
- In the WordPress folder, copy
wp-config-sample.php. - Rename the copy to
wp-config.php. - Set the database values to match your local setup. For the example database and a root account without a password:
define( 'DB_NAME', 'mysite' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'root' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', '' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );If root has a password, put it in DB_PASSWORD. Keep DB_CHARSET and DB_COLLATE at their defaults unless you have a specific reason to change them. Save the file in the WordPress root, for example C:xampphtdocsmysitewp-config.php. WordPress documents these settings in its wp-config.php reference and installation documentation.
Fix common XAMPP and WordPress setup errors
Apache will not start
Another program may already be using port 80 or 443. Common conflicts include IIS, another Apache installation, Skype or similar communication software, and security software or a firewall. XAMPP may report an error such as (OS 10048)... make_sock: could not bind to address 0.0.0.0:80.
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On Windows, check Computer Management → Services for World Wide Web Publishing Service, associated with IIS. Stop it and set its Startup type to Disabled if you do not need IIS. Alternatively, change Apache’s port in its configuration and include the new port in every URL, for example http://localhost:8080/mysite/. The XAMPP Windows FAQ covers port conflicts.
http://localhost/ does not load
Check that Apache is green and marked Running in XAMPP Control Panel. Try http://127.0.0.1/, or include the configured port, such as http://127.0.0.1:8080/. A firewall or antivirus program can block Apache or localhost traffic; allow Apache and the database server as needed rather than permanently disabling security software. See the XAMPP Windows FAQ.
phpMyAdmin cannot connect to the database
Make sure the XAMPP MySQL row is running; this is the interface label for the bundled MariaDB module. Confirm the username is root and that the password is blank only if you have not set one. If you set a root password, use it in phpMyAdmin and WordPress. A second MySQL or MariaDB server may already be using port 3306; stop one server or configure one to use another port. See the XAMPP Windows FAQ.
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WordPress reports “Error establishing a database connection”
Check that the database name, username, password, and host in the installer or wp-config.php match the database you created and the account you intend to use. Confirm the MySQL module is running and another database server is not occupying the expected port. The usual host is localhost; if MariaDB uses a nonstandard port, include it, for example localhost:3307 in DB_HOST. WordPress explains the configuration values in its wp-config.php reference and its installation troubleshooting documentation.
WordPress shows a blank page or PHP error
Check the PHP version supplied with your XAMPP package and whether a theme or plugin is compatible with it. The Windows packages currently listed by Apache Friends use PHP 8.0.30, 8.1.25, or 8.2.12, while WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or later. To find the PHP configuration Apache loads, open http://localhost/xampp/phpinfo.php and look for Loaded Configuration File. After editing php.ini, restart Apache from XAMPP Control Panel. Version details are on the XAMPP downloads page and XAMPP Windows FAQ.
The XAMPP dashboard appears instead of WordPress
Confirm the WordPress files are directly inside C:xampphtdocsmysite, including C:xampphtdocsmysitewp-adminindex.php. If they are inside an extra wordpress folder, the actual URL is http://localhost/mysite/wordpress/. Move the inner files up one level if you did not intend that nested path. The WordPress Core guide to installing from ZIP covers the expected folder layout.
The installer cannot write wp-config.php
Copy wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php manually, edit the database values, and save it in the WordPress root directory, such as C:xampphtdocsmysitewp-config.php. This issue is more likely if XAMPP is installed under C:Program Files because of Windows permissions. See the XAMPP Windows FAQ and WordPress wp-config.php documentation.
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