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To view a WordPress site locally, run it in a development environment on your computer, then open the local site URL that environment provides in a browser. The URL depends on the tool and its configuration: http://localhost:8888/ is an example used with wp-env, not a universal WordPress address.
A local copy lets you explore, test, or change a site without interrupting its live version. It does not automatically stay synchronized with the live site or publish changes to it.
Choose how you want to run WordPress
The right method depends on whether you want to try WordPress quickly, work in a desktop app, use a command line or editor, or configure the environment yourself. Official WordPress resources list WordPress Studio, Local, and @wordpress/env; the Theme Handbook also lists Docker, MAMP, XAMPP, and Varying Vagrant Vagrants (VVV). WordPress Playground offers browser-based and local-development workflows, including CLI and Visual Studio Code options. These are alternatives, not a benchmarked ranking.
| Approach | Useful when | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Managed local environment, such as Studio or Local | You want a guided setup that handles much of the WordPress installation. | Follow the chosen tool’s current instructions; its controls and local URL are tool-specific. |
| WordPress Playground | You want a quick way to try WordPress or explore a development workflow. | Use the current Playground handbook for the particular browser, CLI, or editor workflow you need. |
@wordpress/env |
You want a command-line-oriented development environment. | Its documented example uses http://localhost:8888/; use the actual address reported by your setup. |
| Docker, MAMP, XAMPP, or VVV | You want a particular local stack or more control over how services are configured. | Installation, database configuration, ports, and startup steps vary by tool. |
| Manual installation | You want to assemble and configure the web and database environment yourself. | You must supply a web root, WordPress files, database connection details, and a working local URL. |
For the least configuration, start with a managed environment and its setup guide. Choose Playground for a quick trial or its documented development workflow. Choose a CLI, container, or manual stack when its added control suits your work. Tool availability and features can change, so check the current instructions for your chosen option.
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Start a site with a managed tool or Playground
These tools do not all use the same labels or flow, so there is no single accurate set of clicks that applies to each. The general sequence is:
- Choose a tool and follow its current setup instructions for your operating system and intended workflow.
- Create or start a WordPress site in that tool. If you need to inspect an existing site rather than a new one, follow the tool’s supported method for bringing that site into the environment.
- Wait for the tool to report that the site is running, then copy the local site URL it provides.
- Open that exact URL in a browser. Use the site’s front end to view pages, or its WordPress administration area if you need to work in the dashboard.
A local installation may start as a fresh WordPress site rather than a copy of a live site. Do not assume it includes your production site’s content, plugins, theme, or configuration unless you have imported or otherwise set them up.
Start a WordPress site with wp-env
The WordPress Developer Blog documents installing @wordpress/env and starting the environment with wp-env start. In that example, the development site is available at http://localhost:8888/. That address is specific to the documented setup; use the URL shown for your own environment.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFrom a suitable project directory with the required Node.js tooling available, the documented start command is:
wp-env start
When startup completes, open the development site URL reported by the environment in a browser. If the project or environment provides a separate administration URL, use that for the dashboard; do not guess a port or path based on another installation. Consult the current @wordpress/env instructions if the command is unavailable, startup fails, or you need to stop or configure the environment.
Install WordPress manually
A manual installation needs WordPress core files in a web server’s document root, a reachable MySQL or MariaDB database, the database connection details, and the local URL configured for the environment. A local server package or stack must be running before the browser can load the site.
- Set up a local web server and MySQL or MariaDB using the instructions for your operating system and chosen stack.
- Place the WordPress files in the web root that the local server serves. The exact folder depends on the stack.
- Create or select a database and obtain its database name, username, password, and host information from that environment. These values are not universal; do not copy credentials from an unrelated tutorial.
- Configure WordPress to connect to that database using the environment’s actual details.
- Start the web and database services, then open the local site URL configured for the server. If WordPress is not installed yet, this should begin its installation flow.
- Complete the installation and open the site in the browser. Keep the local URL and any administration URL specific to this environment.
WordPress requires access to MySQL or MariaDB. If the installer cannot reach the database, confirm that the database service is running and that the connection details match this environment before changing files or credentials.
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View a copy of a live WordPress site
To inspect a real site locally, you need more than a local WordPress installation: you need to bring the relevant site data into it through a migration, backup restore, or another supported import process. The exact steps depend on the source host and local tool, and the official material summarized here does not establish one universal import procedure.
Before importing, preserve a backup and use the instructions for both the source site and your chosen local environment. Treat the local copy as separate from production. Editing it does not change the live site, and a local environment does not automatically deploy changes. Review environment-specific settings and integrations before testing; a local copy may not have the same access to external services or production data.
Find and open the correct local URL
A local URL is an address served by the development environment on your computer. Its hostname, port, and possible path depend on the tool and its configuration. Open the address shown in the tool’s site details or startup output rather than assuming all WordPress sites use the same address.
- Front end: open the site’s reported local URL to view pages as a visitor.
- Dashboard: use the environment’s administration link or the WordPress dashboard path appropriate to that installation.
- Multiple local sites: select the intended site in the tool and use that site’s URL; ports or local domains can differ.
- Another device:
localhostrefers to the device making the request. A URL that works on your computer will not necessarily work on a phone or another computer without additional network configuration.
Troubleshoot a local site that will not open
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Browser says the site cannot be reached | The environment or web server is stopped, or the address is wrong. | Start the selected site and copy its current URL, including its port, from the tool or command output. |
| A different site opens | The URL points to another local site or service. | Check the selected site and its configured hostname and port. Do not assume a sample port belongs to your setup. |
| WordPress reports a database connection error | The database service is unavailable or the connection details do not match. | Confirm MySQL or MariaDB is running and verify the database name, user, password, and host against this environment’s configuration. |
| The installer does not appear | WordPress may already be installed, the request may point to the wrong document root, or the web server may not be serving the expected files. | Confirm the URL maps to the folder containing WordPress and check the environment’s existing installation state. |
| The page is blank or incomplete | Startup or page loading may have failed, or the local copy may lack files, data, or configuration. | Check the environment’s status and logs, then confirm the site files and database were set up or imported as intended. |
| A live-site address works, but the local copy does not | The local site is separate and may not have been imported or configured. | Use the import or restore procedure supported by the host and local tool; do not expect local WordPress to mirror production automatically. |
Or skip the browser setup
If the site is already reachable at a public URL and you only need an image or PDF capture, ScreenshotNeo can return a screenshot from one GET request. This does not create or run a local WordPress installation, and an external service cannot access a site available only at your computer’s localhost. For a private local site, use the local environment and browser steps above.
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The example below captures a publicly reachable WordPress-related page; replace the target URL with a site that the API can reach. The API supports PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF output. See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://wordpress.org -o shot.webp
ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers indicate the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents and other MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. See ScreenshotNeo for plan details and the service.
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Does a local WordPress site change my live website?
No. The local development copy and production site are separate unless you deliberately configure a process to move changes between them.
Can I open my local WordPress site on my phone?
Not automatically. A local URL using localhost points to the device making the request, so accessing the computer’s site from another device requires additional network configuration.
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