How to: Install Joomla! add-ons

One of the great things about Joomla, is that it can be customized to be what you need it to be.  Joomla! and it’s developers keep surprising me… When I think that something can’t be done in Joomla!  they prove me wrong. 

The key to this are the hundreds of add-ons that have been developed – free or commercial.  In order to use them, you’ll need to install them first.  Since my Search Engine results told me that some of you are trying to figure out how to install add-ons, I wrote you a guide.

Steps to follow

Before you start:  Did you download the component / module / add-on you’ve been wanting to install?  Do you know the location of the file?  Make sure to check the .zip file.  Sometimes a .zip file contains other .zip files – this happens frequently when you’re about to install ‘bigger’ add-ons that consist of multiple pieces.

Let’s get started!

• Log in at the Joomla administrator site (by default, http://www.yoursite/administrator) using an Admin account. 

• Once logged in, click “Extensions”, then click ‘Install / Uninstall”
• You’ll be given three options; of which the first one is the most used installation method
  • Upload Package File:  Click ‘Choose File’ and find the add-on you wanted to install; then click ‘Install’
  • Install from Directory:  Select the folder where the file is located, and select install. 
  • Install from URL:  Provide the URL of where the add-on can be found (e.g.  http://yoursite/add-ons/someaddon) and click ‘install’

  Note:  For most of the add-ons, the installation will now be complete.  Most add-ons will require that you activate them before you can use them; and some add-ons require extra invitation stats. 

Enjoy your new component, template, plug-in or module!