Installing AdminLocks Lite

Download, upload, and activate AdminLocks in under five minutes.

Overview

AdminLocks Lite is a free WordPress plugin available on WordPress.org. It gives you client-safe admin controls, audit logging, and dashboard decluttering out of the box. There are three ways to install it, and each takes less than five minutes.

Tip

Already running WordPress Multisite? AdminLocks Lite works on single-site installs. For multisite or fleet management, consider AdminLocks Cloud.

Install from WordPress.org

This is the fastest method if your WordPress site has outbound internet access.

  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New.
  3. In the search box, type AdminLocks.
  4. Find "AdminLocks" in the results and click Install Now.
  5. Once installed, click Activate.

The plugin is now active and the first-run wizard will launch automatically.

Upload via wp-admin

If your hosting environment restricts the WordPress.org plugin directory, you can upload the plugin manually.

  1. Download the latest AdminLocks ZIP file from adminlocks.com/install/.
  2. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New.
  3. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page.
  4. Choose the ZIP file you downloaded and click Install Now.
  5. After the upload completes, click Activate Plugin.
Note

The maximum upload size depends on your server's PHP configuration. If the upload fails, check that your upload_max_filesize and post_max_size values are at least 10 MB.

Install with WP-CLI

For developers and automated deployments, WP-CLI is the quickest option. Run the following command from your WordPress root directory:

wp plugin install adminlocks --activate

To verify the installation via CLI:

wp plugin status adminlocks

You should see Status: Active and the current version number in the output.

Verify Installation

After activation, confirm that AdminLocks is running correctly:

  • A new AdminLocks menu item appears in the WordPress admin sidebar.
  • The first-run configuration wizard launches automatically on the AdminLocks settings page.
  • An entry is written to the audit log confirming the plugin was activated, including the user who performed the action and the timestamp.
Troubleshooting

If the AdminLocks menu does not appear, ensure the plugin is activated on the Plugins page. If you see a PHP error, check that your server meets the minimum requirements.

Next Steps

With AdminLocks installed and activated, here is what to do next: