Installation

Installing Switchboard Pro takes about a minute. Pick whichever method works best for you.

Before You Start#

Make sure your site meets these requirements:

• WordPress 5.6 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or higher

That’s it. No special extensions or server configs needed.

Method 1: Upload Through WordPress#

This is the easiest way for most people.

1. Download the plugin ZIP file from your account
2. In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New
3. Click Upload Plugin at the top
4. Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
5. Click Activate

You’ll see “Switchboard” appear in your admin sidebar. That’s it — you’re installed.

Method 2: WP-CLI#

If you’re comfortable with the command line:

wp plugin install /path/to/switchboard-pro.zip --activate

Or if you’ve uploaded the ZIP to a URL:

wp plugin install https://your-site.com/switchboard-pro.zip --activate

Method 3: Manual FTP/SFTP#

For those who prefer direct file access:

1. Unzip the plugin file on your computer
2. Connect to your server via FTP or SFTP
3. Upload the wpswitchboard-pro folder to /wp-content/plugins/
4. In WordPress, go to Plugins
5. Find Switchboard Pro and click Activate

After Installation#

Once activated, you’ll notice a few things:

• Switchboard appears in your admin sidebar
• A welcome screen guides you through the next steps
• No modules are enabled yet — that’s intentional

Before you can enable any modules, you’ll need to activate your license. This keeps your installation secure and enables automatic updates.

A Note About Multisite#

Switchboard Pro works on WordPress multisite, but with one rule: activate it per-site, not network-wide.

Network activation is blocked intentionally. Each site should have its own configuration and enabled modules. This gives you proper control over what runs where.

Troubleshooting Installation#

“Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error”

This usually means a PHP version mismatch. Check that you’re running PHP 7.4 or higher. Your host’s control panel should show your PHP version, or ask their support.

“The plugin is already installed”

If you’re upgrading from an older version, deactivate and delete the old one first, then install the new version.

Plugin doesn’t appear after upload

Make sure the ZIP file isn’t corrupted. Try downloading it again. Also check that the folder structure is correct — WordPress expects the plugin files directly inside a wpswitchboard-pro folder.

Next up: License Activation — you’ll need this before enabling modules.