How to Install PrestaShop Step by Step

PrestaShop is a popular open-source e-commerce platform that allows you to create and manage an online store. In this guide, we’ll explain how to install PrestaShop step by step, from preparing your hosting account to accessing the PrestaShop back office.

What You Need Before Installing PrestaShop

Before starting the installation, make sure your hosting account meets the requirements for the PrestaShop version you want to install.

You will generally need:

• A domain name
• Web hosting
• PHP
• MySQL or MariaDB database
• SSL certificate (HTTPS)
• FTP/SFTP access or a hosting file manager
• A database name, username and password

It is also recommended to use a reliable hosting provider with sufficient storage, RAM and PHP resources for your store.

Step 1: Choose a Domain and Hosting

First, register your domain name and purchase suitable web hosting.

For example:

https://www.example.com

Make sure your domain points to your hosting server before starting the installation.

For an e-commerce store, HTTPS is especially important because customers will enter personal and payment information.

Step 2: Download PrestaShop

Download the appropriate PrestaShop package from the official PrestaShop website.

Choose the version that is compatible with your hosting environment and PHP version.

After downloading the ZIP file, you can upload it to your hosting account using:

• cPanel File Manager
• FTP
• SFTP
• Your hosting provider’s file manager

Step 3: Upload the PrestaShop Files

Upload the PrestaShop ZIP file to the directory where you want your store to operate.

For example:

public_html/

Extract the ZIP file.

Your hosting directory should contain the PrestaShop installation files.

Step 4: Create a Database

Open your hosting control panel and create a new MySQL or MariaDB database.

Create:

1. Database name
2. Database username
3. Database password
4. Database user permissions

Make sure the database user has the required permissions for the PrestaShop database.

Keep these details because you will need them during installation.

Step 5: Start the PrestaShop Installation

Open your domain in a web browser:

https://www.example.com

The PrestaShop installation wizard should start automatically.

Select your preferred language and continue.

Step 6: Accept the Terms and Conditions

Read the PrestaShop license and terms.

Accept the required agreements and click Next or Continue.

Step 7: Enter Your Store Information

Enter your basic store information, including:

• Shop name
• Country
• Default language
• Activity
• Administrator name
• Administrator email
• Administrator password

Use a strong administrator password.

Your administrator email and password will be used to access the PrestaShop back office.

Step 8: Enter Database Information

Enter the database details you created earlier.

Typically, you will need:

Database server address
Database name
Database login
Database password
Database table prefix

The database server is commonly:

localhost

but this depends on your hosting provider.

Click Test your database connection if the installation wizard provides this option.

If the connection is successful, continue with the installation.

Step 9: Wait for Installation

PrestaShop will now create the database tables and install the store.

Depending on your hosting server, this can take several minutes.

Do not close the browser while the installation is running.

Step 10: Delete the Install Folder

After the installation is completed, PrestaShop requires the installation directory to be removed.

This is an important security step.

Delete the installation folder from your hosting account according to the instructions provided by your PrestaShop version.

Do not leave the installation directory accessible to visitors.

Step 11: Log In to the PrestaShop Back Office

After installation, open your PrestaShop administration URL.

For security reasons, the administrator directory is normally renamed during installation.

For example:

https://www.example.com/admin123abc

Enter the administrator email and password you created during installation.

You should now see the PrestaShop Back Office.

Step 12: Configure Your Store

After logging in, configure the basic settings of your store.

Important areas include:

Store Information

Add your:

• Store name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Logo

Currency

Configure the currencies that your store accepts.

Taxes

Configure the appropriate tax rules for your country and products.

Shipping

Add your:

• Carriers
• Shipping zones
• Delivery prices
• Free shipping rules

Payment

Install and configure your preferred payment methods.

Depending on your country, you may use payment gateways such as cards, UPI, PayPal or other supported providers.

Step 13: Add Your First Product

Go to the Catalog section in the PrestaShop Back Office and create a new product.

Add:

• Product name
• Description
• Product images
• Price
• Quantity
• Category
• Reference/SKU
• Features
• SEO information

Save the product and check the product page from the front office.

Step 14: Configure SEO

SEO is important if you want your products to appear in Google search results.

Configure:

• SEO-friendly URLs
• Meta titles
• Meta descriptions
• Product URLs
• XML sitemap
• Canonical URLs
• Robots.txt
• Structured data

You should also connect your website with Google Search Console to monitor indexing and search performance.

Step 15: Enable SSL and HTTPS

Make sure your entire store uses HTTPS.

Your store should load using:

https://www.example.com

rather than:

http://www.example.com

An SSL certificate helps protect customer information and is essential for an e-commerce website.

Step 16: Test Your Store

Before launching your store, test everything carefully.

Check:

• Homepage
• Product pages
• Categories
• Search
• Shopping cart
• Checkout
• Customer registration
• Login
• Payment
• Shipping
• Emails
• Mobile display
• HTTPS
• Google indexing

Place a test order if possible.

Conclusion

Installing PrestaShop is straightforward when your hosting environment and database are correctly configured.

Once PrestaShop is installed, the next steps are to configure your store, add products, set up payment and shipping methods, optimize SEO and test the complete checkout process.

With the right configuration, you can build a professional and scalable online store using PrestaShop.

#Tags

#PrestaShop #PrestaShopInstallation #PrestaShopTutorial #PrestaShopGuide #Ecommerce #EcommerceWebsite #OnlineStore #PrestaShopStore #PrestaShopDevelopment #PrestaShopSEO #SEO #OnlineBusiness #EcommerceTips #PrestaShopModules

If you want, I can also create a “How to Install PrestaShop 9” version with screenshots/image placements for each installation step, which would be better for Google SEO and your blog.