The Problem
You want to test plugin updates, theme changes, or custom code without breaking your live site. The fix is a local WordPress install on your own machine. A localhost setup gives you a working WordPress environment that runs offline. There’s no hosting bill, no risk to production. The most popular tool today is Local — a free desktop app that handles PHP, MySQL, and WordPress with one click. This tutorial walks through installation, site creation, and pushing changes to a live host.
What You’ll Need
- WordPress version: latest 6.x (Local installs the current release by default)
- Permissions needed: Administrator on your local machine plus 1.5 GB free disk space
- Time to complete: 15-25 minutes including the Local app download and first WordPress install
- Difficulty level: Beginner
- Prerequisites: Stable internet for the initial download (Local bundles PHP, MySQL, and WordPress inside the app, so no separate stack install is needed)
Step 1: Download and Install Local
Open localwp.com in your browser. Click the Download button at the top right. Pick your operating system — macOS, Windows, or Linux. Provide an email if asked, then download the installer (~600 MB). Run the installer and accept the default settings. Local creates a Site Library at ~/Local Sites on macOS or C:\Users\You\Local Sites on Windows. Open Local from your Applications folder or Start menu when installation finishes. The first launch may take 30-60 seconds while Local initializes its bundled services.
[SCREENSHOT: local-download-page]
Step 2: Create a New WordPress Site
Click the + button at the bottom-left of the Local app. Choose Create a new site and click Continue. Give the site a clear name, for example my-test-site. Local generates a local domain like my-test-site.local. The domain works only on your machine. Click Continue to move to the environment setup screen. Pick Preferred for the default PHP, web server, and database stack unless you have a specific reason to customize.
[SCREENSHOT: local-create-new-site]
Step 3: Configure PHP Version and Site Type
Set a username and password for the WordPress admin account. Use admin and a strong password — you only need this for local testing. Enter an email address (any valid format works on localhost). Click Add Site. Local downloads WordPress, sets up the database, and configures Apache or Nginx in the background. The progress bar takes 2-3 minutes on most machines. When done, the site appears in the left sidebar of the Local dashboard with a green dot showing it is running.
[SCREENSHOT: local-site-running]
Step 4: Open the Site and WP Admin
Click Open site at the top of the Local dashboard to load the front end. The default theme appears in your browser at the local domain. Click WP Admin to log in to the WordPress dashboard with the credentials you set in Step 3. The dashboard works exactly like a live WordPress install. You can install plugins, switch themes, and edit posts. Local routes the local domain through its bundled web server, so external sites like wordpress.org can install plugins and themes normally.
[SCREENSHOT: local-wp-admin-dashboard]
Step 5: Install Plugins and Themes Locally
Go to Plugins → Add New in the WordPress dashboard. Search for the plugin you want to test. Click Install Now and then Activate. Repeat for each plugin you want to validate. Themes work the same way under Appearance → Themes → Add New. Test plugin and theme updates here before applying them to your live site:
What this does: imports a database export from your live site so the local copy mirrors production data.
# Drop the SQL dump into Local's database via the Tools tab
wp db import /path/to/live-export.sqlFor a faster path, use Tools → Database in Local to open Adminer and import a SQL file directly.
[SCREENSHOT: local-plugins-install]
Step 6: Push Changes to Your Live Host with Connect
Click Connect in the Local sidebar to link your hosting account. Local supports WP Engine, Flywheel, and any host that accepts SFTP. Select the destination site and pick Push. Local copies files and the database to the live server. Always run a backup of the live site before pushing — see our WordPress backup guide for the safe sequence. After the push completes, open the live site and verify the changes look correct on the public URL. Use the migration tutorial if you need to move the entire site instead of pushing changes.
[SCREENSHOT: local-connect-push]
Troubleshooting
Error: Local fails to start with “port 80 in use”.
Fix: Another web server (Apache, Skype, IIS) is holding port 80. Stop it from your OS service panel, or change Local’s site to a different port via Site → Web Server → Custom Port.
Error: The local domain shows “site can’t be reached” in the browser.
Fix: Local edits your hosts file on first launch. If your antivirus blocked the edit, click Stop site and Start site again. Restart Local with administrator rights if the issue persists.
Error: WP Admin login redirects in a loop.
Fix: A theme or plugin is forcing HTTPS on a non-SSL local site. Open Site → SSL in Local and click Trust to enable HTTPS, or disable the offending plugin via FTP.
Error: Push to live host fails with permission denied.
Fix: Your hosting credentials are wrong, or the host blocks SFTP from desktop apps. Switch to an SSH key or use the host’s manual import tool.
Quick Recap
- Local bundles PHP, MySQL, and WordPress in one installer for offline development
- Each Local site runs at a
.localdomain only your machine can reach - Plugins and themes install from the WordPress dashboard exactly as on a live site
- Connect pushes files and the database to a hosting account when you are ready to go live
- For a deeper backup workflow before pushing, our backup plugin comparison covers automated options. Reference: the WordPress.org download page for the manual stack alternative
