How to Run a Local WordPress Site

If you’re in the same boat—trying to test, build, or just learn WordPress without risking anything—running it locally is the move. It’s free, it’s private, and once you get it set up, it just works.

Let me break down how I did it, especially on Windows 10, and answer all the stuff I kept Googling when I was first figuring this out.

WordPress Download, Local by Flywheel, Localhost, Install WordPress Locally (Windows 10)

Step 1: I Downloaded WordPress

First thing I did was head to wordpress.org and grabbed the latest version of WordPress. It comes in a ZIP file with all the files needed to run a site. I didn’t touch it yet—just kept it ready on my desktop until I had the local server set up.

Step 2: I Set Up a Local Server

Here’s the catch—WordPress can’t run by itself. It needs something called a server environment, which sounds scarier than it is.

At first, I tried doing everything manually with XAMPP, but eventually I got tired of tweaking settings and dealing with port issues. So I switched to the easier route:

I Installed Local by Flywheel (now just called “Local”)

This was a game changer. No tech headaches. Just install and go.

• I went to https://localwp.com
• Downloaded the Windows version
• Installed it like a normal app
• Clicked “Create a New Site”
• Named it whatever I wanted, left the settings on “Preferred,” and created my WordPress login info

Local did everything else for me—set up the database, the server, the whole deal.

When it was done, I just hit “Start Site” and clicked “Open Site.” Boom. I had a working WordPress site, all running locally, just for me.

Step 3: I Figured Out What “Localhost” Meant

This term kept popping up: localhost. I used to think it was some coding thing, but it’s really just your computer pretending to be a web server.

When I type something like http://localhost/mysite, I’m not going online. I’m just looking at a website that’s stored and running on my machine. It’s like a sandbox—nobody else can see it unless they’re on my Wi-Fi and I give them access.

If I’m using Local, it’ll usually give me a custom URL like http://mycoolsite.local instead of just localhost.

Step 4: I Installed WordPress Locally on Windows 10 (The Manual Way)

Before I found Local, I tried setting everything up with XAMPP. If you’re the kind of person who likes control (or you’re just stubborn like me), here’s what I did:

1. Installed XAMPP
2. Opened it and started Apache and MySQL
3. Went to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and created a new database
4. Unzipped the WordPress file I downloaded
5. Moved it into C:\xampp\htdocs\
6. Renamed the folder to my site name
7. Opened http://localhost/sitename in my browser
8. Followed the WordPress setup wizard—entered the database info, username, password

It worked, but I’ll be honest—it took way longer than using Local. Still, it’s a good method if you want to learn how servers actually work.

FAQ: Real Questions I Had (and Finally Answered)

How do I run an existing WordPress site locally?

I had an old client site I wanted to rebuild without touching the live version. So I did this:

1. Downloaded the full site files (via FTP or cPanel)
2. Exported the database using phpMyAdmin
3. Set up a new site using Local
4. Replaced the default files with the ones I downloaded
5. Imported the database into the local version of phpMyAdmin
6. Edited wp-config.php with my local DB info
7. Used the WP Migrate DB plugin to update the URLs

It sounds messy, but once I did it once, it wasn’t bad.

How do I run a WordPress site on localhost?

Basically:

• Install XAMPP or Local
• Set up a new site
• Add the WordPress files to the correct folder
• Visit http://localhost/yoursite and run the setup wizard

That’s it. Just make sure Apache and MySQL are running if you’re using XAMPP.

How to run WordPress on localhost without XAMPP?

I already said it—but seriously, Local by Flywheel is the best way I’ve found. No config files, no weird bugs, just smooth setup. I haven’t looked back since switching to it.

How to deploy local WordPress?

Once I built a site locally and was ready to make it live, here’s what I did:

• Installed the All-in-One WP Migration plugin
• Exported the entire site
• Set up a blank WordPress install on my hosting
• Installed the same plugin there
• Imported the site

Then I cleaned up links, checked permalinks, and made sure images loaded right. Took me maybe 30 minutes.

How do I run WordPress locally?

If you’re skimming this and just want the quick version:

1. Download WordPress from wordpress.org
2. Install Local by Flywheel
3. Create a new site in Local
4. Log in and start building

That’s literally it. No money, no live servers, no risk.

Final Thoughts

Running WordPress locally gave me freedom. I could break things without consequences, test plugins without blowing stuff up, and build sites at 3 AM without needing Wi-Fi or a hosting account.

If you’re just getting into this world—do yourself a favor and start with Local. It saves time, saves sanity, and just works.

And if you screw something up? Who cares. Delete it. Start over. That’s the beauty of local—it’s your sandbox, your playground, your experiment zone.

I’ve built test sites, client mockups, and full portfolios locally. And not once did I miss dealing with cPanel or random FTP errors at 2 in the morning.

So yeah—run WordPress locally. It’ll make you better, faster, and way less stressed.