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Installation and activation

Prerequisites and versions​

Before installing Free Downloads for WooCommerce, ensure you have:

  • WordPress: Version 4.4 or higher (latest version recommended)
  • WooCommerce: Version 3.0 or higher (latest version recommended)
  • PHP: Version 7.4.0 or higher
  • Server: Standard WordPress hosting with write permissions
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Free Downloads for WooCommerce works with any WordPress theme and most WooCommerce extensions.

Download the plugin​

From WordPress.org (free edition)​

  1. Go to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
  3. Search for "Free Downloads WooCommerce" or "Download Now for WooCommerce".
  4. Click Install Now next to the Free Downloads WooCommerce plugin.
  5. Skip to Activate the plugin.

From WP Enhanced account (Pro edition)​

For Pro edition installation instructions, see the PRO Installation Guide.

Install the Plugin​

  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
  3. Click Upload Plugin at the top of the page.
  4. Click Choose File and select the plugin ZIP file you downloaded.
  5. Click Install Now.
  6. Wait for the installation to complete.

Method 2: Install via FTP​

  1. Extract the plugin ZIP file on your computer.
  2. Connect to your server via FTP.
  3. Navigate to wp-content/plugins/.
  4. Upload the extracted plugin folder to this directory.
  5. The folder should be named download-now-for-woocommerce or free-downloads-woocommerce-pro.

Activate the plugin​

  1. In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
  2. Find Free Downloads WooCommerce in the list.
  3. Click Activate.

After activation, you'll see a notice with a link to the plugin settings page.

Pro Edition

For Pro edition license activation instructions, see the PRO Installation Guide.

First-Time Setup​

To verify the plugin is working correctly:

  1. Create a test product (or use an existing one).
  2. Make it Downloadable and Virtual.
  3. Set the price to 0 (free).
  4. Add at least one downloadable file.
  5. View the product on your site's frontend.
  6. You should see a download button instead of "Add to Cart".

If you see the download button, the plugin is installed and working correctly.

Page builders (Elementor, etc.)

If you use a page builder, the download button sometimes does not show because their product blocks or modules may not include the WooCommerce hooks the plugin uses. In that case, add the button manually using the [download_now] shortcode (for example in a Shortcode widget or block) with your product ID: [download_now id="123"]. See Shortcodes reference.

Next steps​

After installation, the plugin works immediately with default settings. You can:

  1. Review settings: Go to WP Enhanced > Free Download Woo to customize the plugin.
  2. Test a product: Create or edit a free downloadable product to see the plugin in action.
  3. Customize appearance: Adjust button text, CSS classes, and display options.
tip

The plugin is designed to work out of the box with sensible defaults. You can start using it immediately and customize later.

Troubleshooting installation​

If you encounter issues during installation:

  • "The plugin does not have a valid header": Make sure you uploaded the correct ZIP file.
  • "Destination folder already exists": Delete the old plugin folder via FTP first.
  • "Could not create directory": Check your server's file permissions.
  • Plugin doesn't activate: Check that you meet the minimum requirements (WordPress 4.4+, WooCommerce 3.0+, PHP 7.4+).

For more help, see the Troubleshooting page. Free edition users can visit the WordPress.org support forum. Pro customers can submit a ticket at wpenhanced.com.

What's next​