If you want to try out WordPress on your own computer without needing an internet connection, this simple guide will help you do just that using a program called XAMPP.

What is XAMPP?

XAMPP is a free software that lets your computer act like a web server. It includes everything WordPress needs to work:

• Apache (the web server)
• MariaDB (the database where WordPress stores your content)
• PHP (the language WordPress is written in)

You can install XAMPP on Windows 11 or other systems like Ubuntu. This guide focuses on Windows 11.

Step 1: Install XAMPP

If you don’t have XAMPP yet, here’s a guide to help you install it on Windows 11:

• How to Install XAMPP on Windows 11

Once installed, open the XAMPP Control Panel to manage your web server and database.

Step 2: Create a Database for WordPress

WordPress needs a database to save your posts, pages, and settings. Here’s how to create one:

1. Open the XAMPP Control Panel.
2. Click the Shell button (see image below) to open a command window.

In the shell window, type this command to open the database prompt:

mysql -u root

Now, enter these commands one by one to create your database and a user account. Make sure to replace your_password_here with a password you choose:

CREATE DATABASE wordpressdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci;
CREATE USER 'wordpressdbuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password_here';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpressdb.* TO 'wordpressdbuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

If you prefer using a graphical interface, you can click the Admin button next to MySQL in the XAMPP Control Panel to open phpMyAdmin. From there, create a new database and user with full permissions using the user-friendly interface (see image below):

Step 3: Download and Set Up WordPress

Now, let’s get the WordPress files ready on your computer.

1. Go to the folder C:xampphtdocs on your PC.
   
   Create a new folder inside called wordpress.
2. Download WordPress from the official WordPress download page.
3. Extract the WordPress files you downloaded into the wordpress folder you just created.

Next, open the file C:xampphtdocsindex.html with a text editor like Notepad. This file controls what shows up when you visit your local server.

Replace its content with this code to make sure your browser goes directly to the WordPress site:

<?php
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && ('on' == $_SERVER['HTTPS'])) {
    $uri = 'https://';
  } else {
    $uri = 'http://';
  }
  $uri .= $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'];
  header('Location: '.$uri.'/wordpress/');
  exit;
?>
Something is wrong with the XAMPP installation :-(

Save the file.

Step 4: Restart Apache Server

Go back to the XAMPP Control Panel. Stop the Apache service and then start it again. This makes sure your changes take effect.

Step 5: Install WordPress

Open your web browser and go to:

http://localhost/wordpress

You will see the WordPress setup screen. Follow these simple steps:

• Choose your language and click Continue.
• Click Let’s go! to start.
• Enter the database details you created earlier:
  • Database Name: wordpressdb
  • Username: wordpressdbuser
  • Password: the password you set
  • Database Host: localhost
  • Table Prefix: leave it as wp_
• Click Submit.
• Click Run the installation.
• Fill in your site title, choose an admin username and password, and enter your email.
• Click Install WordPress.

If everything is correct, WordPress will finish the installation and you can log in to your new site!

Summary

• You installed WordPress on your Windows 11 PC using XAMPP — no internet needed!
• Created a database for WordPress to save your website data.
• Downloaded WordPress and set it up to run on your local server.
• Installed WordPress through the web setup wizard.

Now you can try out themes, plugins, and build your website safely on your computer before putting it online.

Enjoy your new WordPress playground!