Installing WHMCS
To start using WHMCS, you will need to install it on your server. You may need help from your hosting provider or system administrator to do this.
You can also learn about installing WHMCS by watching the video below.
Downloading WHMCS
First, download the current Full Release version of WHMCS:
- Go to download.whmcs.com.
- Under Full Release, find your desired WHMCS version and click Download.
We always recommend the latest version of WHMCS, which is highlighted at the top of the list.
Uploading WHMCS to Your Server
Next, install the software to your server.
This example uses a cPanel server. For additional information on other server types, see our installation documentation.
To install the software:
1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. Go to cPanel's File Manager interface (Files >> File Manager).
3. Navigate to the public_html directory by double-clicking on the folder icon.
4. Click Upload.
5. On the next screen, choose Select File.
6. Browse to the .zip file and click Select File.
7. When the .zip file is uploaded, click Go Back to "/home/username/public_html". You will see the newly-uploaded .zip file in the public_html directory.
8. Right-click the .zip file and choose Extract. The system will prompt you for a destination.
9. Choose a destination, and then click Extract File(s). In this example, we're extracting it to the public_html folder.
10. Rename the configuration.php.new file in the folder to configuration.php.
Creating the Database
Next, you will need to create the MySQL® database to use for the WHMCS installation.
To do this:
1. In cPanel, go to the MySQL Database Wizard interface (Databases >> MySQL Database Wizard). This interface will guide you through the process of creating the WHMCS database.
2. Use the interface to choose a database name, username, and password, and to set permissions.
3. When you reach the Privileges section, choose All Privileges.
Make sure to note the database details, since you will need them later in the process. For databases, cPanel uses the cPanel account username, an underscore, and then the database name or username.
4. In a separate browser tab, go to www.example.com/whmcs/install/, replacing example.com with your website address.
5. Read and click Agree for the End User License Agreement.
6. Follow the instructions in each step of the installation process to provide your database information, license key, and other information.
You can find your license key in the Client Area or in your welcome email.
7. To finish, click Complete Setup.
Make sure to copy and save the daily cron job command (in grey). It's unique to your server and you will need it later in the process.
8. When you see the Installation Completion page, remove the /install directory from your server. To do this, right-click the /install folder in cPanel's File Manager interface and choose Delete.
Encountered a Problem?
For more information and to resolve common issues, see Troubleshooting Installation Issues.