# Installation

Installation takes about two minutes: download one zip, upload it, activate it. This page also covers a manual FTP alternative for hosts that block plugin uploads, and the errors that most often get in the way.

## Before you start

- **WordPress 6.9 or later.** This is the minimum the plugin declares.
- **PHP 8.2 or later.**
- An administrator account on the site, so you can install plugins.
- Your Loxo **agency slug** and **API token**. You do not need these to install, but the plugin cannot fetch any jobs until you add them.

## Download the plugin

The download link is on your order confirmation page and on the [downloads page in your account](https://portal.w4dev.com/my-account/downloads/). The file is named `loxo.vX.Y.Z.zip`, where the numbers are the version.

That file *is* the plugin — upload it to WordPress exactly as it downloaded, without unzipping or repackaging it. It is well under a megabyte.

## Install and activate

1. Log in to your site as an administrator.
2. Go to **Plugins > Add Plugin** (called **Add New** on older versions of WordPress).
3. Click **Upload Plugin** at the top of the screen.
4. Choose the `loxo.vX.Y.Z.zip` file you downloaded.
5. Click **Install Now** and wait for the upload to finish.
6. Click **Activate Plugin**.

## Installing over FTP instead

Some hosts disable plugin uploads from the dashboard, or cap uploads so low that even a small zip is refused. In that case install the files directly.

1. Unzip `loxo.vX.Y.Z.zip` on your own computer. You get a single folder named `loxo`.
2. Upload that whole `loxo` folder into `wp-content/plugins/` on your server, using FTP, SFTP or your host’s file manager.
3. Go to **Plugins** in wp-admin. Loxo now appears in the list. Click **Activate**.

## What you see after activating

A **Loxo Jobs** menu appears in the WordPress admin sidebar. Inside it are All Jobs, the job taxonomy screens, **Settings**, **Google Indexing** and **License**.

You will also see a red notice: *“Loxo Error: Missing api credentials. Please update your loxo API Settings”*. Nothing is broken — the plugin is telling you it has no Loxo agency slug or API token yet, and the notice disappears once you add them.

## What’s next

Two steps, in this order. First [activate your license](https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/license-activation/), which turns on automatic updates. Then go to [Plugin Settings](https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/plugin-settings/) and connect your Loxo account so jobs can start arriving.

The zip in your account is the version that was current when it was uploaded, so it can be a release or two behind. Once your license is saved, WordPress offers the newer version on the **Plugins** screen like any other update.

## Troubleshooting

### “The uploaded file exceeds the upload\_max\_filesize directive in php.ini”

Your host’s PHP upload limit is below the size of the file. The zip is only a couple of hundred kilobytes, so a limit that low is unusual — ask your host to raise `upload_max_filesize` and `post_max_size`, or skip the dashboard and use the FTP method above.

### “The package could not be installed. No valid plugins were found.” or a missing `style.css` error

Both mean WordPress did not find a plugin where it expected one. A `style.css` complaint means you were on **Appearance > Themes** rather than **Plugins > Add Plugin** — Loxo is a plugin, not a theme. “No valid plugins were found” usually means the zip was unpacked and repackaged, losing the `loxo` folder WordPress needs. Download it again and upload it untouched.

### “Destination folder already exists”

A copy of the plugin is already in `wp-content/plugins/loxo`. You do not need to install over it — updates run from the **Plugins** screen. To replace a broken copy, deactivate and delete it first, then install again. Your jobs live in the database and survive this.

### The plugin activates but no menu appears

The **Loxo Jobs** menu is only shown to users who can edit posts, and the screens inside it are gated further: **Settings** and **Google Indexing** need editor-level rights, and **License** is administrator-only. Sign in as an administrator.

## FAQ

### Do I need my license key before I can install?

No. The plugin installs, activates and runs without one. The license is what gets you automatic updates and support.

### Will deactivating the plugin delete my jobs?

No. Deactivating cancels the scheduled sync and indexing tasks and refreshes your permalinks. Your imported jobs stay in the database and reappear when you activate again.

## Related documentation

- [License Activation](https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/license-activation/) — turn on automatic updates and support.
- [Plugin Settings](https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/plugin-settings/) — add your agency slug and API token.
- [Synchronizing Jobs](https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/synchronizing-jobs/) — run your first job sync once the plugin is installed and connected.

Source: https://loxo.w4dev.com/docs/installation/