You can install Post Views Counter Lite directly from the WordPress plugins directory or upload the ZIP package manually through the WordPress admin. In both cases, the plugin starts counting views immediately after activation with the default configuration.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • A self-hosted WordPress website
  • Administrator access to your WordPress dashboard
  • Access to your postviewscounter.com account if you plan to use the upload method

Steps

1. Install from the WordPress plugins directory

This is the quickest way to install the Free version.

  1. Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard
  2. Search for "Post Views Counter"
  3. Click Install Now on the "Post Views Counter" plugin
  4. Wait for the installation to complete
  5. Click Activate

2. Install from a downloaded ZIP file

Use this method if you downloaded the plugin from your account.

  1. Log in to your account at postviewscounter.com
  2. Open Purchase History and click View Details and Downloads
  3. Download the Free version ZIP file named similarly to post-views-counter-x-x-x
  4. Do not unzip the downloaded file
  5. In WordPress, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  6. Select the ZIP file and click Install Now
  7. Click Activate

3. Confirm the default setup

After activation, the plugin is ready to use without additional configuration. If you want to review the defaults, check:

  • Post Views > Counting > Tracking Targets — Posts are tracked by default
  • Post Views > Counting > Tracking Behavior — PHP Mode is enabled by default
  • Post Views > Display > Counter Appearance — Views display after content with the label "Post Views:"

No changes are required to start counting.

Verification

Confirm the plugin is working:

  1. Visit a published post on your site as a guest or in an incognito window
  2. Check the admin column at Posts > All Posts and confirm the Views column increases after your visit
  3. Check frontend display if enabled, or use the [post-views] shortcode to output the counter manually

If the view total increases, the installation is complete and counting is active.

Next Steps

Now that Post Views Counter is active:

  • Verify counting in detail with the getting-started verification guide
  • Configure tracking at Post Views > Counting > Tracking Targets
  • Customize display at Post Views > Display > Counter Appearance
  • Exclude visitors at Post Views > Counting > Visitor Exclusions
  • Use the shortcode to display views anywhere with [post-views]
  • Show top posts with the widget in your sidebar or footer areas

Upgrade to Pro for additional features including:

  • Advanced counter modes (JavaScript Mode, REST API Mode, Fast AJAX)
  • Detailed analytics and reports
  • Taxonomy and user view tracking
  • Cookieless tracking option
  • AI bot exclusion