Setting up your hosting plan is the first step to take after purchasing it. This process prepares the environment for your website and ensures your hosting is ready to be used.
To initiate the setup process, go to the Home page of your hPanel, locate your hosting plan on the Account actions section and click on the Setup button:
If there are any outstanding payments on your account, they will be displayed by default in this section. To locate the pending setup order, click on the Account Actions tab.
Clicking on Setup will initiate the onboarding, which will get your hosting order up and running.
If you start the onboarding and need to complete it later, click on the Hostinger logo at the top to go back to hPanel 💡
You’ll be given two options: create a new website or migrate an existing one.
Create a website – Select this if you want to build a totally new website.
Migrate a website – Choose this option if your website is currently hosted elsewhere, stored on a file-sharing platform, or saved on your local device.
When you're ready, click on Next.
Option 1 — Create a new website
Here, you will be asked to select a platform for creating your new website:
WordPress – choose this option if you have experience with WordPress or are interested in learning how to use this Content Management System (CMS).
Hostinger Website Builder – it's our recommendation if this is your first website or if you want an easy-to-use solution with great quick results.
If you prefer to proceed without selecting a platform right now, click on Skip. You can choose the platform, whether it’s Website Builder, WordPress, or another option, later after setting up your hosting plan.
Expand the sections below to see details for each:
WordPress website
WordPress website
After selecting WordPress, you'll be walked through the following steps:
Select the language for your WordPress admin panel, enter the administrator email and set a strong password.
Choose the website type (optional): online store, blog, portfolio, business, or other.
Generate a pre-built website or use a theme.
Select plugins.
If you have a Web Business or cloud hosting plan, use the AI Text Generator (optional)
After configuring the WordPress installation for your new website, the next step is to choose a domain name. You have several options:
Use a domain you already own – This could be one purchased at Hostinger or another provider. If it's registered elsewhere, you’ll need to point it to Hostinger.
Use a subdomain from a domain you own.
Purchase a new domain.
If your hosting plan includes a free domain, you can claim it at this point.
If you'd like to skip choosing a domain for now, click on Use a temporary domain, then click Next.
Finally, choose a server location. We’ll recommend the best option for you, so you can simply leave the default selection. Wait a few minutes for the setup process to complete and your hosting will be ready 🚀
Hostinger Website Builder
Hostinger Website Builder
The first step is to choose a domain name for your new website. You have several options:
Use a domain you already own – Either one purchased at Hostinger or elswhere. If it's the latter, make sure to point it to Hostinger.
Use a subdomain from a domain you own.
Register a new domain.
If your hosting plan includes a free domain, you can claim it at this point.
If you'd like to skip choosing a domain for now, click on Use a temporary domain, then click Next to load the Hostinger Website Builder. You'll be presented with the following options:
Start creating a website using AI, or
Use a pre-made template
After completing this step, you will be directed to the Website Builder. To go back to hPanel, click on Website Builder on the top left corner and select My websites.
Hostinger Website Builder is a drag-and-drop platform designed to easily create and manage websites. As a result, some hosting management features like file management, databases, GIT, SSH, FTP, cron jobs, and PHP configuration are not available. You can enable these features for other websites by adding a WordPress or empty website to your hosting plan.
Option 2 — Migrate a website
The first step is to choose a domain name for your new website from the following alternatives:
Use a domain you already own, be it purchased at Hostinger or somewhere else. If your domain is registered with a different provider, make sure to point it to Hostinger only after the migration is completed.
Use a subdomain from a domain you own.
Purchase a new domain.
If your hosting plan includes a free domain, you can claim it at this point.
If you'd like to skip choosing a domain for now, click on Use a temporary domain, then click Next to choose a server location. We’ll recommend the best option for you, so you can simply leave the default selection.
After a few minutes, you'll be guided through the following steps:
Enter the name of the website you want to migrate (source website) and click Next. If you have a WordPress backup, you can choose to upload it at this step.
The following steps depend on your current website's platform:
If WordPress is detected automatically, you can either provide the WordPress admin credentials or upload backup files and the database.
For cPanel/WHM or Other, enter your panel URL and credentials. c
If your website files are stored on a file-sharing platform, select Other to provide the link.
You can refer to this guide for the the detailed process: How to migrate a website to Hostinger.