---
title: "How to install a Joomla 2.5 Plugin"
description: "Joomla 2.5 has reached its end of life as for 12/31/2014. Please be advised this may be a security risk to your website. You can view more information about the end of life here. In our previous..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/joomla/joomla-2-5/how-to-install-a-plugin/
date: 2012-02-21
modified: 2021-11-19
author: "Brad Markle"
categories: ["Joomla", "Joomla 2.5"]
tags: ["Joomla v2.5"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# How to install a Joomla 2.5 Plugin

Joomla 2.5 has reached its end of life as for 12/31/2014. Please be advised this may be a security risk to your website. You can view more information about the end of life [here](https://docs.joomla.org/Joomla!_CMS_versions).

In our previous tutorial, we explained [the difference between plugins, modules, and components](/support/edu/joomla/joomla-2-5/plugin-vs-module-vs-component/) in Joomla 2.5. In this tutorial, we’ll begin learning to use extensions by showing you how to install a Joomla 2.5 plugin. The plugin we are testing, Facebook – Twitter – Google+1, will automatically add the social media share buttons to our articles.

**To install a Joomla 2.5 Plugin:**

1. **Download the plugin** to your desktop.
2. [Log into your Joomla Dashboard](/support/edu/joomla/joomla-3/how-to-log-in-to-administrative-dashboard/)
3. In the top menu, hover over **Extensions** and click **Extension Manager [![hover-over-extensions-and-click-extension-manager](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_hover-over-extensions-and-click-extension-manager.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_hover-over-extensions-and-click-extension-manager.gif)**
4. Under **Upload Package Manager**, click **Browse** and find the plugin you downloaded to your computer. After clicking on the plugin name, click **Open**, and then click **Upload & Install**. [![browse-for-your-joomla2.5-extension-and-then-upload](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_browse-for-your-joomla2.5-extension-and-then-upload.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_browse-for-your-joomla2.5-extension-and-then-upload.gif) When the plugin has been uploaded and installed successfully, you will see a confirmation message: [![your-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_your-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_your-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif)
5. At this point you have successfully uploaded and installed a plugin!Plugins are not enabled by default, so our next step is to configure and enabled our plugin. In the top menu, hover over **Extensions** and click **Plug-In Manager**
6. Use the **Filter** feature to find your plugin, and then click on the plugin in the list below [![find-and-click-your-plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_find-and-click-your-plugin.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_find-and-click-your-plugin.gif)
7. On the Plug-in Manager page, set **Status** to **Enabled**, configure any of the other settings available with the plugin, and then click **Save & Close** [![enabled-and-configure-your-joomla2.5-plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_enabled-and-configure-your-joomla2.5-plugin.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_enabled-and-configure-your-joomla2.5-plugin.gif) Congratulations, you have just **downloaded, installed, configured, and enabled a Joomla 2.5 Plugin!** Here’s our plugin in action: Before plugin installation After plugin installation [![before-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_before-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_before-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif) [![after-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_after-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edu_joomla25_install-a-plugin_after-the-joomla2.5-plugin-has-been-installed.gif)

In our next Joomla 2.5 tutorial, we will show you [how to install a module](/support/edu/joomla/joomla-2-5/how-to-install-a-module/).