Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Create a Download Page in WordPress

If you're running a WordPress website and want to offer downloadable content to your visitors, you'll need to create a download page. This page will act as an online library where users can browse and download files like documents, images, videos, and more. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to create a download page in WordPress.

Step 1: Install and Activate a Download Manager Plugin

WordPress doesn't come with a built-in feature for managing file downloads, so you'll need to install a plugin to handle this. There are numerous free and premium download manager plugins available in the WordPress repository, but we recommend using the 'Download Manager' by W3 Eden plugin.

To install the plugin, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to 'Plugins' > 'Add New'. In the search bar, enter 'Download Manager' and select the 'Download Manager by W3 Eden' plugin. Click the 'Install Now' button and activate the plugin once it's successfully installed.

Step 2: Create a New Download Category

Once you've installed and activated the plugin, navigate to 'Download Manager' from the WordPress menu and select 'Categories'. Click on the 'Add Category' button to create a new category, and give it a name that reflects the type of downloads you'll be offering (e.g. 'E-books', 'Software', 'Music', etc.).

Step 3: Upload Your Downloadable Files

Now that you've created a new category, it's time to upload your files. From the 'Download Manager' menu, select 'Downloads' and click on the 'Add New' button. Here, you'll need to provide a title, description, and upload the file by clicking on the 'Add File' button. You can also assign the downloads to specific categories that you've created in the previous step.

Step 4: Create a Download Page

To create a download page in WordPress, navigate to the 'Pages' menu and click on 'Add New'. Give your page a title (e.g. 'Download', 'Resources', 'Library', etc.) and add a brief description of what users can expect to download from the page. Now, switch to the 'Text' editor mode found at the top right corner of the screen and paste the following shortcode:

[wpdm-all-packages items_per_page="10" categories="CATEGORY ID"]

Replace 'CATEGORY ID' with the actual ID of the category you created in Step 2. You can find the ID by going to 'Download Manager' > 'Categories' and hovering the mouse over the 'Edit' button next to the category. The ID will appear on your browser's status bar.

Once you've added the shortcode, click the 'Publish' button to create your download page. You can also customize the layout, design, and other elements of the page using your preferred page builder and CSS.

Conclusion

Creating a download page in WordPress is a straightforward process that requires a few simple steps. With the 'Download Manager' plugin by W3 Eden, you can easily manage and share your downloadable content with your website visitors. Use this guide as a reference to create your download page and optimize your website for maximum user engagement and satisfaction.