How to Use Download Plugin in WordPress

Overview

Download Plugin is a lightweight WordPress admin tool for saving useful parts of your site from inside the dashboard. Downloading is indispensable when you need to archive critical site customizations, keep backup copies of premium plugins or themes, or preserve files that could otherwise get lost after license changes, vendor shutdowns, accidental deletions, or site moves. It helps you download installed plugins as ZIP files, download several plugins at once, save theme files, download common WordPress records, and upload multiple plugin when you need to install several plugins together.

What You Can Download and Upload

With the free version, you can handle these common WordPress admin tasks:

• Download any free or paid plugin as a ZIP file in one click.
• Download multiple plugins in bulk as ZIP files.
• Download free and paid themes as ZIP files.
• Download users as CSV files.
• Download posts, custom content, and pages as CSV files.
• Download comments as CSV files.
• Download categories, tags, and other visible taxonomies as CSV files.
• Upload multiple plugin ZIP files.

For CSV downloads, the plugin includes the main fields and available metadata. Metadata columns are prefixed with meta: so they are easier to identify in the exported file.

Metadata: Extra details saved with an item. For example, a post can have its title and content, plus extra hidden or plugin-created fields. Posts, pages, users, comments, categories, tags, and custom content are often incomplete without metadata because themes and plugins use it to store settings, layout choices, SEO details, product fields, event dates, profile details, and other important information that may not appear in the normal WordPress editor. In exports, these extra fields appear with a meta: prefix.

Install Download Plugin

Skip this section if Download Plugin is already installed and active on your site.

1. Download download-plugin.zip from WordPress.org:
   https://wordpress.org/plugins/download-plugin/
2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins -> Add New.
3. Click Upload Plugin (Fig 1).
4. Click Choose File and select download-plugin.zip.
5. Click Install Now.
6. Click Activate Plugin.

Download a Single Plugin

1. Go to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
2. Find the plugin you want to download.
3. In the plugin row actions, click Download.

Download Plugin adds the Download link to each plugin row. Use the downloaded ZIP file to keep a backup copy or install the same plugin on another WordPress site.

Download Multiple Plugins

1. Go to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
2. Select the checkboxes for the plugins you want to download.
3. Open the Bulk actions dropdown.
4. Select Download.
5. Click Apply.

This starts individual ZIP downloads for the selected plugins.

Upload Multiple Plugins

Download Plugin also helps when you need to install several plugin ZIP files at once.

1. Go to Plugins -> Add New.
2. Click Upload Multiple Plugins.
3. Select one or more plugin ZIP files from your computer. On Mac, hold Cmd while clicking each file in Finder. On Windows, hold Ctrl while clicking each file in Explorer.
4. Click Install Now.
5. Activate the installed plugins individually, or activate all when needed.

Download Themes

Download Plugin can also help you download installed themes from the WordPress admin area. This works for free and paid themes that are already installed on your site.

1. Go to Appearance -> Themes.
2. Find the theme you want to save.
3. Use the Download option added by Download Plugin.
4. Save the downloaded theme ZIP file.

Download Users

Use the user download option when you need a spreadsheet-friendly copy of user records from your site.

1. Go to Users in the WordPress dashboard.
2. Use the Download row action for a single user (Fig 15).
3. To download more than one user, select multiple users, choose Download from the bulk actions dropdown, and apply the action (Fig 14).
4. Save the downloaded CSV file.

The user CSV includes standard user fields, such as the user account details WordPress stores, plus user metadata when available.

Download Posts, Pages, and Custom Post Types

Download Plugin can export content from WordPress admin list screens. This includes posts, pages, and custom content types that appear in the admin area.

1. Go to the list screen for the content type you want to download, such as Posts, Pages, or another custom post type.
2. Use the Download row action for a single item (Fig 16).
3. To download more than one item, select multiple items, choose Download from the bulk actions dropdown, and apply the action (Fig 17).
4. Save the downloaded CSV file.

The CSV includes the visible post fields and any available post metadata.

Custom post type: A WordPress content type created by a theme or plugin. Examples can include products, events, portfolio items, listings, lessons, or other content that is not a normal post or page.

Download Comments

Use the comment download option when you need a spreadsheet-friendly copy of comment records.

1. Go to Comments.
2. Use the Download row action for a single comment (Fig 18).
3. To download more than one comment, select multiple comments, choose Download from the bulk actions dropdown, and apply the action (Fig 19).
4. Save the downloaded CSV file for your records or migration workflow.

The comments CSV includes standard comment fields and any available comment metadata.

Download Categories, Tags, and Other Taxonomies

Download Plugin can export grouping data such as categories and tags. It also supports other visible taxonomies that appear in WordPress admin.

The screenshots here show category downloads, but the same row actions, bulk actions, and file download flow work the same way for tags and other visible taxonomies.

1. Go to the taxonomy screen, such as Posts -> Categories or Posts -> Tags.
2. Use the Download row action for a single term.
3. To download more than one term, select multiple terms, choose Download from the bulk actions dropdown, and apply the action (Fig 20).
4. Save the downloaded CSV file.

The taxonomy CSV includes term fields and term metadata.

Taxonomy: A way WordPress groups content. Categories and tags are the most common examples. Some plugins add their own taxonomies, such as event types, product brands, locations, or topics.

Practical Uses

The free version is useful when you need to:

• Keep a local ZIP copy of an installed plugin.
• Move a plugin from one WordPress site to another.
• Save a theme ZIP before making changes.
• Download user, post, page, comment, category, or tag records from the admin area.
• Install several plugin ZIP files without repeating the normal upload process one file at a time.

When to Upgrade to Pro

The free version is best for quick plugin ZIP downloads, bulk plugin downloads, multiple plugin uploads, and everyday admin record downloads.

If you need upload tools for posts, pages, users, comments, categories, tags, media ZIP files, database downloads, or site backup download and restore workflows, those are part of Download Plugin Pro.

Free vs Pro

Feature	Free Version	Pro
Download any free or paid plugin as ZIP in 1 click
Download multiple plugins in bulk
Download free and paid themes
Download users
Download posts, custom posts, and pages
Download comments
Download categories and tags
Upload multiple plugins
Upload posts and pages
Upload users
Upload comments
Upload categories and tags
Upload media files as ZIP
Download site database
Download and restore partial site backups
Download and restore full site backups
	Download	Upgrade to Pro

Developed by EventPrime

Download Plugin is developed and maintained by the EventPrime team – creator of WordPress Events Calendar Plugin. More information about EventPrime here.

Support

For help with Download Plugin, use the WordPress.org support forum:
https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/download-plugin/