How to Install Elementor on WordPress (Free Page Builder Setup)

Elementor is the most popular visual page builder for WordPress. Instead of editing blocks in a narrow sidebar, you drag widgets onto the page and see exactly how it will look. This guide shows how to install Elementor (the free version), pick a theme that works well with it, and set it up properly before you build your first page.

Step 1: Install a lightweight theme

Elementor does the design work, so your theme should stay out of the way. Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New Theme and install a fast, builder-friendly theme such as Hello Elementor, Astra, GeneratePress or Kadence. Activate it.

Step 2: Install the Elementor plugin

1. Go to Plugins > Add New Plugin.
2. Search for Elementor and find "Elementor Website Builder" by Elementor.com.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Elementor may open a short onboarding wizard. You can follow it or skip it; everything can be changed later.

Step 3: Set your global colors and fonts first

Open any page with Elementor, click the menu icon and choose Site Settings. Set your Global Colors (primary, secondary, text, accent) and Global Fonts. Every widget can then use these, so your site stays consistent and a rebrand takes minutes.

Step 4: Check the recommended settings

• Elementor > Settings > General: choose which post types can use Elementor (pages and posts are usually enough).
• Features / Performance settings: keep Elementor's performance options such as optimized loading enabled.
• Layout: use Flexbox Containers for new pages; they create cleaner, faster layouts than old sections and columns.

Step 5: Build your first page

1. Go to Pages > Add New Page, add a title and click Edit with Elementor.
2. In the page settings (gear icon) choose a template such as Elementor Full Width or Canvas for landing pages.
3. Add a container, then drag in widgets: Heading, Text Editor, Image, Button.
4. Switch to mobile view (the device icon) and adjust spacing and font sizes.
5. Click Publish.

Tip: design the mobile view as you go, section by section. Fixing a whole page for mobile at the end takes much longer.

Free vs Pro: what you get

The free version covers most page layouts. Elementor Pro adds the Theme Builder (custom headers, footers and templates), the Form widget, popups, motion effects such as sticky headers, and WooCommerce templates. When you are ready, follow our Elementor Pro installation guide and learn the Pro features worth using first.

Troubleshooting

• The editor keeps loading: see how to fix Elementor not loading.
• Not enough memory: raise PHP memory with our memory limit guide.
• Design looks different after an update: go to Elementor > Tools and regenerate files, then clear your cache.