---
title: "Installation & Activation"
description: "## Requirements Before installing, confirm your site meets the minimum requirements: - WordPress 6.0 or higher - PHP 8.0 or higher - A self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.com hosted sites are not supported) You can check your PHP version in **WordPress…"
url: "https://www.ancestorpress.com/docs/537/"
updated: "2026-05-23"
category: AncestorPress Family Trees / Getting Started
---

# Installation & Activation

## Requirements

Before installing, confirm your site meets the minimum requirements:

- WordPress 6.0 or higher
- PHP 8.0 or higher
- A self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.com hosted sites are not supported)

You can check your PHP version in **WordPress Admin → Tools → Site Health → Info → Server**.

![Find details for your site PHP, server etc on the Site Health page of WordPress](https://www.ancestorpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IA-01-Site-Health-Page-1024x936.png)

📸 **SCREENSHOT:** Tools → Site Health → Info panel showing the PHP Version field

## Installing from WordPress.org

1. In your WordPress admin, go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin**
2. Search for **AP Family Trees**
3. Click **Install Now** on the AncestorPress Family Trees result
4. Click **Activate**

## After activation

Once activated, **AP Family Trees** appears in the left admin sidebar. Click it to expand the menu. You should see:

- Lineages
- All Members
- Family Groups
- All Charts
- Migration Tools
- Options
- Custom fields (Pro Plus version)
- Account
- Contact Us
- Pricing

If the menu does not appear after activation, go to **Settings → Permalinks** and click **Save Changes** without changing anything. This refreshes WordPress's URL rules and resolves most post-activation display issues.

## Activating your licence (paid plans)

If you have purchased a Personal or Pro plan, activate your licence to unlock paid features.

1. Go to ****AP Family Trees**** **→ Account**
2. Enter your licence key in the field provided or click 'Sync Licence'
3. Alternatively go to the Installed Plugins management page and **Change Licence**or**Upgrade** from there.

Your licence key is in the purchase confirmation email from Freemius. You can also retrieve it by logging in at [ancestorpress.com/account](https://www.ancestorpress.com/account/).

On successful activation the Account screen shows your plan name, expiry date, and the number of sites the licence covers.