Install and set up AjaxPress

AjaxPress works as soon as it is activated. This page gets it installed, checks that it is running, and points out the handful of settings most sites touch.

Requirements

• WordPress 5.3 or newer
• PHP 7.1 or newer
• A theme that calls wp_head() and wp_footer(), which every properly built theme does

Install

1. In your dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
2. Search for AjaxPress.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

That’s it. Your site now navigates without full page reloads.

To install by hand instead, download the zip from wordpress.org/plugins/ajaxpress, then go to Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin.

Check that it’s working

Open your site in a private window (or log out first), then click a few links:

• A progress bar runs along the top of the screen while the next page loads.
• The page changes without the white flash of a normal reload.
• The address bar and the tab title show the new page.
• The Back button takes you to the previous page.

The settings screen

Everything lives under Settings → AjaxPress. A tour of the settings screen walks through each tab, and the settings reference lists every setting with its default.

What to set up first

Most sites need nothing. These are the usual exceptions:

• Running a radio station, podcast or music site? Set up your player so it keeps playing: Keep audio or video playing across pages.
• A page that must load the normal way? Add it to Advanced → Exclude Links: Exclude links.
• Building pages with a visual builder? Read Page builders.
• Using Google Analytics or Tag Manager? Read Analytics, Tag Manager and consent banners.

Caching plugins

AjaxPress works alongside WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, SiteGround Optimizer, Cloudflare and Bunny CDN. There is nothing to exclude. After you change AjaxPress settings, clear your page cache so visitors get the new settings straight away.

Uninstalling

Deactivate AjaxPress from Plugins, and your site goes back to normal page loads immediately. Nothing on your pages is changed, so there is nothing to clean up. If you use AjaxPress Pro, deactivate it first: WordPress won’t deactivate AjaxPress while AjaxPress Pro is active.