# Getting started From download to your first published post in about five minutes. No technical knowledge is needed. ## What you need - A web hosting account that runs PHP 8.1 or newer. Almost every host does. If yours is older, look for **PHP version** in the hosting control panel and pick 8.1 or higher. - A way to upload files: your host's **File Manager** (in the control panel) or an FTP program such as FileZilla. You do not need a database, a command line, or any settings. ## 1. Upload 1. Unzip the download on your computer. You will see a folder named `tsblog`. 2. Open your host's File Manager (or FTP program) and go to your website's main folder. It is often called `public_html`, `www` or `htdocs`. 3. Upload the **contents** of the `tsblog` folder there. (To put the blog in a subfolder of your site, such as `example.com/blog`, create a `blog` folder first and upload into it.) Tip: if uploading many files is slow, upload the zip file itself and use the File Manager's **Extract** option. Make sure you can see the hidden files `.htaccess` and `.user.ini` after uploading. Your file manager may have a “show hidden files” option. They are optional, but they help. ## 2. Open the admin In your browser, go to your site's address followed by `/admin`, for example `https://example.com/admin`. If you see a page that says **Welcome! Let’s set up your blog.**, everything is working. If you see something else, open [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md). > Do this straight away. The first person to open this page chooses the password. ## 3. Answer three questions | Question | Notes | | - | - | | What is your blog called? | Shown at the top of every page. You can change it later | | Your name | Optional. Shown on posts | | A password | At least 8 characters. There is no username | Your time zone is detected from your browser, and the blog quietly checks your hosting to pick the best settings. Click **Create my blog**. You are signed in. If the page shows a red box titled **One thing needs fixing first**, follow the plain steps in it (usually: set a folder's permissions to 755 in your file manager), then click **Check again**. ## 4. Write your first post 1. Click **New post**. 2. Type a title, press Enter, and write. Use the toolbar above the page for bold, headings, lists, quotes and links. To add a picture, paste it or drag it onto the page. 3. Click **Save draft** to keep it private, or **Publish** to put it on your site. Prefer to type symbols such as `**bold**`? Click **Markdown** at the top instead of **Simple**. Your post is the same either way. The sliders button opens extra options: the web address, the publish date (a future date schedules the post), tags, a summary for search engines, and a cover picture. You can ignore all of it. ## 5. Make it yours Click **Settings** at the top of the admin. Change the blog name, tagline, time zone, how many posts show per page and more. Click **Save settings**. The two sample items (a welcome post and an About page) can be edited or deleted from the posts list. ## 6. Keep a backup In **Settings**, click **Download a backup** now and then. It gives you a zip of all your posts, pictures and settings. To restore, upload its folders back to your site. ## If something does not look right | You see | Do this | | - | - | | A page about PHP being too old | Change the PHP version in your hosting control panel to 8.1 or higher | | A red “needs fixing” box | Follow the steps in it. It is almost always one folder permission | | Long addresses like `index.php?r=about` | Nothing is wrong. Your server uses plain links. See [Settings](configuration.md#page-links) if you want pretty ones | | Anything else | [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) | ## Where to go next | I want to... | Read | | - | - | | Learn the editor and Markdown | [Writing](writing.md) | | Change settings | [Settings](configuration.md) | | Change how the site looks | [Themes](themes.md) | | Move to another host, or tune the server | [Hosting and deployment](deployment.md) |