Managing a website used to require deep coding knowledge and technical expertise. You’d need to write lengthy commands just to move a logo or adjust basic settings. Today, web hosting control panels like Plesk have changed everything.
These tools transform complex server management into simple point-and-click actions, putting professional website hosting within reach of anyone with an idea and ambition.
This article shows you exactly how to install Plesk on Windows and Linux servers. You’ll learn about system requirements, key features, and get step-by-step installation commands that work.
What Is a Website Control Panel?
A website control panel is software that packages common website management tasks into a graphical interface. You can adjust your website without writing code. For example, moving your logo’s position used to require lengthy code adjustments. Now you can drag and drop elements anywhere you want, applying this simplification to nearly all aspects of your hosted website.
These simplified actions are still code-based operations, just condensed into user-friendly buttons. While this approach makes basic tasks easy, you’ll still need a developer for advanced customizations. About 94.8% of websites don’t use a control panel, but for beginner users and small websites that do, these panels make website management accessible to millions.
What Is Plesk?
Plesk is a website control panel that goes beyond basic management. It’s a website hosting automation service with advanced cloud support. The platform handles both initial hosting setup and ongoing website management, automating advanced features once your site is live and helping you make changes without coding knowledge.
Plesk works on both Windows and Linux systems. It automates hosting tasks and includes cloud support that strengthens security while helping your site scale as traffic grows.
Plesk holds approximately 73% market share as the leading control panel, powering over 11 million websites worldwide. While Plesk dominates the market, exploring other top-tier control panels like cPanel can help you understand which solution best fits your specific hosting needs.
Plesk Features
Plesk stands out in the web hosting control panel market for specific reasons. While other panels offer similar basic functionality, Plesk combines extensibility, cross-platform compatibility, and security in ways that matter for real-world hosting operations. These five features explain why Plesk powers over 11 million websites worldwide.
Extension Friendly
Customization through extensions is a priority for any reliable web hosting service. Plesk offers over 100 extensions in its comprehensive catalog covering dozens of use cases. You can freely download and use these extensions as part of your Plesk setup. Some extensions are developed in-house by Plesk, offering better compatibility than typical third-party add-ons available in the marketplace.
Advanced Cloud Compatibility
Plesk is designed to be cloud-friendly from the ground up, working in two different ways. First, Plesk offers its own cloud services. Second, you can pair Plesk with popular cloud services like Amazon AWS and Google Cloud to automate various website operations.
If you run a data-heavy website or perform regular analysis, Plesk’s cloud compatibility makes your operations much smoother.
VPS-Friendly
This is a standout feature that makes Plesk unique among web hosting services. Many websites today run on Virtual Private Servers. These servers let you handle everything from the same remotely accessed VPS, which boosts efficiency significantly.
Plesk detects VPS environments and automatically adjusts its settings to optimize performance, working seamlessly whether you install Plesk on Windows or Linux VPS environments.
At Cloudzy, we offer Plesk VPS solutions for Linux and Windows with full root access and dedicated resources. Our services are available in over 10 locations worldwide, so you can choose the best server location for your needs.
You get NVMe SSD storage for faster load times and 24/7 technical support from our team. We handle the infrastructure setup, so you can focus on managing your sites through Plesk.
Security
Plesk has built a strong reputation as one of the most secure web hosting control panels, addressing threats at two levels. First, it protects the control panel itself.
Second, it minimizes risks from other parts of your operating system that could indirectly compromise the program. Plesk also offers extensive customization options to enhance security through best practices, giving you multiple layers of protection.
Server Monitoring and Analysis
While other top-tier control panels like cPanel offer similar features, Plesk provides detailed server monitoring capabilities. You can analyze your server’s performance and identify bottlenecks effectively.
This feature is valuable because you can handle your website through simplified controls while also tracking overall server performance and health, giving you complete visibility into your hosting environment.
Plesk Requirements
Before we walk through how to install Plesk on Windows Server and Linux systems, you need to verify the requirements for both operating systems. Meeting these specifications makes the installation process much smoother.
Windows
If you plan to install Plesk on Windows Server 2022 or other versions, Plesk Obsidian supports all 64-bit Windows Server editions, including Server Core installations. You can run Plesk on Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2016.
All editions work with Plesk, including Standard, Datacenter, and Essentials. Windows Server 2022 is the recommended version for new deployments due to its balance of stability and long-term support.
Your server needs at least 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space. You must configure a static IP address before installation begins. Plesk for Windows can only be installed on NTFS partitions, so verify your file system meets this requirement.
Linux
Plesk Obsidian for Linux supports a wide range of distributions. All versions must be 64-bit and run the systemd init system. Before you install Plesk on Linux servers, verify your distribution is supported.
| Distribution | Supported Versions | Notes |
| Ubuntu | 24.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, 20.04 LTS, 18.04 | Ubuntu 20.04: ELS until Dec 31, 2027<br>Ubuntu 18.04: ELS until Dec 31, 2026 |
| Debian | 13, 12, 11, 10 | Debian 10: ELS until Dec 31, 2026<br>Disable AppArmor before installation |
| AlmaLinux | 10, 9, 8 | Recommended for new deployments |
| Rocky Linux | 8 | CentOS alternative |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux | 9, 8, 7 | Latest minor versions supported |
| CentOS | 7 | ELS until Dec 31, 2026 |
| CloudLinux | 9, 8, 7 | CloudLinux 7: ELS until Dec 31, 2026 |
| Virtuozzo Linux | 7 | – |
Your Linux server needs at least 1GB of RAM plus 1GB swap space, along with a minimum of 20GB of storage. Extended Lifecycle Support (ELS) is available for older operating systems beyond their vendor end-of-life dates. This service requires additional fees but allows more time for migration planning.
If you’re evaluating different options before committing to Plesk, reviewing our guide on the best control panels for Linux can help you make an informed decision based on your distribution and requirements.
How to Install Plesk on Windows
You can install Plesk on Windows by downloading the latest version from the official website using your license and running the installation wizard. But this guide covers remote server management, which typically lacks GUI support.
I’ll show you the Command Prompt method instead, demonstrating how to install Plesk on Windows Server using command-line tools. Once you meet the prerequisites and have your Plesk license, follow these steps to complete your setup.
Step 1: Launch Command Prompt and Boot the Installer
Download the Plesk installer first. Click the Windows logo in the bottom left corner, locate Command Prompt, right-click it, and launch it as administrator. When you install Plesk on Windows through Command Prompt, you need to change the working directory to where you stored your installer.
plesk-installer.exe --consoleType F and press Enter twice. If you want to install an earlier version, use this command instead:
plesk-installer.exe --console --all-versionsStep 2: Choose the Version and Start the Download
If you used the first command, you don’t need to pick a version. But if you used the second command and pressed F and Enter, you need to select a version. Type S to access installation options. Here you can adjust the download location (which defaults to Plesk servers), select the Plesk version, and configure proxy settings if needed.
If you changed any settings, quit the installer and reboot it to apply them. Select the recommended installation option, as you can adjust specifics later. Press Enter, and you’ll see a final configuration prompt. Choose your preferred directories, set a password for your Plesk admin user, and press Enter to begin the download.
Plesk is a large application, so the download takes some time. Wait for the installation to complete. You’ve now successfully finished the steps to install Plesk on Windows using the command prompt without a GUI.
How to Install Plesk on Linux
Most Linux servers connect through non-GUI protocols like SSH, so we’ll use a process similar to the Windows Command Prompt method. I’ll use the terminal in Ubuntu 20.04 for this guide. The command structure may differ slightly depending on your Linux distribution, but the overall process remains the same. Here’s how to install Plesk on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.
Ubuntu Linux terminal displaying Plesk installation commands, including sudo apt update, apt upgrade, and wget installer download, with package installation progress percentages on a purple-themed screen
Step 1: Update the Server
When you install Plesk on Linux systems, start by updating your server. Use these two commands to update the server and repository to avoid installation bugs.
sudo apt updatesudo apt upgradeReboot the server before proceeding with the installation.
Step 2: Start the Download and Install
The process to install Plesk on Linux distributions like Ubuntu is more straightforward than the Windows method. Download the installer using this command:
wget https://autoinstall.plesk.com/plesk-installerThen run it:
chmod +x plesk-installersudo ./plesk-installerIf you’re setting up a new server, press F in the prompt. Select the recommended installation option and let the download and installation complete. You’ve successfully managed to install Plesk on Ubuntu.
Conclusion
Installing Plesk gives you complete control over your web hosting environment without needing to master complex server commands. The process takes under an hour on most systems, and once installed, you get a unified interface to handle everything from domains and databases to email accounts and security settings.
Whether you choose Windows Server 2022 or a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or AlmaLinux, you now have professional-grade hosting management at your fingertips.
The real value of Plesk shows up in your daily workflow. You can deploy websites faster, automate routine maintenance tasks, and scale resources as your traffic grows. With over 100 extensions available, you can add exactly the features your projects need without bloating your server with unused tools. Your next step is to explore the extension catalog and configure your first domain.
