How to Install Drupal with Softaculous

This guide shows you how to install Drupal on your hosting account using Softaculous, the one-click application installer (sometimes called an apps installer or auto-installer) included in your hosting control panel. Softaculous creates the database, copies the Drupal files and completes the initial setup for you, so there is nothing to upload or configure by hand. It is written for anyone setting up a new Drupal site on a Noiz hosting plan, and no Drupal experience is needed. By the end you will have a working Drupal site and know where to log in to its administration area.

Last reviewed: 27 July 2026, against Softaculous 6.3.7 (latest stable), installing Drupal core 11.4 (latest stable). This article reproduces the official Softaculous procedure for installing a script, applied to Drupal. Both products release frequently, so always cross-reference the current version of the official documentation before starting: direct links to every section used in this guide are provided below.

Official Documentation Reference

• Softaculous: Install a Script
• Softaculous: Quick Install a Script
• Drupal core releases (current stable version)
• Drupal: PHP requirements
• Drupal CMS project page

Prerequisites

• A Noiz hosting plan that includes the Softaculous apps installer.
• A domain or subdomain that already points to your hosting account.
• Your control panel login details. If your plan uses Plesk, see How to log in to Plesk.
• PHP 8.3 or newer enabled for the domain. Drupal 11 does not install on older PHP versions.

Step 1: Open Softaculous

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Find and open Softaculous Apps Installer. Depending on your panel it may appear as an icon on the main page or as a menu item labelled Applications or Softaculous.

Step 2: Choose the Right Drupal Package

In the Softaculous category list on the left, open Portal/CMS, or type Drupal into the search box at the top. Softaculous currently lists two Drupal packages:

• Drupal Core (sometimes listed simply as Drupal): the standard Drupal installation. This guide follows this option.
• Drupal CMS: a ready-to-use bundle built on Drupal 11 core, pre-configured with media management, SEO and other features aimed at marketing teams and site builders. Once installed it is still ordinary Drupal underneath, and the Softaculous form is essentially the same, so you can follow this guide for either package.

Click the package you want to install.

Step 3: Start the Installation

1. On the Drupal overview page, click the Install tab (or the Install Now button).
2. If a small arrow next to Install offers a choice between Quick Install and Custom Install, choose Custom Install. Quick Install fills most settings with defaults, while Custom Install shows every field described below.

Step 4: Complete the Installation Form

Software Setup

• Choose the version you want to install: leave the newest version selected (the 11.4 branch at the time of writing) unless you have a specific reason to install an older supported branch.
• Choose Installation URL: set the protocol to https:// if your domain has an SSL certificate (all Noiz hosting plans include one), then pick your domain from the list.
• In Directory: leave this blank to install Drupal on the root of the domain, for example https://yourdomain.com (replace yourdomain.com with your own domain throughout this guide). Only enter a folder name here if you want the site at an address such as https://yourdomain.com/drupal.
• Cron Job: leave the default value. Drupal relies on scheduled cron runs for maintenance tasks, and Softaculous sets this up for you.

Site Settings

• Site Name: enter the name of your website, for example My First Website. You can change this later inside Drupal.

Admin Account

• Admin Username: choose a username for the Drupal administrator. For security, do not use admin or administrator.
• Admin Password: use a strong, unique password. The key icon next to the field generates one for you.
• Admin Email: enter an email address you can actually receive mail at, because Drupal sends password resets and notifications there.

Note: record the admin username and password somewhere safe, ideally in a password manager. You will need them to log in to your Drupal administration area.

Choose Language

• Select Language: leave English selected, or pick the language you want Drupal installed in.

Advanced Options (Optional)

Expand Advanced Options only if you need to change these settings. The defaults are safe:

• Database Name: Softaculous generates a database name automatically. Leave it as it is unless you have a naming convention to follow.
• Automated backups and Backup Rotation: you can ask Softaculous to take scheduled backups of this installation. Keep in mind that backups count towards your hosting plan's disk space.

At the bottom of the form, you can enter an address in Email installation details to to receive a summary of the installation, including the URLs and admin username.

Step 5: Run the Installer and Log In

1. Scroll to the bottom of the form and click Install.
2. Wait while Softaculous copies the files and creates the database. This usually takes under a minute; do not close the browser tab while the progress bar is running.
3. When the installation completes, Softaculous shows two links: one to your new website and one to its administration area.
4. You can reach the Drupal login page at any time at https://yourdomain.com/user/login (again, replace yourdomain.com with your own domain). Log in with the admin username and password you set in Step 4.

Troubleshooting

You cannot find Softaculous in your control panel: not every hosting plan includes the installer. Open a support ticket with the Noiz support team to confirm whether your plan includes Softaculous.

The installer reports that files already exist in the target directory: Softaculous refuses to overwrite an existing site. Either install into a different directory, or remove the old files first, but only after taking a backup of anything you still need.

The installer reports an unsupported PHP version: Drupal 11 requires PHP 8.3 or newer. Change the PHP version for the domain in your control panel, or ask the Noiz support team to do it, then run the installation again.

You cannot find the Drupal login page: unlike some other content management systems, Drupal does not link to its login page from the site itself by default. Go directly to https://yourdomain.com/user/login.

If you get stuck at any point, open a support ticket with the Noiz support team and include your domain name and the step where the installation failed. The team can confirm Softaculous availability, adjust PHP versions and check the installation logs for you.