Installing and Using WP-CLI on Windows

A complete guide: what WP-CLI is, why you need it, how to install, configure, and use it on Windows.

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What is WP-CLI

WP-CLI (WordPress Command Line Interface) is a command-line tool for managing WordPress websites without using a browser.

It allows you to:

• install and update WordPress;
• manage plugins, themes, and users;
• perform search-and-replace operations in the database;
• automate tasks through scripts.

Official website: https://wp-cli.org

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Why it’s useful

Advantages of using WP-CLI:

• Automation — you can write scripts for bulk operations.
• Speed — command-line work is faster than the admin panel.
• Flexibility — manage WordPress even without the web interface.
• Security — you can disable the admin UI and work from the terminal.

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Requirements

• PHP 7.4+ (8.x recommended)
• WordPress 3.7+
• PHP CLI must be available in PATH
• Internet connection for downloading files

Check PHP:

php -v

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Installing WP-CLI on Windows

1. Download wp-cli.phar

Open PowerShell and run:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar

(You can also download it manually and place it in C:\wp-cli\.)

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2. Verify that it works

php C:\wp-cli\wp-cli.phar --info

If version info appears, it’s working correctly.

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3. Create wp.bat

Create a file C:\wp-cli\wp.bat with the following content:

@ECHO OFF
php "%~dp0wp-cli.phar" %*

Now you can call WP-CLI simply by typing wp.

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4. Add to PATH

To make wp available globally:

setx PATH "$($env:PATH);C:\wp-cli" /M

Then restart PowerShell and check:

wp --info

If the command works — installation is complete.

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Alternative: Install via Composer

composer global require wp-cli/wp-cli

Then add the path:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Composer\vendor\bin

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Using WP-CLI

Examples of commands:

Install WordPress:

wp core download --locale=en_US

Create wp-config.php:

wp config create --dbname=wordpress --dbuser=root --dbpass=secret

Install a site:

wp core install --url="http://localhost" --title="My Site" --admin_user=admin --admin_password=1234 --admin_email=test@example.com

Updates:

wp core update
wp plugin update --all

Users:

wp user create editor editor@example.com --role=editor --user_pass=pass123

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Useful commands

• wp plugin list — show installed plugins
• wp theme list — list all themes
• wp search-replace "http://old" "https://new" — bulk search/replace
• wp db export / wp db import — backup and restore the database
• wp shell — open an interactive PHP shell

Full list: https://developer.wordpress.org/cli/commands/

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PowerShell Script for Automatic Installation

Save this as install-wp-cli.ps1 and run as Administrator:

$targetDir = "C:\wp-cli"
$pharUrl   = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar"
$pharPath  = "$targetDir\wp-cli.phar"
$batPath   = "$targetDir\wp.bat"

Write-Host "Installing WP-CLI..." -ForegroundColor Cyan

if (!(Test-Path $targetDir)) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $targetDir | Out-Null
}

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $pharUrl -OutFile $pharPath

"@ECHO OFF
php ""%~dp0wp-cli.phar"" %*" | Out-File $batPath -Encoding ASCII

$envPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "Machine")
if ($envPath -notlike "*$targetDir*") {
    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$envPath;$targetDir", "Machine")
    Write-Host "Added $targetDir to PATH (restart terminal)" -ForegroundColor Green
}

php $pharPath --info

After running it, you can use:

wp --info

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Tips

• Run PowerShell as Administrator when modifying PATH.
• For remote sites, use --ssh=<user>@<host>.
• If SSL certificate errors occur, use --skip-ssl-check.
• Always back up your database before bulk operations.

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Conclusion

WP-CLI is a powerful tool for WordPress administrators and developers.
It saves time, automates routine tasks, and makes management more secure and efficient.

Author: hypo69
License: MIT (https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)