Install Plesk on Windows Server (2019, 2022, 2025)

Plesk is the leading control panel for Windows hosting. It manages IIS websites, ASP.NET and PHP, MSSQL and MySQL databases, mail and DNS from one interface. This guide installs Plesk Obsidian on a fresh Windows Server.

Before you start

• OS: Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025 (Standard or Datacenter), 64-bit, with the latest updates. Server Core is not supported.
• Resources: at least 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more recommended with MSSQL), 2 CPU cores and 30 GB free disk on the system drive.
• Clean server: no IIS sites, mail server or DNS role configured yet. Plesk installs and manages these itself.
• Hostname: a fully qualified name such as plesk.example.com with an A record pointing to the server IP.
• Licence: a Plesk licence key (Web Admin, Web Pro or Web Host) or use the built-in trial.
• Administrator access over RDP.

Prepare the server

1. Connect over RDP as Administrator.
2. Run Windows Update until no updates remain, and reboot.
3. Set a static IP if your provider uses DHCP reservations, and set the time zone in Settings → Time & language.
4. Rename the computer if needed and reboot.

Install Plesk

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator and download the installer:
   Copy

   Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://installer-win.plesk.com/plesk-installer.exe -OutFile C:\plesk-installer.exe

2. Run a recommended installation of the latest stable release:
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   C:\plesk-installer.exe --select-product-id=panel --select-release-latest --installation-type=Recommended

3. The installation takes 20 to 60 minutes and installs IIS, PHP, MySQL, MailEnable, the DNS server and other components. Leave the session open.

For a custom component set, run C:\plesk-installer.exe --web-interface and open https://localhost:8447 to choose components in a browser.

First login and setup wizard

1. Open https://SERVER-IP:8443 in a browser. Accept the self-signed certificate warning for now.
2. Log in as the Windows Administrator user with its password.
3. Enter the admin contact name and email, and set a new Plesk admin password.
4. Choose the hostname and default IP addresses.

Activate the licence

In the wizard, paste your activation code, or choose the full trial. Later you can change it in Tools & Settings → License Management → Install Key.

Post-install hardening

• Secure the panel with a certificate: Tools & Settings → SSL/TLS Certificates and issue a free Let's Encrypt certificate for the hostname.
• Run Tools & Settings → Updates and enable automatic Plesk updates.
• Change the RDP port or restrict it to your IP in Windows Firewall,.
• Configure backups in Tools & Settings → Backup Manager with remote storage.
• Install only the PHP and .NET versions you need.

Verify

• Create a test subscription in Websites & Domains, open the site and issue SSL.
• Check Tools & Settings → Services Management: IIS, MailEnable, DNS and databases should be running.

Troubleshooting

• Installer stops on a pending reboot: reboot and run the same command again; it resumes.
• Port 8443 not reachable: allow TCP 8443 and 8880 in Windows Firewall and any provider firewall.
• Component failed to install: read %plesk_dir%\admin\logs and the installer log in C:\ParallelsInstaller, then run the installer command again or use Plesk Reconfigurator (Start menu) to repair components.

Next steps

• Install Plesk on Linux instead
• Issue Let's Encrypt in Plesk
• cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin