--- title: "How to Set Up and Use Central" source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/solid/central/how-to-set-up-and-use-central/" description: "What Is Kadence Central Kadence Central is a dashboard that lets you manage all of your WordPress sites from one place, instead of logging into each site separa…" vertical: "Software" area: "Solid Central" date: "2026-08-25" last_modified: "2026-08-25" --- # How to Set Up and Use Central # What Is Kadence Central Kadence Central is a dashboard that lets you manage all of your WordPress sites from one place, instead of logging into each site separately. Once a site is connected, you can handle updates, backups, security, users, and other core settings for that site directly from Central. ## What’s Changing **Solid Central is now Kadence Central!** If you have a Kadence Elite Plan, you no longer need a separate account to access your Kadece Central dashboard. The same login you already use for the Software Portal now works for [central.kadencewp.com](https://central.kadencewp.com) as well. There’s no new signup and no separate password to keep track of, your existing credentials carry over. This guide walks you through logging in to Kadence Central for the first time and then adding your first site. ## Logging In to Kadence Central Your Software Portal at [software.liquidweb.com](https://software.liquidweb.com) will show Kadence Central Pro listed as a service included with your Elite Plan, but there’s no direct login button or link to Kadence Central from inside the portal itself. You’ll need to go to Kadence Central directly. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Kadence-Elite-Services-scaled.jpg)1. Go to [central.kadencewp.com](https://central.kadencewp.com) in your browser. 2. Log in using the same username and password you use for your Software Portal account. You don’t need to sign up separately or create a new password; your existing credentials work here too. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Kadence-Central-Login-Page-scaled.jpg)## Your First Login to Kadence Central Once you’re in, you’ll land on the Kadence Central dashboard. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)Bookmark *central.kadencewp.com* so you can jump straight to Kadence Central next time without going through the Software Portal first. ## Adding Your First Site 1. From the Kadence Central dashboard, click **Add Site**. 2. Enter the URL of the site you want to connect. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Add-Site-Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)3. You’ll be prompted to approve the connection on the site itself. This step happens on your WordPress site, not inside Kadence Central, so don’t be surprised if it briefly takes you there. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Site-permissions-Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)4. Once you approve the connection, Kadence Central automatically installs and activates the client plugin on your site, listed on your Plugins page as **Kadence Central – Site Management, Backups, Security, and Reporting**, and finishes connecting it. No manual plugin upload is needed for this method. 5. Your site now appears in your list of connected sites in Central. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Adding-your-site-in-Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)Click on the **Connect** button on the **Last backup** and **Vulnerabilities** column to enable backup and security. To add more sites later, use the same Add Site button from your Kadence Central dashboard at any time. > **Note:** If the connection doesn’t complete automatically, you may see a notice on your WordPress dashboard that reads “Kadence Central is almost ready” with a **Set Up Kadence Central** button. Clicking it will take you back to finish connecting the site. ## Manually Installing the Kadence Central Plugin If adding a site from the Kadence Central dashboard doesn’t work, or you’d rather install the plugin yourself first, you can add it directly from your WordPress site instead. **Option 1: Install From WordPress.org** 1. Log in to the WordPress site you want to connect. 2. Go to **Plugins > Add New Plugin**. 3. Search for **Kadence Central** and locate the **Kadence** **Central** **plugin**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Add-the-Kadence-Central-Plugin.jpg)4. Click **Install Now**, then **Activate** once installation finishes. **Option 2: Upload the Plugin Zip File** 1. Log in to your Software Portal at software.liquidweb.com and go to **Subscriptions**. 2. Click **Manage** on your subscription. 3. Scroll to the **Downloads** section and download the Kadence Central plugin zip file. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/central-scaled.png)4. Log in to the WordPress site you want to connect. 5. Go to **Plugins > Add New Plugin** and click **Upload Plugin** at the top of the page. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Upload-Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)6. Choose the zip file you downloaded and click **Install Now**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Upload-Kadence-Central-Plugin-1024x258.jpg)Screenshot7. Once installed, click **Activate Plugin**. Either way you install it, once the plugin is active, navigate to your **Dashboard > Settings > Kadence Central**, click on the **Go to Kadence Central** button, which redirects you to the Kadence Central Dashboard, and click on **Add Site** to finish connecting it from there. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Connecting-to-Kadence-Central-scaled.jpg)## What You Get Once Connected With a site connected to Central, you can manage it from one dashboard instead of logging into it individually. That includes: - One-click WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates across all your sites - Bulk install of themes and plugins from WordPress.org or a zip upload - Remote backups and restores through Kadence Backups - Uptime monitoring with downtime notification emails - Database optimization (cleaning up post revisions, spam comments, and more) - User management, including remote login and switching between user accounts - Post, page, and comment management - SEO checks and Google Analytics / Google Search Console reporting - Security features through Kadence Security, including IP whitelisting and lockout release ## Activating Your Liquid Web Unified License To receive plugin and theme updates plus support for your premium Liquid Web Software products, your license needs to be active. 1. Install and activate any Premium Liquid Web plugin (for example, Kadence Blocks Pro, The Events Calendar Pro, etc). 2. Go to **Dashboard > Settings > Liquid Web Products**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Activate-Kadence-Elite-License-scaled.jpg)3. In the **Software License Manager** section, enter your license key. 4. Click **Activate**. ## Additional Resources - [Tips for troubleshooting Kadence Central](https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/solid/central/troubleshoot-solid-central/) ## Where to Get Help If you run into any issues logging in or adding a site, kindly submit a [support ticket here.](https://software.liquidweb.com/support/)