As you have known, most template providers use Akeeba Backup to back up templates with sample data to make simple Quickstart files and Kickstart (restore) files with Akeeba Kickstarter. This blog shows you step-by-step how to install the Quickstart package with Akeeba. With our template, we’re mentioning LT Business as an example template in this case. You can download the LT Business template for Joomla! 4. This Quickstart package includes Joomla! core, LT Business template, sample data.

In this tutorial, you will find detailed information on How to install a Quickstart on your cPanel hosting account or How to install a Quickstart on local host using XAMPP. The installation process is easy, just requires a few clicks. You won’t need any coding or design skills to install a fully-functional Akeeba kickstart within minutes.

In short with steps

  1. Download Paid package via Customer Area, unzip it, then continue to unzip the Quickstart package.
  2. Upload quickstart files to your website directory (normally it’s public_html or www in your hosting, from localhost it’s your website folder from htdocs).
  3. Run Akeeba uninstall panel by accessing [yourdomain]/kickstart.php
  4. Select the JPA file to extract a quickstart package, fill required database information and complete your installation.

So, the above steps are summaries, you can read and understand it first, and save time if you can do it within short steps. Otherwise, you can read the details steps below.

Download a Quickstart package

Log in to Customer Area (login required, if you don’t see anything, just go to Customer Login first), go to the section Download, download the full package, and unzip it.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 1

Now, you can see the Quickstart package for Joomla 4 versions. In our example, we will choose the Quickstart package for Joomla 4.

unzip quickstart package

Let’s unzip the Quickstart package for Joomla 4 and you will see the backup and Akeeba Kickstart included. We need to run the file kickstart.php.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 3

Install a Quickstart package

How to install a Quickstart on your cPanel hosting or Server

Yes, if you already have hosting/server and going to install it from your hosting/server, so you can follow the steps below to upload quickstart files.

Upload Quickstart File via File Manager (for VPS or Hosting with FTP/SFTP support)

You can install the Quickstart package on your hosting by following these steps:

  • Upload quickstart files via FTP: access your hosting cPanel, create an FTP account, and link to your website folder (normally it’s the “public_html” folder). Once you connect, simply browse your local drive to upload from the Local Site window on the left. Drag the files to an appropriate folder in the Remote Site on the right, e.g. /var/www/html

quick4

  • If your hosting supports cPanel, you can go to cPanel > File Manager, go to your website folder, and upload theme Quickstart files.

quick joom3

quick joom4

Create a New database for your new website

Create a new database for your website via Database Manager in Hosting controls. If you don’t know how to create the database, just read hosting user guides or contact hosting support staff.

quick joom5

Run an Akeeba Kickstart Installation Panel

Last, run the install panel by access, just run the file ‘kickstart.php’ by go to http://yourdomain.com/kickstart.phpnext steps like Install on localhost.

How to install a Quickstart on localhost with XAMPP or any Apache

Installing a Quickstart package on localhost is straightforward but can be tricky the first time you attempt to do it. So for this step we’ve provided instructions on how to do it right from scratch.

Now, in order to run the Quickstart package, you need not only a web server, but also 2 more things: a PHP script interpreter and a MySQL database system. It sounds complicated but thankfully there is a single package called XAMPP with all the elements included.

Let’s install XAMPP on your computer.

Installing XAMPP

  1. Download and  Install XAMPP Locally on PC/Windows
  2. Run the installation file as you do with regular software and follow the step-by-step instructions.
  3. Open “XAMPP Control Panel Application” and start “Apache” and “MySQL”.

qt1

That’s it, your localhost is now installed. You can check if it works or not by typing the address: “http://localhost” in your web browser. You should see a page as illustrated below.

Create new database via phpMyAdmin

From the XAMPP interface, click phpMyAdmin to start creating a database.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 13

Next, click Database -> New -> Fill out the database name -> Create. 

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 5

Now you are ready to install the quickstart package.

Create a new folder in the folder “htdocs” in the XAMPP folder.

Access to your XAMPP folder -> htdocs -> create a new folder. In our example, we will generate a new folder and name it ‘lt-busiess’. In this folder, let’s paste all files of the Quickstart package for Joomla 4 you unzipped before.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 4

Next, let’s move on to the URL: localhost/lt-business. Then, click on the kickstart.php

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 6

* If you do not see a file listing, don’t worry about that, just run the file ‘kickstart.php’ by going to http://yourdomain.com/kickstart.php

Agree with Akeeba Kickstart policy

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 14

In the Archive file, let’s select .jpa (Akeeba backup file). Leave the other options as default. If you have auto-fill data, just remove them. Then, click ‘Start‘ to extra file.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 7

* Default extra method in the kickstart tool use ‘Hybrid (use FTP only if needed)‘, but in some cases, if your hosting does not accept it, just use the ‘Directly‘ method instead, you can select it via ‘Write to files‘.

Start to extract the Quickstart package

In this step, we will see the screenshot below. The Select a backup archive will be selected quickstart package by default. It’s a backup file and we need to restore it. Another parameter, we should keep it as default, do not change. After everything’s okay, we click to button ‘Start‘ to start extracting the backup file

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 8

Run the installer is the next step when finish extract the backup file in step 5

Simply click on the Run the Installer button.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 9

System pre-check

Now, we moved to install the board. This is a step to pre-check the hosting configuration before the process installation. There are some params as in Joomla! installation. After pre-installation checking, it’s time for you to click on the Next button to move on to the next step.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 10

 * In some cases, if you have a different PHP version, you will get a warning message above, but don’t worry, it’s fine!

Enter the database information

This step helps you enter the information related database host (normally, it’s localhost), database username, database name, and database password.

Note: From Advanced options, please check to two options

  • Force UTF-8 collation on the database
  • Force UTF-8 collation on tables

If everything is okay, so we can move to the next style by clicking the button ‘Next‘.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 11

Restore the database

Yes, after clicking the button ‘Next’ in step 7, it will alert the pop-up box to show details of the process to restore the database. As the picture below, if you enter the correct database information, it will be restored successfully.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 12

Now, continue pressing the Next step button.

Set up Site info with new Admin login

This step requires you to enter Site Info and FTP Layer Option (this option should be kept as default, we can change it later). At this step, you need to define a new username and password for the administrator account. I recommend you enter a new password.

The default administrator account with the username: admin and the password you want to use when login the admin Joomla Dashboard. ( Exp: password is abc123)

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 15

Last step is to remove the installation folder

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 16

Yes, this step is the last step to process install Quickstart, just click to button ‘Clean Up‘ to clear up Kickstart files which are included in the backup by default. It will make your source clear. Also with file backup ‘.jpa’.

Ready to start!

Just click to button ‘View your site’s front-end’ and ‘view your site’s back-end’.

install a quickstart on localhost with xampp 17

Yeah, we finished!

After finishing last step, we will have the website like our demo site.

Note: All photos used on our template demo site get from free image resources such as unsplash.com and freepik.com, so you can use it for your website.

install a quickstart

Troubleshoots

After installation finished, if your website return sample data but without CSS like the screenshot below

error_with_html

In this case, you just open file ‘configuration.php’ located at the root of your source code and search for

$live_site = “your_domain.xxx”;

and leave it blank like below

public $live_site =””;

Save and it will work.

Default Login

Default login: http://yourwebsite/administrator

A password like you created at Set up Site info with new Admin login above. If you left it as blank, so default user and password is:

Version Joomla 4:

  • Username: j4admin
  • Password: j4admin@happyworks

If you changed Supper User Settings during the install the Quickstart package, you must use that login info. If you forgot it, you can see the instruction on how to restore Joomla! password.

If you already put the correct login username and password, but can’t log in and your system does not appear any error message (normal when you put the wrong login, the Joomla login panel will show an error with the user or password), it means you have an issue with cookie_domains, just open file ‘configuration.php’ and find “$cookie_domain” parameter, then leave it blank (null value), and recheck.

Full video Guide how to install quickstart package for Joomla template

How to edit demo content in the Joomla template?

We have a playlist with a details guide on how to edit content in the LT Business Joomla template, we just make LT Business an example case, actually, you can follow it for all Joomla templates from us because it has the same template framework. Watch the full playlist about how to edit demo content in Joomla templates.

We also have the Document with details instructions, please read it to know how to edit. You can visit Portal DOC and find your document based on the template name.

Conclusion

Yes, Akeeba Backup and Akeeba Kickstart are very useful software to back up and restore websites. It’s a simple and fast way that I recommend you should use when you want to bring your whole site to another place. In this case, it’s the best choice to create Quickstart for everyone. Quickstart package is a full demo package, it helps you easier to change the contain and launch your site faster.

4.5/5 - (32 votes)
Kelvin
All-In-One Membership Access PRO version of all 500+ all Joomla! templates and WordPress themes. Just from $7.25/MO Learn more
🎉 Merry xMas & Happy New Year sale! Grab 50% Off for everything on today, don't miss it. Coupon code: XMASNEWYEAR Redeem Now