Manual Installation

You can install the Private Comments plugin using either the WordPress Admin Dashboard or via an FTP/SFTP client.

This is the most straightforward method for most users.

Download the Plugin: Visit the Releases page and download the latest wp-private-comments.zip file.
Navigate to Plugins: Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard and go to Plugins > Add New.
Upload Plugin: Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page.
Choose File: Select the downloaded .zip file from your computer and click Install Now.
Activate: Once the installation is complete, click the Activate Plugin button.

Use this method if you prefer manual file management or have restricted permissions on your WordPress dashboard.

Download and Extract: Download the latest release .zip file and extract it on your local machine. Ensure you have a folder named wp-private-comments.
Connect to Server: Open your preferred FTP/SFTP client (such as FileZilla or WinSCP) and connect to your web server.
Upload Files: Navigate to your WordPress installation's plugin directory:
```
/wp-content/plugins/
```
Transfer Folder: Upload the extracted wp-private-comments folder into the directory mentioned above.
Activate: Log in to your WordPress Dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins, find Private Comments in the list, and click Activate.

Once activated, the plugin requires no further configuration. To verify that it is working:

Navigate to a post with existing comments.
While logged out (or using an Incognito/Private browser window), confirm that the comments are no longer visible to the general public.
Log in as a Post Author or Administrator to confirm that the comments remain visible to authorized roles.