Installation & Requirements
Installing WP Safelink takes a couple of minutes: upload the plugin ZIP, activate it, and you’re dropped straight into the setup wizard. The one thing to check first is that your server meets the requirements below — WP Safelink is protected with ionCube, so the loader has to be present before the plugin can run.
Server requirements
WP Safelink runs on modern hosting and needs the ionCube Loader installed. Most quality hosts already provide it; if not, your host can usually enable it in one click from cPanel or by request.
| Requirement | Minimum | Why it’s needed |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | 6.0 or newer | Block editor and modern REST API support. |
| PHP | 8.3 or newer | WP Safelink uses PHP 8.3 syntax and features. |
| ionCube Loader | 14.0.0 or newer | The plugin core is ionCube-encoded; the loader runs it. |
| MySQL / MariaDB | 5.7+ / 10.3+ | Stores the saved-link statistics table. |
| HTTPS | Recommended | Required for some CAPTCHA providers and AdSense. |
How to install
- Download the WP Safelink ZIP from your Themeson account after purchase.
- In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
- Choose the
wp-safelink-pro.zipfile and click Install Now. - Click Activate. A new WP Safelink menu appears in your admin sidebar.
- Because no license is active yet, WP Safelink sends you straight to the Setup Wizard to finish configuration.
What it looks like after activation
If ionCube is missing
If the ionCube Loader isn’t installed, WP Safelink can’t run its encrypted core. The wizard shows a requirements screen and the Let’s Get Started button stays disabled until ionCube and PHP 8.3+ are both detected. The fix is almost always on the host side:
- Open your hosting control panel (cPanel) and look for a PHP version or Select PHP Extensions tool, then enable ionCube.
- Confirm your active PHP version is 8.3 or newer.
- If you can’t find the option, ask your host to “enable the ionCube Loader for PHP 8.3” — it’s a standard request.
💡 Note: ionCube is what keeps the plugin secure and license-protected. It does not slow your site down. Once the loader is active, deactivate and reactivate WP Safelink (or just reload the wizard) and the requirement check will turn green. Next step: Activating Your License.
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