# Install the WooCommerce plugin

> Add VINR payments to your WooCommerce store in minutes — no custom code required.

This guide walks you through downloading the VINR WooCommerce plugin, installing it in WordPress, connecting it to your VINR account, and placing a successful test order. By the end you'll have a working checkout that accepts cards, digital wallets, and any other payment methods enabled on your account.

## Overview

Download the plugin from your VINR dashboard, upload and activate it in WordPress, paste in your API credentials, then place a test order using a sandbox card. When everything looks good, swap in your live API key and you're open for business.

## Before you start

Make sure your environment meets the minimum requirements before installing:

- **WooCommerce** 7.0 or later
- **WordPress** 6.0 or later
- **PHP** 8.0 or later
- An **SSL certificate** on your store domain (required for live payments)
- A [VINR merchant account](/docs/getting-started) (free to create)
- Your **Test API Key** and **Merchant ID** from the VINR dashboard under Settings → Developers → API keys

## Download the plugin

1. Log in to your [VINR dashboard](https://dashboard.vinr.com).
2. Navigate to **Integrations → Plugins → WooCommerce**.
3. Click **Download**. You'll receive a file named `vinr-woocommerce-payments.zip`.

> Always download the plugin from your VINR dashboard. Downloading from third-party sources can give you a version that is out of sync with your account's API contract, which causes authentication errors at runtime.

## Install and activate

### Upload the plugin

In your WordPress admin, go to **Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin**. Choose the `vinr-woocommerce-payments.zip` file you downloaded, then click **Install Now**.

### Activate the plugin

Click **Activate Plugin** on the confirmation screen.

### Confirm the plugin appears in WooCommerce

Go to **WooCommerce → Settings → Payments**. You should now see **VINR Payments** listed as a payment gateway.

## Enter your API credentials

1. In WordPress admin, go to **WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → VINR Payments** and click **Manage**.
2. Paste your **Test API Key** (it starts with `test_`) into the API Key field.
3. Paste your **Merchant ID** into the Merchant ID field.
4. Click **Save changes**.

> Use your test keys here for now. You'll replace them with live keys in the [Go live](#go-live) step below. Test keys are safe to use in a production WordPress installation — no real charges are processed while a test key is active.

## Enable payment methods

On the same **VINR Payments → Manage** settings page, click the **Payment Methods** tab. Toggle on the methods you want to offer at checkout:

- **Cards** (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
- **Apple Pay / Google Pay**
- **SEPA Direct Debit**

A method only appears in this list if it is enabled on your VINR account. If a method you expect is missing, enable it in the VINR dashboard under **Settings → Payment Methods**, then refresh this page.

## Place a test order

Add any product to your cart and proceed to checkout. At the payment step, select **VINR Payments** and enter the following test card:

| Field       | Value                 |
| ----------- | --------------------- |
| Card number | `4242 4242 4242 4242` |
| Expiry      | Any future date       |
| CVC         | Any 3 digits          |

Submit the order. Within a few seconds you should see:

- The WooCommerce order status change to **Processing**.
- A new payment appear in your VINR dashboard under **Payments** with status **Completed**.

> For a full list of test cards that simulate declines, 3D Secure challenges, and other scenarios, see [Testing](/docs/integration/testing).

## Go live

When you're ready to accept real payments:

### Replace your test API key with your live key

In WordPress admin, go to **WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → VINR Payments → Manage**. Replace the `test_` key with your live API key from the VINR dashboard.

### Save and confirm

Click **Save changes**, then place one real low-value order (for example, a £1 product) to confirm end-to-end that the live key is accepted and the payment appears in your VINR dashboard.

### Set up webhooks

For reliable order status updates (especially for redirect-based methods like SEPA), configure a webhook endpoint in the VINR dashboard pointing to `https://yourstore.com/?wc-api=vinr_payments`. See the [full plugin reference](/docs/payments/plugins/woocommerce) for webhook setup, tokenization, and troubleshooting.

## Next steps

[WooCommerce plugin reference](/docs/payments/plugins/woocommerce) — Webhook setup, tokenization, recurring payments, and troubleshooting.

[Save and reuse cards](/docs/payments/tokenization) — Let returning customers pay in one click with saved payment methods.

[Go live checklist](/docs/payments/in-person/go-live) — Confirm everything is in order before accepting real payments.