[DEV]

Install aaPanel Free Edition on a clean Ubuntu 22.04 VPS, sign in, and verify the dashboard before installing your website software. This walkthrough was tested on 10 October 2026 using Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS and aaPanel Free 8.0.6.

Our lab has 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM and a 40 GB disk. These are the tested specifications, not a universal sizing requirement. All screenshots are our own, annotated and branded AdminsForum.



Before you start

• Use a clean VPS with root or sudo access. Do not install over another hosting panel or an existing production stack.
  
• Keep access to your provider's recovery console and make an off-server backup of anything you need.
  
• A domain is optional for panel installation. You will need DNS when setting up a named website later.
  
• Check the official aaPanel requirements. Supported operating systems and installer details can change.
  

Read our VPS, domain and setup checklist first if this is your first server.

1. Connect to your VPS
Use the server address and credentials supplied by your provider. Replace the placeholder below:

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ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Check the operating system, architecture, memory and available disk space:

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cat /etc/os-release uname -m free -h df -h / ss -lntp timedatectl status

Our server reported Ubuntu 22.04.5, x86_64 and synchronized time. No existing web server or database was listening.

2. Update Ubuntu

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sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade

Review the package manager's prompts. If a reboot is required, restart and reconnect before continuing:

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test -f /var/run/reboot-required && cat /var/run/reboot-required sudo reboot

Wait for the server to return, then open a fresh SSH connection. Do not run another package update while the aaPanel installer is working.

3. Download the official aaPanel installer
Download from aaPanel's official HTTPS address with certificate verification enabled:

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curl --fail --show-error --location --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 \ https://www.aapanel.com/script/install_panel_en.sh \ -o install_panel_en.sh

Review the downloaded script before running it as administrator:

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less install_panel_en.sh

Press q to leave the viewer. If curl reports a TLS or download error, resolve that error instead of running an incomplete file or disabling certificate checks.

4. Install aaPanel Free Edition

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sudo bash install_panel_en.sh forum

Confirm the installation directory when prompted. Our installation used /www. Wait for the installation-success message; the time needed depends on the server and download speed.

Save the generated panel URL, username and password privately. The URL includes a management port and a private entrance path. Use your own generated values; a different server's URL will not work. Installation logs can contain credentials, so redact them before asking for help.

5. Open the panel and verify the dashboard
Open the exact URL printed by your installer and sign in. If your provider has a separate firewall, allow the generated management port for your own management access. The panel's HTTPS certificate validated in our lab. If yours shows a browser certificate warning, investigate the certificate before proceeding.

The opening screenshot highlights:

1. The installed panel version: 8.0.6 in our test.
   
2. Server load, CPU, RAM and disk information.
   
3. Website, FTP and database counters. Zero counts are normal before creating your first site.
   

The dashboard can display Pro upgrade promotions. Our App Store explicitly reported FREE 8.0.6; no Pro subscription was required for this installation.

The first-login software selection is the next stage. Follow the separate web stack guide rather than installing every available component.

Troubleshooting
Panel URL returns 404: Check that you included the private entrance path. In our test, requesting only the management-port root returned 404 as expected.

Connection times out: Check the server address, generated port, provider firewall and the server firewall. Do not open every port to solve a single access problem.

Package manager is busy: Wait for the current update or installation to finish. Do not delete package-manager lock files while a process is still using them.

Check panel services from SSH:

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sudo /etc/init.d/bt status

Our panel and task services were running. We also completed a reboot and verified fresh SSH and panel access afterward.

Frequently asked questions
Do I need a domain to install aaPanel?
No. You can install and access the panel using the server's generated management URL. A domain is useful when you create a website.

Does installing aaPanel also install PHP and a database?
The panel installation and web stack selection are separate stages. Choose compatible software for your intended application.

Is this the Free or Pro edition?
This guide uses aaPanel Free Edition. Paid plugins and Pro tutorials will be covered separately.

Next: Install Nginx, PHP and MariaDB, then secure panel access before hosting a real website.

Source: aaPanel official Quick Start. Tested versions are recorded above; later releases may look different.