---
title: Install Pastmark
description: Install Pastmark and see what it does right after you activate it.
url: "https://docs.prefixwp.com/docs/pastmark/pastmark-getting-started/install-pastmark/"
updated: "2026-11-10"
category: Getting started
---

# Install Pastmark

Pastmark keeps a log of what happens on your WordPress site. You can see who logged in, who changed a post, who activated a plugin, and much more. Pastmark is free. There is also a paid add-on, Pastmark Pro.

## Before you start

- You need WordPress 6.2 or newer.
- You need PHP 7.4 or newer.
- You must be an **administrator**.

## Install and activate Pastmark

1. In your dashboard, go to `Plugins → Add New Plugin`.
2. In the search box, type **Pastmark**.
3. Find **Pastmark - Activity Log, User Activity & Audit Trail**. Click **Install Now**.
4. Click **Activate**.
5. Pastmark opens the **Activity Logs** page for you.

## What you see after activation

A new menu called **User Activity** appears on the left. It has four pages:

[![The User Activity menu with Dashboard, Activity Logs, Events and Settings](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pastmark-menu.webp)](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pastmark-menu.webp)
The User Activity menu.

| Page | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Dashboard** | Charts and numbers about your site activity. |
| **Activity Logs** | The list of everything Pastmark recorded. |
| **Events** | Choose what Pastmark records. |
| **Settings** | Email reports, exclusions, privacy and more. |

You also see this message at the top of the Pastmark pages:

```
Pastmark is now logging activity using the Recommended preset.
```

The first entry in your log is **Pastmark plugin activated.**

## What Pastmark does by default

- It records activity with the **Recommended** preset. Read [Choose what Pastmark records](/docs/pastmark/pastmark-getting-started/choose-what-pastmark-records/).
- It deletes log entries that are older than **3 months**.
- It shows a **Latest Activity Logs** box on your WordPress dashboard.

Pastmark also sends a **weekly email report** every Friday at 9:00 PM to your site's admin email. You can change or turn off this email in `User Activity → Settings → Email Reports`. Read [Email reports](/docs/pastmark/pastmark-settings/email-reports/).

## Who can see the log

**Administrators** can open all Pastmark pages. You can also let other roles or single users read the log. Read [Give others access to the log](/docs/pastmark/pastmark-settings/give-others-access-to-the-log/).