# Installation - Stockline 1.x documentation

> Install Stockline from WordPress.org and set your first stock messages in a few minutes.

Stockline is free and listed on WordPress.org, so you can install it straight from your dashboard.

## Install the plugin

1. Make sure WooCommerce is installed and active. Stockline won't activate without it.
2. Go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin** and search for **Stockline**.
3. Click **Install Now** on "Stockline – Custom Stock Messages for WooCommerce", then **Activate**.

If you have the zip file instead, use **Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin**, choose the file, then **Install Now** and **Activate**.

Nothing changes on your store yet: until you enter a message, Stockline keeps WooCommerce's own wording and only adds the default icon and colour for each state.

## Set your first messages

1. Go to **WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Stock messages**. There's also a **Settings** link under Stockline on the Plugins screen.
2. Choose a **Style**: plain text or badge.
3. For each stock state, type a message, and pick an icon and a colour if you want something other than the defaults. The **Preview** under each state shows the result as you type.
4. Click **Save changes**.

![The Stock messages settings, with a live preview for each state](https://storage.extendiment.com/media/1287/screenshot-5.png)

Now open a product page on your store. The stock line under the price shows your message for whatever state the product is in.

> [!TIP]
> To see every state quickly, keep one test product around and change its stock quantity and **Allow backorders?** setting on its Inventory tab: 0 with backorders off is out of stock, 0 with backorders allowed is on backorder, a number at or below your low stock threshold is low stock.

## What's next

- **Store-wide messages** explains when each message is shown.
- **Placeholders** puts the quantity left or the product name into a message.
- **Icons and colours** and **Badge or plain style** cover the look.

Source: https://www.extendiment.com/plugins/stockline/docs/1.x/installation