Installing Admin Tools is just like installing any other Joomla extension.
Start by visiting the Akeeba website and clicking Downloads.
If you're using the Professional version, make sure you're logged into your account first.
Scroll down to the Security products section and download Admin Tools to your computer.
Once the download has finished, switch to your Joomla administrator.
Go to System, Extensions, Install Extensions. On the Upload Package File tab, browse to the package you just downloaded, select it, and Joomla will install Admin Tools.
When the installation is complete you'll see two messages. The first confirms that the package has been installed successfully. The second explains that Admin Tools isn't protecting your site yet and that you need to run the Quick Setup Wizard.
Click the link to launch the wizard.
The first section configures administrator security.
The first two options are different ways to protect access to your Joomla administrator. You can either require a secret URL parameter or protect the administrator area with an additional username and password before the Joomla login page appears.
I'll be using the username and password option.
Choose a username and enter a strong password. This should be different from your Joomla administrator password.
The next option lets Admin Tools send you an email whenever someone attempts to log in to your administrator area. Whether you enable this is entirely up to you. You may want to try it for a while and then decide if the notifications are useful.
I'll enter my email address so those notifications can be sent.
The next three settings are already configured with sensible defaults, and I recommend leaving them exactly as they are. You can always come back and change them later once you're more familiar with the Web Application Firewall.
Next we move on to the basic security settings.
The first option enables the Web Application Firewall, and that's something you'll almost certainly want to leave enabled.
You'll also see the IP Workarounds setting. This is a technical option, but Admin Tools tells you which setting is recommended for your server. In most cases you should simply use that recommendation.
The next option blocks repeat offenders who repeatedly trigger security rules. Again, this is something you'll normally want to enable.
Finally, enter the email address where you want security exception notifications to be sent.
The final section contains the advanced security settings.
One of these is Project Honeypot, which is an external anti-spam service. If you'd like to use it, click the link to learn more, create an account, and enter your API key here.
Finally, we come to one of the most important options: creating a secure .htaccess file.
An .htaccess file adds another layer of protection to your website. However, depending on your hosting environment or the software running on your site, it can occasionally block legitimate access.
Before enabling this option, I strongly recommend opening the linked documentation in a new browser tab. That way you'll have the recovery instructions available if you need them.
Because I enabled administrator password protection earlier, saving these settings will immediately display an authentication prompt before I can access the Joomla administrator again.
Make sure you've made a note of the username and password you entered.
I'll enter those credentials now and log back in.
Admin Tools is now installed and protecting the site.
If you're using the Professional version, you'll also be asked to enter your Download ID. This allows Joomla to download future updates for Admin Tools.
Return to the Akeeba website, make sure you're logged in, and open My Subscriptions.
You'll find your Download ID there. Copy it, return to your Joomla site, paste it into the Download ID field, and click Apply Download ID.
You may also see a message about the GeoIP plugin.
This is an optional add-on that can display geographical information about IP addresses in Admin Tools. It isn't required, but if you'd like to use it you can download and install it just like any other Joomla extension.
Admin Tools is now fully installed and configured with a solid set of recommended defaults.
From here you can begin exploring its security features and customise the settings to suit your own website.