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Troubleshooting Connection Issues


Quick checklist

Before digging deeper, run through this list:

  • ✅ WP-MCP plugin is Active in WordPress → Plugins
  • ✅ WordPress is version 6.3 or higher
  • ✅ PHP is version 8.1 or higher
  • ✅ Application Passwords are enabled on your host
  • ✅ The REST API is accessible (test: https://yoursite.com/wp-json/wp-mcp/v1/status)
  • ✅ The username is your WordPress login name (not email, not display name)
  • ✅ The password was copied exactly as shown (with spaces between chunks)

Common errors

"Method not found" or "Tool not available"

The connector is not active in the current Claude conversation. Start a new chat and ensure the WP-MCP connector is enabled.

"Authentication failed" or 401 error

  • Wrong username — use your WordPress login name, found at Users → Your Profile → Username
  • Wrong password — Application Passwords must be copied exactly as shown: xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
  • The password was already used to test and then deleted — generate a new one from the dashboard

REST API returns 404

Permalinks need refreshing. Go to Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes.

REST API blocked (403)

A security plugin is blocking the WP-MCP endpoint. In your security plugin, whitelist:

/wp-json/wp-mcp/*

Common plugins that cause this: Wordfence, iThemes Security, All In One WP Security.

"WP-MCP is currently disabled"

The plugin has been turned off. Go to WP-MCP → Settings and enable it.

Rate limit error

Too many requests in a short period. The default limit is 60 requests per minute. Go to WP-MCP → Settings to increase it if needed.


Run the built-in diagnostics

The WP-MCP Dashboard has a built-in Connection diagnostics panel (click to expand). It checks:

  • REST API accessibility
  • Application Passwords availability
  • Plugin status
  • PHP version
  • SSL status

It shows a green/red status for each check and tells you exactly what to fix.


Still stuck?

Visit techinsol.io for support or open an issue on GitHub.