> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.retainful.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect WordPress

> Install the Retainful plugin on your WordPress site and connect it with a token — for WordPress sites without WooCommerce.

<Warning>
  This guide is for **WordPress sites without WooCommerce**. If WooCommerce is installed and active on your site, follow [Connect WooCommerce](/integrations/woocommerce) instead.
</Warning>

Use the Retainful plugin to connect a regular WordPress site — a blog, business site, or landing page — to Retainful. Once connected, you can show Retainful signup forms and popups on your site, grow your list, and email your subscribers with campaigns and automations.

## Requirements

* WordPress **6.5** or later.
* PHP **7.4** or later.
* The **Retainful** plugin installed and activated.
* An administrator account on your WordPress site.
* Your site must be publicly reachable on the internet (local sites like `localhost` can't connect).

## What works on a WordPress site

| Feature                                                  | WordPress | WooCommerce |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | ----------- |
| [Signup forms and popups](/forms/overview)               | Yes       | Yes         |
| [Campaigns](/campaigns/overview) to your contacts        | Yes       | Yes         |
| [Automations](/automations/overview) like welcome series | Yes       | Yes         |
| WPForms submissions to Retainful lists                   | Yes       | Yes         |
| Abandoned cart recovery                                  | No        | Yes         |
| Order and product sync                                   | No        | Yes         |
| Coupon step in automations                               | No        | Yes         |
| Checkout and order-based automation templates            | No        | Yes         |

<Info>
  Cart, order, and product features need WooCommerce. If you add WooCommerce to your site later, connect it through [Connect WooCommerce](/integrations/woocommerce).
</Info>

## Install and connect

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the plugin">
    In your WordPress admin, go to **Plugins → Add New**, search for **Retainful**, then click **Install Now** and **Activate**.

    <Frame caption="Install the Retainful plugin from Plugins → Add New">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/retainful/89sMZADMRvx-X_w1/images/Wordpress-install.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=89sMZADMRvx-X_w1&q=85&s=9f144e2ee67555b541733dd43ded66fa" alt="Wordpress Install" width="2880" height="1624" data-path="images/Wordpress-install.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy your token from Retainful">
    In Retainful, go to **Integrations** and open **WordPress**. Click **Copy** next to the **Token** field.

    <Frame caption="Copy the token from Integrations → WordPress">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/retainful/qKS262JpQe6eubRZ/images/wordpress-copy-token.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qKS262JpQe6eubRZ&q=85&s=326d86c623798fc4a859072d8c13f6f8" alt="Wordpress Copy Token" width="3018" height="1412" data-path="images/wordpress-copy-token.png" />
    </Frame>

    <Note>
      The token expires shortly after it's shown. If connecting fails, come back to this page and copy a fresh token.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the WordPress settings in the plugin">
    In your WordPress admin, click **Retainful** in the left menu. Under **Integrations**, find the **WordPress** card and click **View Settings**.

    <Frame caption="Open the WordPress card in the Retainful plugin">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/retainful/qKS262JpQe6eubRZ/images/wordpress-settings.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qKS262JpQe6eubRZ&q=85&s=acaf3ebdf29c06ab4f0c211975f3e53a" alt="Wordpress Settings" width="3018" height="1540" data-path="images/wordpress-settings.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Paste the token and connect">
    Paste the token into the **API Key** field and click **Connect**.

    <Frame caption="Paste the token and click Connect">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/retainful/qKS262JpQe6eubRZ/images/wordpress-key.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qKS262JpQe6eubRZ&q=85&s=8ba3c56d8ebaf2cf6c3449708faa7d09" alt="Wordpress Key" width="3012" height="1540" data-path="images/wordpress-key.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Check>
  The plugin shows **Connected — Your site is connected to Retainful.** In Retainful, **Integrations → WordPress** shows your site under **Connected Site** with a **Connected** badge.
</Check>

<Frame caption="Your site is connected">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/retainful/qKS262JpQe6eubRZ/images/wordpress-connected.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qKS262JpQe6eubRZ&q=85&s=f1a83d8430b2e3b9938b25806b3d1d6c" alt="Wordpress Connected" width="3014" height="1538" data-path="images/wordpress-connected.png" />
</Frame>

You don't need to enter your site URL in Retainful — the plugin sends it automatically when you connect.

## Show signup forms on your site

Once your site is connected, forms and popups you publish in Retainful appear on your site automatically — no code or theme editing needed. See [Create a form](/forms/create-a-form) to build your first one.

<Tip>
  If you use a caching plugin (like WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache) and a new popup isn't showing, clear your site cache and check again.
</Tip>

## One platform per organization

A Retainful organization can connect only **one** platform — Shopify, WooCommerce, or WordPress. If your organization already uses another platform, the WordPress page shows **Platform Integration Conflict**. To connect a WordPress site, create a new organization and connect it there.

Each organization connects one WordPress site. Connecting a different site replaces the previous one.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="&#x22;Invalid or expired token&#x22;">
    The token expires shortly after it's shown. Go back to **Integrations → WordPress** in Retainful, copy a fresh token, and click **Connect** in the plugin again right away.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Connect button fails with &#x22;Failed to connect to Retainful&#x22;">
    Your server needs to reach Retainful over the internet. Check that your host or a security plugin isn't blocking outgoing requests, then try again with a fresh token.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cloudflare or a security plugin blocks the connection">
    Firewalls like Cloudflare **Bot Fight Mode**, Wordfence, or other security plugins can block Retainful's requests to your site's REST API (`/wp-json/`). Temporarily disable the rule (or add an exception) while connecting, then re-enable it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I can't find the WordPress card in the plugin">
    The **WordPress** card only appears when WooCommerce is **not** active. If WooCommerce is active, you'll see a **WooCommerce** card instead — follow [Connect WooCommerce](/integrations/woocommerce).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Popups aren't showing on my site">
    Confirm the plugin shows **Connected**, the form is published in Retainful, and your site cache is cleared. Also check the form's [display rules](/forms/display-rules).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My site is on localhost or a staging URL">
    Retainful can only connect to a site that's publicly reachable. Use a live or publicly accessible staging URL.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Disconnecting

To disconnect your WordPress site from Retainful, email [support@retainful.com](mailto:support@retainful.com) with your organization name and site URL. Your existing contacts and data stay in Retainful.