You can connect ChatGPT to WordPress in three different ways, and the correct method depends on where your site is hosted. A WordPress.com site can use the WordPress.com plugin or WordPress.com’s MCP server. A self-hosted WordPress installation can use the WordPress AI plugin with an OpenAI connector and API key. These routes have different permissions, credentials, features, and eligibility rules, so choose the route that matches your hosting model before granting access.
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Start with read-only access while you test. Move to write access only for a specific workflow, review generated text and proposed changes, and keep publishing under human control unless your process explicitly requires automation.
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Choose the connection that matches your WordPress site
“WordPress” can mean two substantially different services. WordPress.com hosts the site for you and can expose account-level tools through its plugin and MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. Self-hosted WordPress runs on hosting you control; its AI features are configured inside the WordPress admin area with a provider connector.
| Route | Where it works | Authentication | Typical capabilities | Important eligibility or limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com plugin | WordPress.com sites | Browser authorization; account-level access choice | Draft and schedule posts, review traffic, moderate comments, manage plugins, update settings, audit or revise pages | Choose Full access, Read only, or Keep existing access. Available tools depend on the account and current service configuration. |
| Self-hosted WordPress AI plugin | Self-hosted WordPress installations | OpenAI API key stored through an environment variable, PHP constant, or WordPress database setting | Generate featured images, alt text, titles, excerpts, summaries, and other configured content; comment moderation is available when enabled | Requires the WordPress AI plugin, the OpenAI connector, credentials, and a compatible WordPress setup. |
| WordPress.com MCP server | WordPress.com; self-hosted sites through the stated Jetpack connection | OAuth 2.1 through a browser | Lets an MCP-enabled client invoke the WordPress.com tools you authorize | Paid WordPress.com plans are eligible; free sites receive MCP access for the first 30 days. Self-hosted sites need Jetpack AI or Jetpack Complete through Jetpack. |
Plan eligibility, plugin names, and available tools can change. Check the current WordPress.com and WordPress documentation during setup, especially if a button or setting in your dashboard does not match the labels below.
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Use the WordPress.com plugin with ChatGPT
The WordPress.com plugin is the most direct option for a WordPress.com site. OpenAI describes it as a connection that lets ChatGPT or Codex build a new site or manage an existing one through conversation. Depending on the permissions you grant, the tools can publish or schedule posts, inspect traffic, moderate comments, manage plugins, change settings, and revise pages while preserving unrelated layout.
Install and authorize the plugin
- Open ChatGPT and go to Plugins.
- Search for WordPress.com, select the plugin, and choose Install plugin.
- When the WordPress.com authorization page opens, select one of three choices: Full access, Read only, or Keep existing access.
- Choose Full access only if the workflow needs write operations. Read only disables write tools and is the safer starting point for exploring your site.
- Click Allow to finish the browser authorization.
- Start a new chat, type
@WordPress.com, and describe one narrowly scoped task.
The access choice changes the account-level MCP tool settings and applies to every AI agent connected to that WordPress.com account. Treat it as an account permission, not merely a setting for one conversation.
Good first prompts
Begin with an inspection or draft request so you can see what information the connection can read and how it presents proposed changes:
@WordPress.com List the five most recent posts with their publication dates and statuses.@WordPress.com Draft a launch post for [project], but do not publish it. Return the draft for review.@WordPress.com Audit the About page for outdated copy and show the proposed edits without changing the page.@WordPress.com Review recent traffic and suggest three content topics based on the pages receiving the most visits.
When a change is approved, specify the exact page or post, the fields that may change, and what must remain untouched. For example, ask for an update to the body copy while preserving the page layout, images, menus, and SEO fields unless you explicitly approve those too.
Publishing and scheduling safely
Separate drafting from publication. Ask ChatGPT to create a draft first, inspect the title, excerpt, links, formatting, and any generated media, then issue a second request to schedule or publish the named item. Include the intended date and time zone when scheduling. If the tool offers a preview or a change list, review it before confirming.
Connect self-hosted WordPress through the AI plugin
For a self-hosted installation, the WordPress.org team’s plugin titled AI provides the WordPress-side features. An OpenAI connector supplies the model connection centrally so other plugins that use the WordPress AI Client can reuse it.
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- Sign in to WordPress admin and open Plugins > Add New Plugin.
- Install the plugin titled AI published by the WordPress.org team, then activate it.
- Open Settings > Connectors and install the OpenAI connector.
- Add an OpenAI API key when the connector asks for credentials.
- Open Settings > AI and turn on Enable AI.
- Enable only the individual features you need, such as alt-text generation, summaries, title suggestions, image generation, or comment moderation.
The connector is a shared provider configuration. Once it is connected, compatible plugins can use the WordPress AI Client without each plugin requiring a separate provider setup.
Choose a credential storage method
WordPress accepts the API credential through an environment variable, a PHP constant, or a database setting. Prefer a server-side environment variable or PHP constant when your hosting workflow supports one. A key saved in the WordPress database is masked in the administration interface but is not encrypted. Limit administrator access, avoid placing the key in posts or theme files, and replace it immediately if it is exposed.
Keep the key on the server. Browser-side JavaScript, public repositories, screenshots, support tickets, and client-side theme code are inappropriate places for an API credential. If you move the site between hosts, verify that the environment variable or PHP configuration was migrated securely rather than copying the key into a public configuration file.
Enable only the features you can review
Turning on Enable AI does not require enabling every available tool. Start with low-risk assistance, such as title suggestions or alt text, and add image generation or comment moderation after you have checked the output quality and workflow. For moderated comments, define who reviews flagged content and how false positives are handled before relying on the feature for a public site.
Connect an MCP-enabled client to WordPress.com
WordPress.com also exposes an MCP server. The documented server endpoint is https://public-api.wordpress.com/wpcom/v2/mcp/v1. An MCP-enabled client uses this endpoint to discover and call the WordPress.com tools you authorize.
What OAuth 2.1 changes
The WordPress.com MCP server uses OAuth 2.1. Authorization happens in your web browser, and the client receives expiring access tokens; you do not install an additional server application. This is different from the self-hosted connector, which uses an OpenAI API key configured in WordPress.
Connect from an MCP client
- In your WordPress.com account settings, enable MCP access if the option is available.
- Add the server URL
https://public-api.wordpress.com/wpcom/v2/mcp/v1to your MCP-enabled client. - Start the client’s browser authorization flow and sign in to the WordPress.com account that owns the site.
- Review the requested scopes and approve only the access required for the workflow.
- Return to the client and test with a read operation before attempting a write.
For Codex, the documented command is:
codex mcp add wpcom-mcp --url https://public-api.wordpress.com/wpcom/v2/mcp/v1ChatGPT uses the WordPress.com plugin route described earlier rather than requiring you to enter this command.
Eligibility to check before troubleshooting
- Paid WordPress.com plans: eligible for MCP access under the documented rules.
- Free WordPress.com sites: receive MCP access for the first 30 days.
- Self-hosted sites: need Jetpack AI or Jetpack Complete through Jetpack to use the WordPress.com MCP connection.
These are service eligibility rules, not guarantees that every tool will appear for every account. A missing tool can reflect the plan, site connection, account role, or a permission choice.
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What each route can do
The routes overlap, but they are not interchangeable. Use this matrix to match a task to the connection that can actually perform it.
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| Task | WordPress.com plugin | Self-hosted AI plugin | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft a post or page | Yes, with the account permissions and tools enabled | AI-assisted content generation; exact workflow depends on enabled features and compatible plugins | Available through the tools exposed to the authorized client |
| Publish or schedule content | Yes when Full access and the relevant write tool are enabled | Not established as a universal capability of the AI plugin; depends on the plugin workflow you configure | Only if the authorized account and exposed tool support the operation |
| Review traffic | Included in the documented examples | Not stated as a built-in capability of the connector | Depends on the WordPress.com tool set and account access |
| Moderate comments | Documented capability | Available when comment-moderation features are enabled | Depends on the exposed tool and authorization |
| Generate featured images or alt text | Not specified as a guaranteed plugin feature | Supported as configurable AI features | Depends on the exposed WordPress.com tools |
| Manage plugins or site settings | Documented capability with write access | Not stated as a universal capability of the AI plugin | Depends on the exposed tool and authorization |
“Supported” means the documented route includes the capability; it does not mean every account, role, plugin version, or plan exposes it automatically.
Permission and content-safety practices
Use the least privilege that works
Read only is appropriate for site audits, traffic questions, content inventories, and prompt experiments. Grant Full access only for a task that must create, edit, schedule, moderate, or configure something. If your account settings let you limit individual tools, disable write tools that are not part of the current workflow.
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Review before public changes
AI-generated copy can contain incorrect facts, an unsuitable tone, broken links, or formatting that changes the visual hierarchy. Check the rendered page, headings, links, metadata, images, alt text, and scheduled time. For an existing page, ask the client to show a change list or return a draft so unrelated layout and content can be compared before approval.
Protect readers and site data
- Do not paste passwords, payment information, private customer records, or API keys into a chat.
- Use a staging site or a draft status for substantial edits.
- Keep backups and know how to restore the affected page or post before granting write access.
- Review comment-moderation decisions; automated classifications can require human correction.
- Revoke the WordPress.com authorization or rotate the API key when a staff member, integration, or device should no longer have access.
Troubleshoot the most common setup failures
The WordPress.com plugin does not appear
Confirm that you are searching in ChatGPT’s Plugins area and using the exact name WordPress.com. If the plugin is unavailable, check whether your ChatGPT account interface, WordPress.com account, or plan still supports the documented integration. Until access is restored, do not substitute an unverified third-party plugin with broad administrator permissions.
The client can read but cannot edit
Reconnect the WordPress.com authorization and inspect whether Read only was selected. The access choice disables write tools at the account level. Also confirm that the requested operation is supported by the tool set and that your WordPress.com role can perform it.
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The MCP authorization loops or expires
Use the exact endpoint, start a fresh browser authorization, and complete the OAuth flow in the same account that owns the site. OAuth 2.1 tokens expire, so a previously working client may need to authorize again. For free sites, verify that the 30-day access window has not ended.
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Check the sequence: the AI plugin is active, the OpenAI connector is installed under Settings > Connectors, a valid credential is present, and Settings > AI > Enable AI is on. If the key was supplied as an environment variable or PHP constant, confirm that the web process can read it and that the host configuration was reloaded.
A generated feature is missing
Open Settings > AI and verify that the specific feature is enabled. A connected provider does not automatically turn on alt text, summaries, title suggestions, image generation, or moderation. Availability can also depend on the plugin version and the current provider connection.
Practical workflows
Editorial planning on WordPress.com
- Begin with Read only access.
- Ask for a list of recent posts, traffic observations, or pages with outdated copy.
- Request a content brief and draft, specifying audience, length, tone, headings, and links to preserve.
- Review the draft in WordPress before changing the access level.
- Grant Full access only when you are ready to create the draft or schedule the approved post.
Image accessibility on self-hosted WordPress
- Connect the OpenAI provider under Settings > Connectors.
- Enable AI under Settings > AI and turn on alt-text generation.
- Generate text for a small batch first.
- Check that each description conveys the image’s purpose rather than repeating a filename or adding decorative detail.
- Correct exceptions manually and keep the feature enabled only if the review burden is acceptable.
Controlled page revision through MCP
- Authorize the MCP client with the minimum available scope.
- Ask it to retrieve the target page and identify outdated sections.
- Request a proposed revision that leaves layout, media, navigation, and unrelated sections unchanged.
- Compare the proposal with the live page or a staging copy.
- Approve one named page at a time and verify the rendered result.
Costs, accounts, and changing availability
No universal price can be stated for these connections from the documented setup information. WordPress.com MCP eligibility depends on the plan rules above, free-site access is limited to the first 30 days, and self-hosted use requires the WordPress AI plugin, an OpenAI API key, and the relevant hosting configuration. API usage and any hosting or Jetpack requirements are account-specific. Check the current plan and service pages before committing to an automated workflow.
The safest way to operate is to treat the connection as an administrative integration: verify the account owner, grant the narrowest permission, test with a read operation, review every write, and monitor which tools remain enabled as WordPress and ChatGPT interfaces change.
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