Connect Claude

Claude connects by signing in. You add your site once as a custom connector, sign in to WordPress as an administrator and choose what Claude may do. There is no key and nothing to install, and it works on claude.ai, in the Claude app and on your phone, even when your computer is off.

Before you start#

• PowerWP AI 1.6 or newer, with an unused AI connection on your plan. A signed-in app counts like any other connection.
• A public site on HTTPS. Claude connects from the internet, so it cannot reach a site that runs on your own computer.
• Pretty permalinks: under Settings › Permalinks in WordPress, choose any structure other than Plain.
• Sign-in for AI apps switched on under PowerWP AI › Settings › Connection security. It is on by default.
• A WordPress administrator login, and a Claude account. On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner adds the connector for the organization first.

You do not create a key. If you like, open PowerWP AI › Connections, choose Create connection and pick Claude: the window shows these steps with your address and notices when you have signed in.

Connect Claude#

1. Copy your site's address from Create connection › Claude. It looks like https://your-store.com/wp-json/wpai/v1/mcp.
2. In claude.ai or the Claude app, open Settings › Connectors (in some versions Customize › Connectors) and click Add custom connector.
3. Give it a name, paste the address and click Add, then click Connect. Claude opens your site's sign-in.
4. Sign in to WordPress as an administrator. Two-factor plugins apply as usual.
5. On the approval screen, check the app name and the address its answer goes to (for Claude, claude.ai). Choose a preset (start with Read-only diagnostics) and click Allow.
6. In a new chat, switch your site on under + › Connectors if it is off.

The presets are Read-only diagnostics, Content manager, Developer and Full access. Full access is never preselected for a new connection, and the Free plan allows only Read-only diagnostics. See Permissions and presets.

After you click Allow#

• The connection is listed under PowerWP AI › Connections with a Signed in badge. Change its permissions there.
• Signing in again from the same app keeps the same connection and takes the permissions you choose then.
• Revoke ends every sign-in of that app at once.
• Switching off Sign-in for AI apps pauses every signed-in app until you switch it on again. Connections that use a key are not affected.
• Rescue mode and backups. Rescue mode works for apps that connect with a key and, since PowerWP AI 1.6.5, for apps that signed in, such as Claude. Claude cannot save files to your computer, so for backups it gives you download links to click.

Check it works#

Give me an overview of my site.

Claude calls site_overview and answers with your WordPress version, theme and plugins.

Troubleshooting#

• "Sign-in is not available on this site yet." Sign-in is switched off, or your permalinks are Plain. Fix either one as listed above.
• Claude cannot reach your site. A firewall or security plugin (Cloudflare, Wordfence, Sucuri, a "disable REST API" plugin) may block /wp-json/wpai/v1/. Allow that path.
• The approval screen refuses a permission. The Free plan lets AI apps read but not change, and more permissions need a paid plan. Upgrade in My account › Licenses; the key stays the same.
• "Signed out" or "Unknown app". Start the connection again in Claude. If the screen warns that PowerWP AI does not know the app, continue only if you started the connection yourself.
• Sign-in will not work for you? Connect Claude Code with a key instead. It needs no sign-in and no public address.

Alternative: Claude Desktop through mcp-remote#

For the Chat tab of the Claude app, with a key and Node.js 18 or newer. Create the connection with Create connection › Claude Desktop. Sign-in above is easier.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "your-store": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://your-store.com/wp-json/wpai/v1/mcp",
               "--header", "X-WPAI-Token:${POWERWP_TOKEN}"],
      "env": { "POWERWP_TOKEN": "<your key>" }
    }
  }
}

1. Open the Claude app's settings (macOS: Claude menu › Settings…, Windows: ☰ › File › Settings), then Developer › Edit Config. It shows claude_desktop_config.json.
2. Paste the config and save. If the file lists other servers, paste only the your-store entry inside mcpServers, with a comma between the two.
3. Quit the Claude app completely, also from the menu bar or system tray, and open it again. Your site is listed under + › Connectors.

The Chat tab cannot save files on your computer by itself, so for backups it gives you download links to click.

Related#