How to Connect AI Agents With WordPress Using MCP (Step by Step)

AI assistants such as Claude Code, Cowork, and ChatGPT are powerful productivity boosters. If you’ve wanted a direct connection between these AI tools and WordPress, you’re in good company.

Recently, I’ve been using the WordPress MCP by WPVibe to let my AI assistant manage my website, and it’s genuinely astounding how much time it saves. You can easily ask it to create a post, upload images, manage admin tasks, and more—all through a single conversational prompt.

In this detailed tutorial, I’ll show you how to connect your preferred AI tools to WordPress using MCP, and I’ll share a few practical examples so you can see what’s achievable when you combine WordPress with AI.

Use the quick links below to skip to any section:

What is a WordPress MCP and What Can It Do?

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It serves as an open standard that enables AI assistants to connect with external tools and services.

Consider it a universal adapter. Rather than each AI tool developing a bespoke integration with every service, they all communicate in the same way, allowing any compatible tool and service to function together.

With a WordPress MCP, your AI assistant can identify what your website supports and execute tasks via a plain-text prompt. It leverages an existing connection built into WordPress (the REST API), so no extra installations are required.

You can utilise WordPress MCP to manage your WordPress site and perform tasks such as:

• Draft and publish posts – Create blog posts as drafts, establish titles, add categories and tags, and publish them when you’re prepared.
• Upload media – Import images from any public URL directly into your WordPress media library.
• Manage categories and tags – Create or rename taxonomy terms and allocate them to posts.
• Run admin tasks – Clear your site cache, determine which plugins are active, and activate or deactivate plugins.
• Utilise plugin features – On WordPress 6.9+, many plugins register their own actions that the AI can automatically discover and execute.

You can accomplish each of these tasks with a plain-text prompt in your preferred AI tool, like Claude Code, Cursor, or ChatGPT. I’ll provide the specific prompts once you’re fully set up.

What You Need Before Getting Started

• Self-hosted WordPress 6.9 or later – With the REST API enabled (it’s on by default). You require version 6.9 or higher for the plugin abilities API, which allows you to use AI to manage plugins such as AIOSEO, WPForms, and so on.
• A publicly accessible site – Your site must be reachable on the internet, as local development sites won’t connect unless exposed via a tunnel.
• A free WPVibe account — You’ll create this during setup.
• An HTTPS-enabled site — WordPress application passwords necessitate SSL, and they won’t function on http:// sites. Refer to our guide on implementing SSL and HTTPS with WordPress.

Step 1. Set Up MCP on Your WordPress Website

The simplest method to add MCP to a self-hosted WordPress site is by using WPVibe.ai. It’s free and operates on a hosted server, meaning there’s no infrastructure to configure. It’s also compatible with every leading AI tool through a single setup.

You can read our complete WPVibe review for a more detailed view of its capabilities, but this guide will address what you need to get connected.

Alternative setup methods: An official WordPress MCP Adapter also exists, which pairs with the new Abilities API in WordPress 6.9, but it’s designed for developers and requires manual configuration.

Install and Activate the Vibe AI Plugin

First, you must install and activate the free WPVibe plugin. Should you require assistance, our guide on installing a WordPress plugin outlines each step.

Alongside connecting your AI tools, the WPVibe plugin also unlocks WP-CLI commands, theme file editing, and the plugin abilities I’ll discuss later in this guide.

Once activated, navigate to Vibe AI » Vibe AI in your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see the MCP server URL and a three-step setup guide.

Keep this tab open; you’ll need the URL in the subsequent step.

Step 2. Connect Your AI Tools to WordPress

With WPVibe set up, connecting your AI tool takes less than a minute. You simply add the same server URL to any AI client you’re using: https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp.

Instructions on how to do this can be found in the official WPVibe documentation. But allow me to guide you through locating this setting in some popular AI platforms.

Connecting Claude

For those just starting out, I suggest beginning with Claude.

The simplest method is to add the WPVibe URL once via Claude.ai on the web, which syncs automatically to Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and the Claude mobile apps with no further setup needed.

Note: On Team and Enterprise workspaces, only an Owner or Admin can add connectors. Individual members on those plans can authenticate with WPVibe once the admin has added it, or use the Claude Code method outlined in step 3 below.

1. Free, Pro, and Max plans: In Claude.ai, navigate to Customise» Connectors. Click the + button, select ‘Add custom connector’, and paste https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp.
2. Team and Enterprise (admin only): Go to Organisation settings » Connectors. Click ‘Add’, select Custom » Web, and input the WPVibe URL.
3. Claude Code (any plan): In your terminal, execute claude mcp add --scope user wpvibe --transport http https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp. Then, open Claude Code, type /mcp, select wpvibe, and choose ‘Authenticate’.

Once saved, follow the on-screen prompt to authorise your WordPress site.

Connecting ChatGPT

WPVibe is directly accessible in the ChatGPT App Marketplace, enabling both free and paid users to connect without needing to copy server URLs or edit configuration files.

In ChatGPT, click ‘Apps’ in the sidebar and search for WPVibe. Then click ‘Connect’ on the app page and sign in with your WPVibe account when prompted.

After connecting, ChatGPT will automatically insert ‘@WPVibe’ at the beginning of each message. You can remove it with backspace for prompts unrelated to WordPress, but keep it when following the authorization step below.

Connecting Cursor

Cursor incorporates MCP servers through a JSON configuration file. In Cursor, go to Settings » MCP and click on ‘Add new global MCP server’. This opens the mcp.json file.

Insert the following entry and save:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wpvibe": {
      "url": "https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Ensure you restart Cursor after saving.

WPVibe will appear in the MCP list once connected.

Connecting Windsurf

In Windsurf, open the Cascade panel and click the ‘Plugins’ icon (puzzle piece). Search for WPVibe, click ‘Enable’, and complete the sign-in process when prompted.

Alternatively, for manual configuration, edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and add the following entry, then restart Windsurf:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wpvibe": {
      "serverUrl": "https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Note: Windsurf uses serverUrl (not url) in its configuration file. Usage of the incorrect key will result in a failed connection.

Authorize Your WordPress Site

After adding the MCP URL to your AI client, return to Vibe AI » Vibe AI in your WordPress dashboard.

Under step 3, you’ll find a prompt ready to copy, with your site’s URL pre-filled.

Paste that prompt into your AI chat. Your AI assistant will invoke WPVibe and return a one-click authorization link. Simply click it to approve the connection.

You won’t ever see or copy a password. Credentials are managed securely in the background by WordPress and WPVibe.

What You Can Do Once You’re Connected (Worked Examples)

After connecting your AI tool to WordPress, here are the first prompts I tried, including one tailored for WooCommerce store owners.

My examples stem from the Claude Code terminal, but these will operate with whichever AI tool you’ve connected.

1. Write and Draft a Blog Post

Input the following into your AI tool: ‘Create a draft WordPress post titled “How to Start a Blog” with an intro paragraph explaining why blogging is still relevant.’

Your AI assistant makes a call to the WordPress REST API, saves the post as a draft, and returns a confirmation along with a link to edit it in wp-admin.

Nothing will go live until you opt to publish it yourself.

2. Upload a Photo to Your Media Library

Input: ‘Upload this image to my WordPress media library: [paste a public image URL]. Set the alt text to “A person working at a laptop”.’

WPVibe validates the source URL, downloads the image, and incorporates it into your media library with the alt text you provided.

You’ll be able to reference it in any post from that point onwards.

Note: The prompt above utilizes a public URL, which is the most straightforward approach. Uploading a local file from your computer is also an option, but WPVibe will generate a browser upload link as an intermediary step.

3. Manage Your WooCommerce Store

WooCommerce 10.9 comes with native MCP support, which reveals product and order abilities through the same standard that WPVibe employs.

If your site runs WooCommerce, try: ‘Draft a new product titled “Summer T-Shirt” with a brief description and a price of $29.95.’

The product is saved as a draft in your store. Beyond creating products, your AI can also query orders, update their status, and add order notes, enabling you to manage routine store administration from the same chat window.

The example below showcases this functionality.

The following three examples extend beyond WordPress’s built-in actions. With WordPress 6.9 or newer, plugins can register their own actions (termed ‘abilities’) that your AI can automatically discover, allowing you to operate them from a single chat interface.

4. Optimize Your SEO with AI

If you’re using AIOSEO, your AI can manage routine SEO tasks directly from the chat interface. It has the ability to check TruSEO scores, generate meta titles and descriptions, and conduct SEO audits.

My initial request was to have it identify every post lacking a meta description and generate one for each.

Try this prompt: ‘Locate all posts without meta descriptions and write and apply them in one go.’

Your AI reviews each post, generates the missing meta descriptions, and applies them through AIOSEO, all in one step.

Refer to our comprehensive AIOSEO setup guide to ensure you’ve configured it correctly first.

5. Manage Landing Pages and Maintenance Mode

For those utilizing SeedProd, your AI can manage your upcoming page, maintenance mode, and landing page settings without needing to access wp-admin.

For instance: ‘Check if maintenance mode is currently active’ or ‘Activate the coming soon page.’

6. Build a Form with AI

If you’re using WPForms, your AI can generate forms based on a plain-English description.

Try: ‘Create a contact form with name, email, and a message field.’ WPForms will create the form in your dashboard, ready for configuration and embedding.

Before proceeding, ensure you enable write access under WPForms » Tools.

WPForms Lite supports fundamental field types. Paid plans include additional options such as phone, date/time, file upload, and more.

See What Your Site Can Do

You won’t have to speculate about which of your plugins support this. Since WPVibe automatically identifies every registered ability, simply ask your connected AI: ‘What can you accomplish on my WordPress site?’

It will outline the abilities that your installed plugins expose, ensuring the information remains accurate regardless of your plugins.

Is WordPress MCP Safe?

I shared the same concern initially when I first tested this. Here’s how WPVibe addresses security.

WordPress manages the connection via application passwords, a built-in functionality that generates a separate password for each external tool you connect. The AI receives only the permissions associated with the user account you connected.

Therefore, it’s advisable to connect using a limited, non-admin account instead of your primary admin login. If you create a dedicated user with Editor role for the connection, then the AI can only operate within the capabilities an Editor possesses.

WPVibe encrypts your application password before storing it, using a unique key for each site, and maintains it on secure servers hosted by Cloudflare. Every connection between your AI client, WPVibe, and your WordPress site is encrypted, ensuring your credentials are never exposed during transit.

WPVibe also doesn’t store your conversation content; it remains within your AI client.

On the WordPress side, new posts are always saved as drafts, and deletions are sent to the trash rather than being permanently removed.

To completely revoke access at any time, navigate to Users » Profile in your WordPress dashboard, and scroll to the Application Passwords section to delete it.

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Connecting your AI client to WordPress is often where the most confusion arises.

If the connection fails or WPVibe doesn’t appear, consider the following checks:

• WPVibe isn’t listed in your client’s tool or MCP list – Restart the AI client after saving your configuration. New MCP servers only load after a fresh start.
• The connection fails without notification in Windsurf – Windsurf employs the serverUrl key, not url. Using the incorrect key generates no error message, so double-check it.
• Application passwords won’t validate – Your site must operate on HTTPS. Application passwords do not function over http://.
• Your AI client cannot access the site – The site must be publicly accessible. A local development site won’t connect unless it’s exposed via a tunnel.
• Authorization keeps failing – Re-confirm that you pasted the correct MCP server URL: https://mcp.wpvibe.ai/mcp.

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress MCP

Is WPVibe free?

Yes. WPVibe incurs no API key expenses, and everything in this guide operates on the free plan. There is now a paid Pro plan (early-access pricing, $99 per year) which offers higher daily usage limits and priority support—however, these are not new features, so you don’t need it for anything covered here.

Does WordPress MCP work with all AI tools?

WPVibe is compatible with Claude.ai (web), Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Windsurf. Since MCP is an open protocol, any new AI tool that adopts the standard will seamlessly work with the same WPVibe setup.

Does WordPress MCP operate on WordPress.com?

No, not via WPVibe. WordPress.com has its own built-in MCP setup that functions differently. This guide pertains exclusively to self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org).

Do I need WordPress 6.9 to utilize MCP?

No. You can create posts, upload media, and perform admin tasks on WordPress 6.0 or later. WordPress 6.9 is only essential if you wish to utilise plugin abilities such as those from All in One SEO or SeedProd.

Can I link more than one WordPress site to WPVibe?

Yes. WPVibe accommodates multiple sites under one free account. Simply install the Vibe AI plugin on each additional site and complete the site authorisation step. Your existing WPVibe account will cover all your sites.

What occurs if I disconnect WPVibe from my site?

You can remove a site from WPVibe in the plugin admin or on wpvibe.ai at any time. To completely revoke access, also delete the credential under Users » Profile » Application Passwords.

I hope this article has assisted you in setting up WordPress MCP on your site. You may also want to explore our guide on the best AI Automation Tools for WordPress.