Setting Up the Promptless Connector

Setup takes three steps on the Promptless WP → Connector screen: generate a connection, run one command on your Mac, and ask Claude a test question. The command downloads a small connector program to your computer and adds it to Claude Desktop’s configuration with your site’s address and a WordPress application password.

Before you start

• A paid Promptless WP licence. On the free plan the Connector screen shows Premium Required and nothing else.
• HTTPS, or a local site. WordPress only issues application passwords over HTTPS or on a site marked as local. If neither applies, the screen shows Application passwords not available on this site and explains the fix.
• An administrator account, or one with the promptless_manage_settings capability. The connection acts as the user who generates it, so use an account whose permissions you want the assistant to have. See How access is controlled.
• On your Mac: Claude Desktop, Node.js version 14 or newer, and Terminal.

How to connect Claude Desktop

1. In WordPress, go to Promptless WP → Connector. The Connection Status card shows Not Connected or Configured.

2. Under Step 1: Generate Connection, select Generate Connection (or Regenerate Connection if one exists). This creates an application password named “Promptless Claude Connector” for your user, and replaces any earlier one.

3. Under Step 2: Run Setup Command, select Copy Command.

4. Open Terminal, paste the command and press Return. It finishes with “Setup complete!”.

5. Quit Claude Desktop completely (Cmd+Q, not just closing the window) and open it again.

6. Under Step 3: Verify Connection, the screen gives a test prompt. In a new Claude conversation, type:

   Run a WordPress preflight check on my site.

   Claude replies with your site’s details when the connection works.

The command saves the connector program to ~/promptless-mcp/wordpress-connector.js and adds an entry named promptless-wordpress to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Other entries in that file, and any settings you added to this one by hand, are kept. The command contains the password, so do not share it.

On Windows or Linux

The generated command is for macOS only. On another system, add the entry to Claude Desktop’s configuration file by hand: download the connector program from the command’s curl address, then add an mcpServers entry named promptless-wordpress whose command is your node program, whose args is the path to the downloaded file, and whose env sets PROMPTLESS_SITE_URL, PROMPTLESS_USERNAME and PROMPTLESS_APP_PASSWORD to the values in the command. Restart Claude Desktop.

How to connect the other Promptless plugins

Promptless Forms, Promptless CPT Pages and FlowMint Workflows each have their own connector screen, with the same three steps. Run each one’s command; they add separate entries to the same Claude Desktop configuration, and the assistant can use them in one conversation. The Connector screen lists any of the free companion plugins you have not installed yet.

How to disconnect

1. Go to Promptless WP → Connector.
2. Under Disconnect, select Revoke Connection.

The assistant loses access straight away. You can also delete the “Promptless Claude Connector” password under Application Passwords on your WordPress user profile. To reconnect later, generate a new connection and run the new command.

Limits and common problems

• Generate Connection returns an error. Application passwords are unavailable: the site is not on HTTPS and not marked as local. On a live site, install an SSL certificate. On a development site, add define('WP_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE', 'local'); to wp-config.php.
• The command reports that node is not found. Install Node.js, open a new Terminal window and run the command again.
• Claude does not show the Promptless tools. Claude Desktop was not fully restarted, or the command did not finish. Quit with Cmd+Q, reopen, and if needed run the command again.
• A certificate error on a local HTTPS site (for example “self-signed certificate”). Node does not use the certificates trusted in your Mac’s keychain. On a Local site, the command finds Local’s certificate and sets NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS for you. With other tools, the Connector screen explains how to add NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS to the entry by hand. Never turn certificate checks off.
• Requests fail with an authentication error. The application password was revoked or replaced, for example by generating a new connection from another computer. Generate a connection again and rerun the command on this computer.
• Every request is refused after a licence change. The connector needs an active paid licence. See Licensing & Plans.
• The assistant cannot change a particular page. The connected user cannot edit it, it is outside that user’s departments, or it is not a Promptless page. See What the Assistant Can Do.

Related pages

• The Promptless Connector — What the Promptless connector lets an AI assistant such as Claude Desktop do on your site, what it cannot do, and how access is controlled.
• What the Assistant Can Do — Every tool an AI assistant gets through the Promptless connector, grouped by task, with the limits and permissions that apply to each.
• Plugin Settings — Every Promptless WP screen in wp-admin, what each option changes, and where the settings that are not in wp-admin live.