// guide

How to connect your WordPress site to Claude

Want Claude to actually manage your WordPress site — not just write drafts you paste in? Install one free plugin on your self-hosted site, follow the guided setup, and connect Claude. No code, no terminal, a few minutes. New to MCP? Start with the WordPress MCP server guide.

Install the plugin (opens in new tab) Jump to the steps →
// what you can ask

What can Claude do on your WordPress site once it's connected?

Once connected, Claude acts on your live WordPress site with real tools — it does the work itself instead of handing back text you paste in. Ask in plain English and it can draft and schedule posts, put a WooCommerce collection on sale, run a Wordfence scan, or back up the site before an update. Cowboy MCP turns your site into an MCP server Claude can act on directly.

claude — cowboy-mcp
$ "Draft a post from these notes and schedule it for Tuesday 9am."
$ "Put the Summer collection 20% off through Friday."
$ "Run a Wordfence scan and block any IP with 10+ failed logins today."
$ "Back up the site before updating plugins."
// setup

How do you connect Claude to a self-hosted WordPress site in three steps?

Connecting takes three steps and no code. Install the free Cowboy MCP plugin, open Settings → Cowboy MCP, and follow the built-in guided setup — it walks you through connecting Claude Desktop or Claude.ai with a browser sign-in. There are no config files to hand-edit and no terminal for the standard path; approve Claude's first action and it's managing your site.

  1. 1

    Install the free plugin

    In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New, search for Cowboy MCP, and click Install then Activate.

  2. 2

    Open Settings → Cowboy MCP

    Follow the built-in guided setup — it walks you through connecting your AI, step by step.

  3. 3

    Connect Claude and ask

    Connect Claude Desktop or Claude.ai, then just ask — approve the first action when Claude checks with you.

Prefer the terminal? Claude Code works too — the guided setup covers it.

Install the plugin (opens in new tab) Docs ↗ (opens in new tab)
// safety

Is it safe to let Claude manage your live WordPress site?

You're handing Claude the keys, so Cowboy MCP keeps guardrails on: safe mode is on by default (destructive actions ask first), any change can be previewed as a dry run, and every action is written to an audit log. It all runs on your own server. More on security →

// faq

Questions, answered.

Does this work on self-hosted WordPress, or only on Claude.ai?

Any self-hosted WordPress site (version 6.2 or newer, on PHP 8.0+) where you can install plugins. It runs on your own server and isn't tied to WordPress.com or any particular host.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. Install the free plugin and follow the guided setup in Settings → Cowboy MCP — no code, no terminal, and no config files for the standard path.

Does my content get sent to Anthropic?

Only what Claude needs to read to do the task you asked. Cowboy MCP adds no cloud, proxy, or tracking of its own — your site talks directly to the Claude app you chose, and everything runs on your own server.

Claude Desktop, Claude.ai, or Claude Code — which should I use?

Any of them. Claude Desktop and Claude.ai connect with a no-terminal browser sign-in; Claude Code is the terminal option. Pick whichever you already use — the guided setup covers each.