How to Get a WordPress Application Password & Connect to SmartCity Growth

Why Use an Application Password Instead of Your Regular Password?

Since WordPress version 5.6, native REST API Application Passwords provide a secure, isolated channel for remote applications to publish and manage content. Unlike your primary user password:

• Isolated Scope: It can only authenticate REST API requests (it cannot be used to log in through the wp-login.php web screen).
• Revocable Anytime: If you ever need to disconnect the automation, you simply delete the token in your WordPress profile without having to change your main password.
• Zero Plugin Requirement: Application Passwords are built into the WordPress core—no third-party plugins are needed.

Visual Walkthrough & UI Mockup

Prerequisites

Before generating your token, ensure your website meets two basic requirements:

1. WordPress 5.6 or newer: Most modern WordPress installations (versions 6.x+) have Application Passwords enabled by default.
2. Active SSL Certificate (HTTPS): WordPress requires HTTPS encryption (e.g. https://yourdomain.com) to transmit authentication headers securely. If your site is only HTTP, Application Passwords are automatically disabled by WordPress security policies.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Log in to WordPress Admin

Navigate to your website's admin login screen (typically https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin) and sign in using an account with Administrator or Editor privileges so the automation has permission to publish posts.

Step 2: Navigate to Your User Profile

In the left-hand WordPress admin menu, click on Users → Profile (or if you are editing another user account, go to Users → All Users and click Edit on the desired user).

Step 3: Locate the Application Passwords Section

Scroll all the way down near the bottom of your profile page until you find the section titled Application Passwords.

Step 4: Create a New Application Password Name

In the New Application Password Name text input box, enter a recognizable identifier so you know what it is used for. Good examples:

• SmartCity Growth Automation
• grow.infusionics.com

Step 5: Click "Add New Application Password"

Click the blue Add New Application Password button. WordPress will immediately generate a 24-character random password string formatted in four groups of 4 or 6 characters separated by spaces (for example: abcd efgh ijkl mnop qrst uvwx).

Step 6: Connect into SmartCity Growth

Now return to your SmartCity Growth dashboard at grow.infusionics.com:

1. Navigate to Websites → Add Website (or click Edit on an existing site).
2. Scroll to the WordPress REST API Integration card.
3. Fill in the connection parameters:
   • Website URL: https://yourdomain.com (must include https://).
   • WordPress Username: The username of the account where you created the password.
   • Application Password: Paste the 24-character generated password.
4. Click the Test WordPress Connection button.

Our platform will execute a lightweight GET /wp-json/wp/v2/users/me test. Once verified, you will see a green confirmation badge: ✓ WordPress Connected (Publishing Ready).

Troubleshooting & Common Errors

Error / Symptom	Root Cause	Solution
401 Unauthorized	Incorrect username or mistyped application password.	Verify username case-sensitivity and generate a fresh Application Password.
403 Forbidden	User role is set to Subscriber or Contributor without publish rights.	Promote the user to Editor or Administrator in WordPress Users settings.
Authorization Header Stripped	Apache or Nginx server dropping the HTTP Authorization header.	Add SetEnvIf Authorization "(.*)" HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=$1 to your .htaccess file.
Endpoint Not Found (404)	WordPress permalinks are set to Plain (e.g. ?p=123).	Go to Settings → Permalinks and change to "Post name", then click Save Changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SmartCity Growth overwrite my existing blog posts?

No. SmartCity Growth only creates new blog drafts or publishes designated autonomous articles. It never edits or modifies your existing manual content unless you explicitly select an article to enhance.

Can I review articles before they go live on WordPress?

Yes! In your website settings in SmartCity Growth, you can choose whether the automation publishes directly as Published or saves articles as Draft in WordPress so your editorial team can review them first.