Use cookie authentication with a REST nonce for requests from a logged-in user in a same-origin WordPress plugin or theme. For a remote script, app, or integration, use a dedicated Application Password over HTTPS. In either case, authentication identifies the user; WordPress permissions still determine what the user can do.
How do I authenticate WordPress REST API requests?
Choose the method by where the request originates. WordPress documents two built-in approaches: cookie authentication for a logged-in browser context, and Application Passwords for programmatic access from a remote client.
| Request origin | Use | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Logged-in user in a same-origin plugin or theme | WordPress cookie authentication with a nonce for the wp_rest action |
Send the nonce as X-WP-Nonce for custom requests; the user must have the capability the operation requires. |
| Remote script, app, or external integration | A dedicated Application Password using HTTP Basic authentication | Send credentials over HTTPS and store the password securely. |
| Special external authentication design | A reviewed plugin that adds an approach such as OAuth 1.0a Server or JWT | Check the plugin’s current maintenance, implementation, and compatibility; WordPress documentation does not establish that any particular plugin is secure or current. |
WordPress’s REST API authentication guide, last updated June 4, 2025, describes cookie authentication for logged-in requests. Its Application Passwords guide, last updated January 28, 2026, describes the programmatic credential option. REST API authentication · Application Passwords
How do I send a REST nonce for cookie authentication?
For a request made in a logged-in WordPress context, obtain a nonce for the wp_rest action. WordPress checks it as part of cookie authentication. A custom request should include the value in the X-WP-Nonce header. Without a nonce, WordPress treats the request as unauthenticated even if the user is logged in.
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For plugin and theme code, WordPress recommends using its built-in JavaScript API, which handles nonce delivery. Consult the REST API authentication guide for the documented flow.
How do I use an Application Password with the WordPress REST API?
Application Passwords are user-specific credentials for programmatic access. Create a separate, labeled password for the integration rather than sharing the user’s main account password. WordPress shows the generated password only once; save it securely at creation, and revoke it when it is no longer needed. The feature was introduced in WordPress 5.6 and is available by default when requests are served over HTTPS.
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- In WordPress, open the user’s profile and find the Application Passwords section.
- Enter a descriptive label for the integration and generate the password.
- Copy and store the password securely; it cannot be retrieved from the profile later.
- Send the WordPress username and Application Password using HTTP Basic authentication over HTTPS.
The official guide demonstrates a request to inspect the authenticated user’s account:
curl --user "USERNAME:APPLICATION_PASSWORD" https://example.com/wp-json/wp/v2/users/meReplace the example host, username, and password with your own. Do not place the credential in public source control, logs, or client-side code. These are practical protections for a reusable secret; HTTPS protects it in transit.
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Authentication is not authorization
A valid cookie or Application Password establishes which WordPress user made the request; it does not automatically grant access to every REST API operation or resource. WordPress applies its authentication restrictions, and endpoint permission checks and the user’s capabilities determine what the request may do. Use an account with only the capabilities the integration needs, where the site’s roles and workflow allow it.
A REST nonce is a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) defense, not a substitute for authentication, authorization, or access control. WordPress’s nonce guidance explicitly warns: “Nonces should never be relied on for authentication, authorization, or access control.” Protect sensitive operations with appropriate capability checks. See the WordPress nonce security guide and the REST API FAQ.
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Why does my WordPress REST API Authorization header not work?
Check the request and the server path systematically:
- Confirm HTTPS. Application Passwords are intended to be sent over HTTPS and are available by default when requests are served over HTTPS.
- Check which password you are using. For Basic authentication, use the Application Password with the WordPress username, not the account’s normal password.
- Check whether the feature is disabled. Site code or a security plugin may disable Application Passwords.
- Check header forwarding. CGI or web-server configuration can strip the
Authorizationheader before WordPress receives it. The official FAQ includes examples for forwarding it through Apache and Nginx. - For a browser cookie request, check the nonce instead. A logged-in session without a valid
X-WP-Nonceis treated as unauthenticated.
See the WordPress REST API FAQ for the Apache and Nginx configuration examples and additional troubleshooting.
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When should I use OAuth or JWT?
WordPress documentation lists OAuth 1.0a Server and JWT as examples of authentication added by plugins, rather than built-in alternatives equivalent to cookie authentication and Application Passwords. The documentation does not compare the security or current compatibility of individual plugins. Before choosing one, review its present maintenance status, code and configuration, and compatibility with your site. The REST API handbook’s overview provides the broader API context.
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