Create a WordPress application password for Searkin

An application password is a dedicated access key created in your WordPress profile. It is not your login password. It cannot open the admin dashboard: it only works with the WordPress REST API.

With this access, Searkin can:

• write the SEO titles and meta descriptions of your pages and posts;
• create redirects, for example to a page that has moved;
• read your content for a more accurate audit.

The Searkin app is in French: interface labels are quoted in French below, with their English meaning in brackets.

• WordPress 5.6 or later. Application passwords have been built into WordPress since that version, no plugin needed.
• An administrator or editor account. An editor is enough for titles and descriptions. For redirects, use an administrator.
• A site on HTTPS. Without HTTPS, WordPress hides the feature.

If the feature is turned off

Some security plugins and some hosts turn application passwords off. The section then does not show in the profile. To turn it back on:

• Wordfence: open Wordfence › Login Security › Settings and untick “Disable WordPress application passwords”. Save.
• Other security plugins (Solid Security, All-In-One Security…): look for an “Application Passwords” or “REST API” setting and allow them.
• Host: some block them with a mandatory plugin. Ask their support to turn WordPress application passwords back on for your site.

1. 1
   Log in to WordPress

   Use an administrator account, or an editor account if you don’t need redirects. The application password gets the same permissions as this account.
2. 2
   Open your profile

   In the left-hand menu, click Users › Profile.
3. 3
   Find the “Application Passwords” section

   It is at the bottom of the profile page. If it is missing, see Requirements above.
4. 4
   Name the password “Searkin”

   Type Searkin in the “New Application Password Name” field. The name helps you find it later if you want to revoke it.
5. 5
   Click “Add New Application Password”

   WordPress generates a 24-character password, shown in groups of four.
6. 6
   Copy the password

   It is shown only once. Copy it right away, with or without the spaces: both work. If you lose it, revoke it and create a new one.

7. 7
   Open the site connection in Searkin

   For a site you have already added: Site settings › Site connection (“Réglages du site › Connexion au site”). For a new site: the “Corrections” step of the “Connecter un site” (Connect a site) flow.
8. 8
   Choose WordPress and check the site address

   Use the HTTPS address of the site, for example https://www.example.com.
9. 9
   Enter the WordPress username

   This is the account’s login name, shown at the top of Users › Profile (“Username” field). Not the email address, if it is different.
10. 10
    Paste the application password

    In the “Mot de passe d’application” (Application password) field. Not your WordPress login password.
11. 11
    Click “Tester et enregistrer” (Test and save)

    In the site settings, the button reads “Enregistrer et tester” (Save and test). Searkin checks access, saves the connection and shows which SEO plugin it found.

Searkin writes titles and descriptions into the fields of your SEO plugin. It supports:

• Yoast SEO
• Rank Math
• SEOPress
• All in One SEO

The installed plugin is detected during the connection test. Nothing to set up on your side.

Redirects: Searkin uses the free Redirection plugin. Install and activate it from the Plugins menu if you want Searkin to apply the redirects you approve.

You can cut off Searkin’s access at any time, without touching the rest of the site:

• in WordPress, open Users › Profile, “Application Passwords” section;
• on the Searkin row, click “Revoke”.

Access stops immediately. Searkin can no longer write anything to the site and the connection test fails. To restore it, create a new password and follow the steps again.

Changing your WordPress login password does not revoke application passwords. To cut off access, use “Revoke”.