Common Problems with WordPress

Error: Expat or parsing

This error can have different causes:

• If you just installed a plugin, it might prevent Zapier from authenticating. Disable the plugin and try again.
• The permalink type on your WordPress site is causing trouble. To change the permalink type:
  1. In your WordPress site, go to Settings, then click Permalinks.
  2. Select any option other than Plain, which is the default.
  3. Click Save Changes.

Author is the authenticated user rather than the specified author

This can happen if the authenticated user does not have an appropriate role. To post as other authors, the authenticated user must have at least the Editor role. Review WordPress' details on Roles and Capabilities.

Error: 500 Internal Server Error or other trouble connecting

To connect to WordPress, the Zapier for WordPress plugin must be installed and activated on your site. If you have trouble connecting, confirm the plugin is active.

Also, check the Base URL on the login screen. If you're using http:, try using https:. If you're using www.example.com, try using example.com.

Your WordPress site must be publicly accessible for Zapier to connect. A site that is secured, behind a local network, or in maintenance mode can cause this error.

Zapier's IP addresses are not static, so you cannot allowlist a fixed set of IPs. If a firewall or security plugin blocks Zapier, use one of these options instead:

• Allow requests that include the header User-Agent: Zapier.
• If you are on a Professional, Team, or Enterprise plan, use a static IP address.

Learn more about Zapier IP addresses and allowlisting.

Error: 403 Forbidden

Jetpack Protect, an official WordPress module, might occasionally block some AWS IP addresses. You have three options to resolve this:

• Allowlist the specific IP: The error message lists the blocked IP. You can allowlist it using Jetpack Protect. Follow the instructions in Allowlisting with Jetpack.
• Allowlist the AWS us-east-1 IP range: In most cases, Zapier does not recommend this because it opens your site to a large part of the public internet. Review Zapier IP addresses and allowlisting for safer alternatives.
• Disable Jetpack Protect: Zapier does not recommend this for security reasons, but you can disable it temporarily for troubleshooting.

Additional troubleshooting

• Reconnect WordPress: Once you choose an option, try reconnecting your WordPress account to check whether the issue is resolved.
• Firewall: If you have a firewall enabled, make sure it allows connections from Zapier.

Error: 401 incorrect password

This can happen if you use your WordPress user login instead of your site login.

To fix this:

1. Log in to the WordPress Classic Editor.
2. Either:
   1. Set a new password.
   2. Create an application password for Zapier.
3. Use this password to connect your account in Zapier.