Troubleshooting
Troubleshoot installation, activation, and managed connection issues
Use this page when the plugin ZIP does not install cleanly, activation fails, or the managed workflow does not connect after install.
The goal is to rule out the common WordPress, host, and connectivity issues first, so you know whether the problem is local setup or something you should send to support.
Common issues after download
The ZIP upload fails or WordPress says the package cannot be installed
Upload the ZIP file itself, not an extracted folder. Also confirm your WordPress user can install plugins and that the host allows standard plugin uploads.
The plugin installs but activation fails
Check whether another plugin, deployment policy, or host restriction is blocking activation. If the site has hardened plugin governance, test on staging first to isolate the conflict.
I activated the plugin but do not see the ArticlePress AI menu
Reload the WordPress admin, confirm the plugin is still marked active, and verify you are using an admin-capable account. If the menu still does not appear, the activation likely did not complete cleanly.
Managed features do not connect after activation
The site usually needs outbound HTTPS access to https://api.articlepressai.com. If your host blocks external requests, the plugin can load while managed workflow calls fail.
How do I know the starter credits are working?
A fresh account starts with 100 credits, usually enough for roughly 10 to 20 article runs. Open the plugin dashboard after activation and confirm that the initial balance appears before you run a larger batch. If you want the fuller explanation, read the starter credits guide. If you need the post-install checklist first, use the activation guide.
Should I install on staging first?
Yes, if your WordPress stack is sensitive, heavily customized, or covered by strict deployment policy. A staging install is the fastest way to isolate plugin upload, activation, and managed connectivity before touching production.
When should I contact support instead of debugging further?
Contact support after you confirm the ZIP is correct, plugin install permissions are normal, and outbound HTTPS may be blocked or behaving inconsistently. At that point the next step is usually environment-specific support, not more guessing.