Semrush Settings Will Not Save

  • Resolved Dustin

    (@dustinlincoln)


    1 month, 2 weeks ago

    I am trying to save my Semrush API key in the Semrush settings rea. When I press the “Save Semrush Settings”, I receive the following error message for DataforSEO (I’m not using nor trying to configure DataforSEO):

    DataforSEO credentials cannot be saved: WordPress security salts are missing or set to placeholder values. Credential encryption requires unique SECURE_AUTH_KEY and SECURE_AUTH_SALT values in wp-config.php.

    Fix options: WP-CLI: wp config shuffle-salts — or visit api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/, copy all 8 lines, and replace the matching lines in wp-config.php. Note: rotating salts will log out all active WordPress sessions.

    DataforSEO: both login and API password must be saved together.
Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)
  • easymcpaisupport1

    (@easymcpaisupport1)

    1 month, 2 weeks ago

    Hi Dustin —

    thanks for reporting this. You’re not doing anything wrong; that salts warning is actually a site-wide check, not something specific to DataforSEO — it’s just worded that way, and we’ll fix the message. It fires because your wp-config.php doesn’t have valid SECURE_AUTH_KEY / SECURE_AUTH_SALT values yet (missing, too short, or still the default “put your unique phrase here” placeholder). The plugin needs those to securely encrypt any saved API credential — Semrush included — so until they’re set, no credential on that page will save.

    To fix it:

    1. Easiest: if you have WP-CLI access, run wp config shuffle-salts.
    2. Otherwise, visit https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/, copy all 8 lines, and replace the matching define(…) lines in your wp-config.php.
    3. Note this logs out all active WordPress sessions, so you’ll need to log back in.
    4. Return to Easy MCP AI → External Data and re-enter your Semrush API key — it should save normally now.

    If you also see a “DataforSEO: both login and API password must be saved together” notice, you can ignore it — it just means one of the DataforSEO fields on that same page has a stray value (often from browser autofill), and it won’t be saved unless both fields are filled in. It has no effect on your Semrush key.

    Let me know if the salts fix doesn’t resolve it and I’ll dig further.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Tags