Understanding and Troubleshooting Your Wordfence Free License

Many WordPress site owners rely on the Wordfence Security plugin for protection. A common point of confusion and troubleshooting revolves around the free license key. This guide explains how the free license works and provides solutions to the most frequently reported issues.

How the Free License Works

Unlike a premium license, a Wordfence free license is designed to be simple and unlimited.

• Unlimited Keys: A single email address can generate an unlimited number of free licenses. There is no cap.
• No Account Link Required: Free licenses are not permanently tied to or displayed within a wordfence.com user account. While you can create an account for convenience, free keys operate independently once installed.
• One Key Per Site: You must use a unique free license key for each WordPress installation. Reusing the same key on multiple sites can cause performance issues, scans to fail, and prevent updates due to rate limiting on the Wordfence servers.
• Persistence: Once installed on a site, a free license will continue to work even if the original email address used to create it is later deactivated or deleted.

Common Problems and Their Solutions

1. Not Receiving the License Email

This is one of the most common hurdles. The email containing your key might be blocked by spam filters.

• Check All Spam/Junk Folders: First, thoroughly check your email's spam, junk, promotions, and social folders.
• Whitelist Wordfence Addresses: Add the domain wordfence.com and the address [email protected] to your email client's safe senders list or address book.
• Check Server-Side Filtering: If you use an email address from your own website's domain (e.g., [email protected]), your hosting provider may have a server-level spam filter that is catching the email before it even reaches your inbox. Contact your host's support and ask them to check for blocked messages from wordfence.com.
• Use a Different Email: As a test, try generating a key using a free email provider like Gmail or Outlook, which often have less restrictive filtering.

2. Free Licenses Not Showing in Your Wordfence.com Account

This is not a bug but intended behavior. When you log into your account on wordfence.com, you will only see your premium licenses listed. Free licenses do not appear in the "Licenses" section. You can, however, manage both free and premium sites from Wordfence Central if you have connected them.

3. Getting a New Key for a Reinstalled Site

If you need to reinstall Wordfence on a site and no longer have the original key, simply generate a new free license. There is no need to recover the old one. You can create a new key directly from your wordfence.com account or via the license page.

4. Installing a License After the Automatic Link Expires

The "Install License" link in the confirmation email is typically only valid for the first 24 hours. If that link expires, you can manually install the key:

1. Copy the full license key from the email.
2. In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Wordfence > All Options > General Wordfence Options.
3. Paste the key into the "Wordfence License Key" field and click Save Changes.

Where to Get a Free License Key

You can generate a free key in two ways:

1. During the plugin installation process in WordPress, click "Get Your Wordfence License."
2. Visit the Wordfence API Key help page and follow the instructions to get a key directly.

By understanding these key points and troubleshooting steps, you can efficiently manage your Wordfence free licenses and ensure your websites remain protected.