Let users sign in with a secure, single-use email link instead of entering a password.
Magic Link lets a user enter their email address, receive a secure one-time link, and sign in by clicking it. No password is required during the Magic Link flow.
Magic Link is included in VentraConnect Free for supported core WordPress login flows. VentraConnect Pro extends Magic Link into supported WooCommerce, membership, LMS, community, and other integration placements.
This guide covers:
- How to enable Magic Link
- Login only vs Login & Register
- Which settings allow Magic Link to create new accounts
- Expiry, resend throttling, single-use behaviour, and optional same-IP restriction
- Redirect behaviour
- Email customization and testing
Enable Magic Link
- Go to VentraConnect → Login Methods in your WordPress dashboard.
- Open the Magic Link settings.
- Turn the Active toggle On.
- Configure the registration, security, redirect, and email options you want to use.
- Click Save Changes.
The Magic Link settings card is shown below with Active turned on, the default Expiry (minutes) of 10 and Resend throttle (sec) of 60, and Registration mode set to Login & Register (default).
In VentraConnect Free, Magic Link can be used on supported core WordPress login experiences. VentraConnect Pro adds supported third-party placements such as WooCommerce, membership, LMS, and community login flows.
Choose Login and Account-Creation Behaviour
Two settings control whether Magic Link can create new accounts. Either one can block account creation; neither re-allows what the other blocks.
wp-login.php login form, and on inline/shortcode forms that use the shortcode context, only signs in existing users. It does not affect the WordPress registration screen or the [ventraconnect_sl_social_login] shortcode in its default context.Login only (existing users): Magic Link authenticates existing WordPress users only and never creates a new account.
WordPress “Anyone can register” is not used by Magic Link. To stop new sign-ups from Magic Link, set Magic Link’s Registration mode to Login only (existing users). With the defaults (the option above on, Registration mode set to Login & Register), enabling Magic Link lets any email address create an account, even if public registration is off in WordPress.
For a deeper explanation, see Account Creation & Guardrails and Login Only vs Login & Register.
Configure Magic Link Security
Magic Link includes controls for how long a link remains valid and how frequently users can request another one.
Magic Links are:
- Single-use — after successful use, the same link cannot be used again
- Time-limited — the link stops working after the configured expiry period
Set the Redirect After Magic Link Login
By default, Magic Link redirects follow your global VentraConnect settings (General, WooCommerce, Comments). To customize it, use the Magic Link Redirect override.
- Turn on Redirect override, then choose Return to requested page (default), Go back to previous page (referer), Send to homepage, or Send to custom URL (enter it in Custom URL, for example
/my-account/or/dashboard/).
The Redirect override setting in the Magic Link settings, shown with the toggle off (the default); the destination options and the Custom URL field are listed under it.
When Redirect override is on, Magic Link ignores the global and WooCommerce redirect rules. When it is off, VentraConnect follows the applicable global or integration-aware redirect behaviour.
Customize the Magic Link Email
Magic Link includes editable email content so the message can match your site’s tone and explain what the user should do.
Available placeholders include:
{magic_link}— inserts the sign-in button (“Sign in securely”) with a copy-and-paste fallback link. Put it on its own line and do not wrap it in a link; it is added automatically if you leave it out of the body.{site_name}— your site’s name{user_email}— the email address the link was sent to{expires_in}— the configured expiry time (it works even though the field hint lists only three tags)
Use the button below to sign in to {site_name}. This link works once and expires in {expires_in} minutes.
{magic_link}
If you did not request this email, you can ignore it.
VentraConnect Pro adds additional branding controls for supported passwordless emails.
Test Magic Link End to End
Click Send test email next to Save Changes in the Magic Link settings. The test email goes to the site administrator’s email address, and its link signs in only while Magic Link is set to Active.
Recommended test:
- Make sure Magic Link is Active and saved
- Click Send test email to send a test message to the site admin address
- Open the email and click the link
- Confirm the correct WordPress user is authenticated
- Confirm the redirect goes to the expected destination
- Try the same link again and confirm it no longer works
- Test once with an existing user email
- If registration is intentionally enabled, test separately with a completely new email
If the email does not arrive:
- Check your WordPress email delivery / SMTP configuration and your SMTP plugin’s log
- Review SPF/DKIM and sender configuration where applicable
- Run Diagnostics & Tools → Run site diagnostics (it checks that
wp_mail()is available) - Use the Magic Link troubleshooting documentation
What VentraConnect Pro Adds
Magic Link in Pro can be extended into supported:
- WooCommerce login, My Account, and classic checkout flows (the WooCommerce Checkout block is not supported)
- Membership and community login experiences
- LMS login experiences
- Inline Magic Link forms for custom layouts and page builders
- Branded passwordless email presentation
Account creation inside supported integrations depends on the surface. The WooCommerce My Account login form follows Allow new accounts from the WooCommerce login form (on by default); classic checkout placements follow WooCommerce’s checkout account-creation setting; membership and LMS login forms each have an Allow new accounts from … login form option (on by default). Magic Link Login only (existing users) always blocks new accounts. See Magic Link with WooCommerce & Integrations for details.
