How to enable the REST API in WordPress

This article describes how to enable the WordPress REST API.

The REST API is enabled in WordPress by default. The only scenario where you need to enable the REST API is if you previously disabled it.Table of Contents

• What is the REST API?
• Enabling the REST API

What is the REST API?

The REST API provides a way for applications to interact with a WordPress site. By using special URLs, applications can send and receive data using the popular JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format.

Enabling the REST API

As explained above, the REST API is enabled in WordPress by default. The only scenario where you need to enable the REST API is if you previously disabled it:

• If you disabled the REST API using a plugin (for example, the Disable WP REST API plugin as described in this article), deactivate the plugin.
• If you disabled the REST API manually (for example, by modifying the functions.php file in the active theme as described in this article), remove or comment out the changes you made.