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Install the chat on your website

Add RetroChat to WordPress with the plugin, or to any website with one line of embed code. Then limit the chat to your own domains.

You'll find everything below in the dashboard under Install: your widget key, the embed code and the WordPress download.

WordPress

  1. Download the plugin from theretrochat.com/download/wordpress, or from Install in your dashboard.
  2. In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin. Choose the zip file, click Install Now, then Activate.
  3. Open Settings → RetroChat. Paste your widget key and click Test connection.
  4. Save. The chat appears on every page of your site.

The plugin also lets you:

  • Hide the chat for logged-in administrators.
  • Hide the chat on chosen pages. Use a page ID or a path. A * at the end matches everything under it, so /checkout/* covers every checkout page.
  • Add a "Chat with us" button anywhere. Use the [retrochat_button] shortcode or the RetroChat button block.
  • Pass signed-in WordPress users to the chat. Their name and email appear in your inbox.

Plugin updates show up in your WordPress dashboard like any other plugin's.

Any website or site builder

Paste this line just before the closing </body> tag on every page, or in your site builder's "custom code" area:

<script async src="https://theretrochat.com/widget.js" data-key="YOUR_WIDGET_KEY"></script>

Replace YOUR_WIDGET_KEY with the key from Install.

The chat loads in the background and doesn't slow your page down. It's drawn in its own isolated layer, so your site's styles can't break it, and its styles can't affect your site.

Allowed websites

For safety, your chat only works on the websites you list under Install → Allowed websites. Add every domain you use:

  • northwindbikes.com (the www. version is included automatically)
  • *.northwindbikes.com for every subdomain
  • your staging site, if you test there first

If the chat doesn't appear, check this list first.

Open the chat from your own buttons

Once the widget has loaded, your page can control it:

window.RetroChat.open();   // open the chat window
window.RetroChat.close();  // close it
window.RetroChat.toggle(); // open or close

For example, a "Talk to sales" button can call RetroChat.open(). To pass in who's signed in, see Identity verification.

Troubleshooting

  • The chat doesn't appear. Check that your domain is in Allowed websites. Clear any caching plugin or CDN cache, then reload while logged out.
  • "Test connection" fails in WordPress. Copy the widget key again from Install. It's case-sensitive.
  • Your trial or plan has ended. The chat switches off until you choose a plan. Everything you set up is kept.