WordPress Plugin
Netlok® has created a plugin for WordPress site owners to allow logins using the secure Photolok® technology. The plugin is available as a ZIP file on request. The Photolok plugin system connects BOTH Photolok’s security and WordPress’ security using OAuth, a secure authentication protocol. For it to work, a WordPress site user must have both a valid Photolok account and a valid WordPress account on that site.
Installing & Activating
Install just like any other standalone WordPress plugin — in WP Admin, go to Plugins > Add New, Upload, then find the ZIP file sent to you by Photolok Support. Once installed, activate the plugin.
Initial Set Up
After activating, there will be a sidebar menu item for “Photolok® Login.” Choose that, then paste in the Client ID and Secret sent to you by Photolok Support. Be careful not to paste in any extra spaces, periods or other characters.
Then test your setup. To complete the test, you’ll need a valid Photolok account that you can log into. Open a new private browser window and go to your site’s login screen; choose the new Photolok login option and verify that you can log in. If you complete the login and see the success screen, your set up is complete.
You can add Photolok login options to the front end of your site: in your site’s menus, using a widget, or adding a shortcode anywhere they are allowed.
How It Works
Photolok connects to your site using OAuth, a secure authentication protocol. It works along with WordPress’ system, so there will be valid users in WordPress, that you manage, and valid users in Photolok that it manages. So a WordPress site user must have both a valid Photolok account AND a valid WordPress account on that site, if they’re using the plugin to log in through Photolok. (In WordPress, a guest can still bypass the Photolok plugin and try to use the traditional WP user/pass login system if they go to the standard WP login screen.
So the login flow is like this:
Guest on WordPress site –> choose Photolok login option, directed to Photolok site for OAuth –> passed back to original WP site with user info (email, notably); WP site looks for a matching valid account and allows user access based on that account’s WP permissions.
If no valid Photolok account, the user cannot log in using Photolok.
If no valid matching WP site account, user still can’t get into the site.
So: WP site admins have full control over who has access to their site, and Photolok has full control over which accounts are valid in the Photolok system. The WordPress site admins must take responsibility for keeping the two in sync — by using the WP user manager, AND by using the plugin form to request corresponding changes in Photolok.
Troubleshooting
The plugin was first created in 2021, and this section will be updated as questions arise. For any additional support, please email photoloksupport@netlok.com.
The plugin doesn’t work
That’s a pretty broad description, there, pardner. See if one of the more specific problems below actually matches your scenario. But as a general rule, you can try these suggestions first: 1) double-check the Photolok connection settings (an extra space or misspelling can make a huge difference); 2) disable all other plugins to see if one is creating a conflict; and 3) temporarily switch the site theme to see if something in your preferred theme is causing a conflict.
The login buttons don’t appear
The plugin automatically adds a button to the standard WP-Login screen. If you’re using another plugin or theme that edits that page as well, they may be colliding.
If you’re trying to place the button onto a page using the shortcode, widget or menu item and it won’t appear, please contact us.
Can I customize the buttons?
You can change the text that appears in the plugin or in the widget or menu settings. For other stylistic changes, you need to apply custom CSS. Most modern themes have a custom area in the WP Customizer for custom CSS, and that’s the best place to add any overrides.
/* REVERSED PHOTOLOK BUTTON FOR DARK THEMES */
.photolok_login a {
color: #000000 !important; /* The text and icon color */
background-color: #d3e6f9; /* button background color */
}
.photolok_login a img {
filter: invert(100%); /* reverses the logo image */
}
I’d like to suggest a feature
We’re happy to hear from our customers, and we may be able to accommodate your request. Let us know at photoloksupport@netlok.com.