To add Disqus to WordPress, back up your site’s database, install and activate the official Disqus Comment System plugin, then connect it to your Disqus account and the forum shortname for your site. You can use the plugin’s automatic setup or enter the shortname manually. Existing WordPress comments can be imported; syncing Disqus comments back to WordPress is a separate option.
Before you install Disqus
First check which kind of WordPress site you have. Disqus’s standard installation instructions apply to self-hosted WordPress.org sites. On WordPress.com, third-party plugins require the Business plan; Disqus states this requirement in a help article published June 17, 2026.
Back up your WordPress database before changing the comment system. Disqus recommends a backup in its WordPress.org plugin listing. A recent backup gives you a recovery point if the setup or comment migration does not go as expected.
Install and connect the Disqus plugin
- In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Add Plugin.
- Search for Disqus Comment System. Check that the plugin author is Disqus, then select Install and Activate.
- Open the plugin’s setup flow. Log in to an existing Disqus account or create one when prompted.
- Register your site with Disqus if needed, then select its forum shortname to connect the correct Disqus forum to your WordPress site.
- Choose automatic setup or manual setup, as described below, and follow the on-screen prompts to finish.
Disqus documents this plugin-based route for self-hosted WordPress.org sites in its WordPress installation instructions. A forum shortname identifies the Disqus forum associated with your site; make sure you select the one for the site you are configuring.
Choose automatic or manual setup
| Setup method | Best suited to | What it does | Sync configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | Those who prefer the simplest guided setup | Connects the site through the on-screen installation flow and creates the API application needed for comment syncing. | Provides the API application required for syncing; syncing itself is a separate setting and is not enabled by default. |
| Manual | Those who want the shorter setup route and already have their Disqus site details | Requires a Disqus account and registered site; enter the forum shortname in Site Configuration. | The plugin listing says an API application is required for comment syncing. Manual shortname entry alone does not establish that syncing is configured. |
The plugin listing describes automatic setup as easiest and manual setup as fastest. If you want Disqus comments to sync back to WordPress, choose a setup path that creates or configures the required API application, then review the plugin’s sync settings separately.
Import existing comments and understand syncing
Importing and syncing are different operations. During installation, you can import existing WordPress comments into Disqus. Syncing sends Disqus comments back to WordPress and is not enabled by default. The plugin listing describes this as a backup option if you later switch back to native WordPress comments.
- Import: brings existing WordPress comments into Disqus during setup.
- Sync: copies Disqus comments back into WordPress after setup when configured; it requires the automatic installation flow or an API application.
Review the import and sync choices shown by the plugin, and retain the database backup you made before installation. Disqus’s site setup help also covers installation, importing, syncing, and troubleshooting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress
For a self-hosted WordPress.org site, use the plugin-directory steps above. For WordPress.com, Disqus says that using its plugin requires a WordPress.com Business plan that supports third-party plugins. If you cannot find or install the plugin on WordPress.com, check your plan before troubleshooting the plugin itself. See Disqus’s help page, Can Disqus be used on WordPress.com sites?.
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