START HERE / ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

From WordPress
to your first cloud upload.

This guide is for a WordPress site already running on your host. The current wizard uses Google sign-in and supports a pairing code when you finish on another device.

The sign-in journey: your browser returns to your WordPress site.
The sign-in journey: your browser returns to your WordPress site.

01 / IN WORDPRESS

Install the plugin.

Open Plugins → Add New Plugin, search for WP-Stateless, install, and activate. Open Media → Stateless Connect. For network-wide setup, use Network Admin → Settings → Stateless Connect.

02 / CONNECT YOUR ACCOUNT

Sign in. Approve. Return.

Click Sign in with Google. Choose the Google account that can manage your project, review the destination site and requested access, and approve if they match your intent. stateless.ci handles the connection and returns your browser to WordPress.

Sign in with Google in the WP-Stateless setup wizard
Start in WordPress. You do not need an OAuth client ID or secret.

Same browser

The connection page returns you to your website. Continue in the storage step.

Another device

Use the pairing code shown after authorization. Enter it in the original site’s Stateless Connect page and finish sign-in. Codes are temporary and single-use.

Pairing code input for sign-in on another device
The pairing-code fallback lives in the same wizard.

Need a project or billing first? Follow the Google Cloud preparation guide. You do not need to create your own OAuth client ID or client secret for the normal connection flow.

03 / CHOOSE STORAGE

Your project. Your bucket.

Select your Google Cloud project. Choose Create a new bucket or Use an existing bucket. The existing-bucket picker supports search; the exact-name field is also available if your permissions prevent listing buckets.

Existing bucket selection with search and location information
Existing buckets retain their location. Choose a dedicated bucket for public website media.

Choose a storage mode.

CDN retains a local copy. Ephemeral removes local files after processing and upload. Stateless uses cloud storage without retaining local uploads. Backup continues serving local files and also copies them to Google Cloud.

Storage-mode selection cards with descriptions
Read the mode descriptions before connecting. You can change the mode later in Stateless Settings.

Review the scope and click Create bucket and connect this site or Connect this bucket. Wait for provisioning to complete. The wizard creates a service account and key for the connection and grants access to the selected bucket.

04 / VERIFY THE RESULT

Make your first upload a test.

Ready to upload screen with an Upload an image action
Successful setup brings you here. Existing uploads need a separate synchronization pass.
  1. Upload a small image through the Media Library.
  2. Open its attachment details and check the file URL. In cloud-serving modes it should use Google Cloud or your configured media domain.
  3. View a page containing the image while logged out. Check the original and thumbnail sizes.
  4. Open your bucket’s Objects tab in Google Cloud and confirm the uploaded files are there.
Cloud Storage Objects tab showing WordPress media folders
Verify the destination independently in Google Cloud.

Once the sample works, follow the existing-library guide. If it fails, use troubleshooting before migrating the rest.

Using an older release? Original installation instructions

These labels describe the earlier assistant. The current flow is illustrated above.

  1. Search, install, and activate the WP-Stateless plugin via your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Begin WP-Stateless setup assistant at Media > Stateless Setup and click “Get Started Now.”
  3. Click “Google Login” and sign-in with your Google account.
  4. Set a Google Cloud Project, Google Cloud Storage Bucket, and Google Cloud Billing Account and click “Continue.”
  5. Installation and setup is now complete. Visit Media > Stateless Settings for more options.

Prefer to set it up yourself?

The automatic connection flow is the quickest starting point. The complete manual Cloud tutorials remain available if you want to understand or manage each resource yourself.