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API Settings

The API Settings page is where you control your connection to the PayPal Production and Sandbox environments as well as managing your webhooks, and logging settings. This is the foundation of your PayPal integration – every payment, webhook notification, and debugging feature depends on the configurations you set here.

Think of this page as your PayPal command center. You'll establish secure connections to PayPal's systems, configure how your site communicates with PayPal through webhooks, and set up the logging tools that help you troubleshoot issues when they arise. Whether you're testing new features in the sandbox or processing real transactions in production, these settings ensure your PayPal integration runs smoothly and securely.

Environment​

Controls whether you are processing real transactions or test transactions. The sandbox environment allows you to test PayPal functionality without handling actual money, while production processes live transactions with real payments. You can switch between environments at any time, and the plugin will automatically show the appropriate connection settings for your selected environment. For detailed information about testing with the sandbox environment, see our Sandbox Testing Guide.

Default: Production

Connect to PayPal​

Establishes the secure connection between your WooCommerce store and your PayPal account. When you click "Connect to PayPal," a PayPal popup window will open where you can log in to your PayPal account and authorize the plugin to access your account. This connection provides the plugin with the necessary credentials (Client ID and Secret Key) to process payments and communicate with PayPal's systems. We recommend using Google Chrome when connecting to PayPal for the best experience.

Default: Not connected (requires manual action)

Create Webhook​

Sets up automatic communication between PayPal and your WooCommerce store for real-time payment updates. Webhooks allow PayPal to instantly notify your store when payment statuses change, such as when a payment completes, fails, or is refunded. For more information about webhooks, see our Webhook Creation Guide.

Default: Webhooks are created automatically during the connect process or can be created by clicking the "Create Webhook" button once the plugin is connected to the PayPal account

Client ID (Sandbox/Production)​

The Client ID is how PayPal identifies your account during API communications. This unique identifier is automatically populated when you connect to PayPal using the "Connect to PayPal" button, but you can also manually enter it if you prefer to set up the connection using credentials from your PayPal Developer Dashboard.

Default: Empty (populated automatically upon connection)

Secret Key (Sandbox/Production)​

The secret key is how PayPal authenticates your account and ensures secure communication between your store and PayPal's systems. This sensitive credential acts like a password for your PayPal integration and should be kept confidential. Like the Client ID, it's automatically populated when you connect through the plugin interface.

Default: Empty (populated automatically upon connection)

Webhook URL​

Displays the unique URL that PayPal uses to send webhook notifications to your store. This URL is automatically generated by the plugin and cannot be modified. You'll need to copy this URL if you're manually creating webhooks in your PayPal Developer Dashboard instead of using the plugin's automatic webhook creation feature.

Default: Automatically generated based on your site's URL

Webhook ID (Sandbox/Production)​

The webhook ID represents the configured webhook in your PayPal account. This identifier is automatically populated when you create a webhook using the "Create Webhook" button. If the plugin is unable to create the webhook automatically, you can manually create it in your PayPal Developer Dashboard and enter the ID here to establish the connection.

Default: Empty (populated automatically upon webhook creation)

Admin Only Mode​

When enabled, PayPal payment methods will only be visible to admin users with the manage_woocommerce permission. This allows admins to test PayPal on their live site without customers seeing it on the checkout page. This is particularly useful when you're setting up or troubleshooting PayPal payments and don't want to disrupt the customer experience.

Default: Disabled

Debug Enabled​

When enabled, valuable debugging information will be captured and stored in the WooCommerce logs. This includes general plugin operations, API communications, and error messages that can help you troubleshoot issues. The debug logs can be accessed through WooCommerce > Status > Logs and will be saved under the log file name wc-ppcp, making it easier to identify and resolve problems with your PayPal integration.

Default: Enabled

Debug Payment Process​

When enabled, detailed debug data for payments will be added to the log. This provides granular information about each step of the payment process, including API requests, responses, and any errors that occur during payment processing. This setting is only available when Debug Enabled is turned on and is particularly useful for diagnosing payment-related issues.

Default: Disabled

Debug Webhook​

When enabled, detailed debug data for webhooks will be added to the log. This captures information about incoming webhook notifications from PayPal, including the webhook payload, processing results, and any errors that occur during webhook handling. This setting is only available when Debug Enabled is turned on and helps troubleshoot webhook-related issues.

Default: Disabled