Single Sign-On (SSO) allows users to log in to your WordPress website using an existing identity provider such as Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), Okta, OneLogin, Auth0, Ping Identity, or Google Workspace. Instead of managing separate WordPress passwords, users authenticate through your organisation’s central login—often with MFA and conditional access policies already enforced.

At Defyn, we commonly implement WordPress SSO using a proven SSO plugin and integrate it with Azure/Entra ID (or any SSO provider that supports SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect (OIDC)). This approach works well for staff portals, member-only areas, intranets, and secure customer logins.

Why use SSO on WordPress?

Implementing SSO can help you:

• reduce password resets and admin overhead
• enforce stronger security controls (including MFA)
• centralise access control (disable a user once in the IdP and they lose access everywhere)
• map identity provider groups to WordPress roles
• support internal portals and restricted access sites reliably

SAML vs OIDC — which one should you use?

Most enterprise SSO setups on WordPress use one of these standards:

SAML 2.0 (most common for enterprise)

SAML is often the best choice when:

• you’re using Microsoft Entra ID / Azure AD enterprise apps
• you want maximum compatibility across enterprise providers
• you need a widely supported, mature SSO method

OpenID Connect (OIDC)

OIDC can be a great choice when:

• your identity provider is heavily OAuth/OIDC-based
• you want a modern token-based flow and streamlined configuration
• you’re integrating with newer identity stacks and APIs

If you’re unsure, SAML is typically the safest default for WordPress SSO.

Step-by-Step: WordPress SSO Setup with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD)

Step 1: Install an SSO plugin for WordPress

WordPress doesn’t include SSO natively, so you’ll need a plugin that supports SAML and/or OIDC.

When Defyn selects an SSO plugin, we look for:

• SAML 2.0 and/or OIDC support
• attribute and role mapping
• group/claim support (for role assignment)
• options to force SSO for protected areas
• solid documentation and ongoing support

Step 2: Create an SSO application in Microsoft Entra ID

In the Entra Admin Centre:

1. Go to Enterprise applications
2. Select New application
3. Create your application and choose Single sign-on
4. Select SAML (most common) or OIDC (if required)

Entra will generate the values you need for WordPress, such as:

• Login URL (SSO URL)
• Entity ID / Identifier
• X.509 Certificate (for SAML)
• metadata URL or XML (depending on setup)

Step 3: Configure the plugin with Entra SSO details

Inside your WordPress SSO plugin, you’ll add the matching settings.

Typical SAML fields

• IdP Entity ID
• SSO Login URL
• X.509 Certificate
• SP Entity ID
• ACS URL (Assertion Consumer Service URL)

Typical OIDC fields

• Client ID
• Client Secret
• Issuer / Discovery URL
• Redirect URI
• Scopes (openid, profile, email)

Tip from Defyn: URL accuracy matters. A small mismatch (www vs non-www, trailing slash, http/https) can trigger login loops or failed assertions.

Step 4: Map users and roles correctly (so access stays secure)

Once SSO works, the next key step is controlling who gets access and what they can do.

Defyn typically configures:

• email address mapping (used as the WordPress username)
• first/last name mapping (optional)
• role mapping (e.g. Entra groups → WordPress roles)

Best practice:

• set a safe default role (like Subscriber)
• only elevate permissions based on group membership or claims

Step 5: Test authentication, then lock it down

Before rolling out broadly:

• test with at least 2 user types (admin + standard)
• confirm user creation on first login (if enabled)
• verify role mapping works as intended
• validate logout behaviour (WordPress logout vs identity provider logout)

Once stable, you can optionally enable:

• forced SSO for specific pages or the entire site
• disabling WordPress username/password login (only after proper testing)
• MFA and conditional access at the identity provider level

Using the same approach with Azure Services (and other SSO platforms)

If your organisation uses Microsoft Entra ID across Azure services, you’re already centralising identity. WordPress simply becomes another “application” that plugs into the same identity layer.

That means:

• the same users, groups and access policies can apply to WordPress
• security controls like MFA/Conditional Access can be enforced consistently
• access can be centrally revoked without touching WordPress user accounts manually

This exact method also works with other SSO platforms (Okta, OneLogin, Ping, Auth0, Google Workspace), because they all support the same core standards: SAML 2.0 and/or OIDC.

Common WordPress SSO issues (and how Defyn fixes them)

Redirect loop after login

Usually caused by:

• incorrect ACS / redirect URL
• conflicting cache/security rules
• mismatched canonical domain (www vs non-www)

Fix:

• confirm all URLs match exactly
• standardise the primary domain and redirects
• exclude SSO endpoints from caching

Certificate or signature errors (SAML)

Usually caused by:

• incorrect X.509 certificate
• certificate rotation/expiry
• mismatched signing settings

Fix:

• refresh the certificate from Entra/IdP
• confirm signature settings match in both places

Roles not mapping correctly

Usually caused by:

• group claims not being sent
• attribute naming mismatch (case-sensitive)
• plugin expecting a different claim format

Fix:

• confirm claims are included in the token/assertion
• align attribute names exactly
• map groups → roles deliberately (and safely)

WordPress SSO Security Best Practices

If you’re implementing SSO, it’s worth doing it properly:

• enable MFA in the identity provider
• apply conditional access rules where appropriate
• restrict admin access (IP/VPN) for staff portals
• keep a secured emergency admin account (“break glass”)
• log authentication events (IdP + WordPress)

FAQ: WordPress SSO with Entra ID / Azure AD

Does WordPress support SSO natively?
Not by default. You’ll use an SSO plugin to integrate with SAML or OIDC.

Can we force SSO for a staff-only portal?
Yes. This is one of the most common setups Defyn implements—especially where access must be restricted to corporate users.

Can we keep normal WordPress login as a fallback?
Yes. Many rollouts start hybrid, then move to forced SSO after testing.

Does this work with other providers beyond Microsoft?
Absolutely. If the provider supports SAML or OIDC (Okta, OneLogin, Auth0, Ping, Google), the integration pattern is very similar.

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Need Defyn to implement WordPress SSO?

If you want a secure, production-ready setup (SSO + MFA + role mapping + staged rollout), Defyn can implement WordPress SSO against Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) or other SSO providers using SAML/OIDC best practices.

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Optional SEO meta (if you want it)

Meta title: WordPress SSO Setup Guide (Entra ID/Azure AD, Okta, OneLogin)
Meta description: Learn how to set up SSO on WordPress using a plugin. Step-by-step integration with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and guidance for Okta, OneLogin and other SSO providers.

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If you paste your actual plugin name (and whether you used SAML or OIDC) I’ll tighten this further to match the exact field names in the plugin UI and add a “copy/paste config” section (ACS URL, Entity ID, metadata URL, claims/groups mapping).