# Getting help with BetterShield

Where to ask about BetterShield, what to include, how to copy the plugin's diagnostic report, and what never to paste in a public post.

In **[BetterShield](/)**, most answers are already written down: start with [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/) and the [FAQ](/docs/faq/). If you still need a person, this page says where to ask and how to give them what they need in one message. All the routes are also on the [Support](/support/) page.

## Where to ask

| Question | Where |
|---|---|
| The free plugin: how something works, a problem, a suggestion | The [BetterShield support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/bettershield/) on WordPress.org. Every answer stays there for the next person with the same question. |
| BetterShield Ultra, your license or billing, or anything you would rather not post in public | [Open the BetterShield support page](/support/). The reply comes to your email. |
| A security issue in BetterShield itself | Report it privately, never in the forum. See [Security](/security/). |

## What to include

A good first message gets a good first answer. Include:

- **What you did and what you expected**, step by step.
- **What you saw**, with the exact message. BetterShield's messages are specific, so the wording matters.
- **Where you saw it**, such as **BetterShield › Protection › Hardening**, or the sign-in page.
- **The diagnostic report**, described below.
- **What changed recently**: a plugin installed or updated, a host or server move, a new proxy or CDN.

## Report a problem

**BetterShield › Settings › General** has a **Report a problem** card under **Privacy & sharing**. It describes how BetterShield is set up on your site, ready to paste into a support thread. Nothing is sent by the plugin: you read it, copy it and decide where it goes.

1. Press **Prepare the report**.
2. Read it in the box that appears.
3. Press **Copy the report**, then paste it into your forum post or ticket. If the browser will not copy it, select the text and copy it by hand. **Refresh** prepares it again after you change something.

The card links to the support forum too.

### What it contains

- BetterShield's version, and the WordPress and PHP versions.
- Whether the site is multisite, the web server type and whether it reads .htaccess, the environment type and the language.
- Whether safe mode is on, whether the site is locked down, and whether a recovery link is on record.
- Which hardening fixes are on, any whose undo failed, and any not available on this server.
- Your Login & Access settings, including whether the attempt limit is on and whether the server firewall line is on (and whether your host set it), with only a count of entries in each list.
- The password rules, how many accounts use two-factor, whether agents may read the site, and your alert settings with a count of recipients.
- The last audit: when it ran, how many checks ran, the score and the open findings by severity.
- Up to ten of BetterShield's own errors from the last 7 days.
- Your theme and active plugins, with their versions.

### What it leaves out

The report ends with the line "Left out on purpose: site address, email addresses, usernames, IP addresses, keys, tokens, hashes and file contents."

It does name your theme and plugins, because support often starts by ruling out a clash with another plugin. If you would rather not post that list in public, open a ticket instead of using the forum.

## From the command line

If you or your host use WP-CLI, `wp bettershield diagnostics` prints the same report. It works even when you cannot reach the dashboard. See [WP-CLI commands](/docs/wp-cli-commands/).

```
wp bettershield diagnostics
```

## Site Health

**Tools › Site Health** carries BetterShield's open findings on the **Status** tab, each with a **BetterShield** badge, and a section on the **Info** tab called **BetterShield: what it keeps about people**. That section describes the records BetterShield keeps and how long, and holds nobody's data, so it is safe to share. WordPress's own sections on the Info tab are not BetterShield's: read them before you post them anywhere public. See [Dashboard and Site Health](/docs/dashboard-and-site-health/).

## Never paste these in public

A support forum is public and indexed. Never post, and never show in a screenshot:

- Passwords, including application passwords.
- Your recovery link, recovery codes, or an unlock link from a lockout email.
- Two-factor backup codes, or the setup code or QR code from your authenticator app.
- The credential an AI assistant uses to connect.
- The contents of wp-config.php, which hold your database password and keys.

If one slips out, replace it straight away:

| What was shared | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your recovery link | Press **Generate a new link** on **Protection › Recovery**. The old one stops working. |
| Recovery codes | Press **Issue a New Set** on **Protection › Recovery**. Unused codes are replaced. |
| Backup codes | Press **Issue new backup codes** on your profile. |
| An assistant's credential | Press **Rotate** on **BetterShield › Agents › Connect**, then put the new credential into your assistant. |
| A password | Change it, then press **Sign out all their sessions** for that account under **Who is signed in** on **Protection › Login & Access**. |
| wp-config.php keys | Replace them with a fresh set. Everyone signs in again once. |

## Related

- [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/)
- [FAQ](/docs/faq/)
- [Server compatibility](/docs/server-compatibility/)
- [WP-CLI commands](/docs/wp-cli-commands/)
- [Dashboard and Site Health](/docs/dashboard-and-site-health/)
- [Privacy and personal data](/docs/privacy-and-personal-data/)