Chatbot Not Showing on Your Site? Display & Embedding Fixes
You set up your chatbot, saved the settings — but when you open your site, the chat widget is nowhere to be found. This guide walks you through the most common causes, fastest fixes first.
Before You Start
You’ll need:
- Access to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → AI ChatBots
- A browser with an incognito / private window for testing
- Time needed: 2–5 minutes
Haven’t created a chatbot yet? Start here: Set Up Your First AI Chatbot in 5 Minutes.
If your chatbot shows but doesn’t respond, that’s a different issue — see AI Not Responding? Troubleshooting Guide.
Quick Fix: Try This First
Open your website in an incognito browser window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome). Look for the chat icon in the bottom-right (or wherever you positioned it).
If you see it now → your regular browser had a cached version. Clear your site cache (caching plugin → Purge All) and you’re done.
Still not showing? Continue below.
If That Didn’t Work: Check These Causes
Cause 1: Chatbot Is Not Activated
How to check: Go to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → AI ChatBots. In the chatbot list, look at the status column. If your chatbot shows as Inactive or the toggle is off — that’s the problem.
Fix: Click to open the chatbot, go to the General tab, find the Active toggle and switch it on. Click Save Changes.
Cause 2: Display Rules Are Blocking It
How to check: Go to your chatbot settings → Appearance tab. Look for Display Rules or Show on pages settings. If specific pages or post types are selected, the chatbot will only appear there.
Fix: Either change the display rules to “Show on all pages,” or navigate to one of the pages where the chatbot is set to appear. Test in incognito from that specific page.
Cause 3: Site Cache Is Serving an Old Version
How to check: If the chatbot shows in incognito but not in your regular browser, caching is the issue. This is the most common cause for chatbots that “disappeared” after changes.
Fix: Clear all caches:
- Go to your caching plugin (WP Super Cache, LiteSpeed, W3 Total Cache) and click Purge All
- If using Cloudflare or another CDN, purge the CDN cache too
- Clear your browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete)
- Test in an incognito window
Cause 4: JavaScript Conflict with Another Plugin
How to check: Open your browser console (F12 → Console tab). If you see red JavaScript errors mentioning AIWU or chatbot scripts, another plugin may be conflicting.
Fix: Temporarily deactivate other plugins one by one, testing after each. Common culprits: other chat plugins, popup plugins, and JavaScript optimization/minification plugins. Once you find the conflict, check if both plugins can coexist with adjusted settings, or contact support.
Cause 5: Theme Compatibility
How to check: Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) temporarily and see if the chatbot appears.
Fix: If it shows with a default theme but not yours, your theme may be blocking the AIWU scripts. Check your theme’s settings for script loading or footer injection options. Contact your theme developer or AIWU support with the theme name.
Cause 6: Shortcode or Widget Embedding Issue
How to check: If you’re using a shortcode instead of the floating widget, make sure the shortcode is correctly placed: [aiwu_chatbot id="YOUR_CHATBOT_ID"]
Fix: Verify the chatbot ID matches the one in your chatbot list. Go to AI ChatBots, find your chatbot, and check its ID number. Replace YOUR_CHATBOT_ID with the actual number.
Verify It Works
After applying any fix:
- Clear all caches (site + browser + CDN)
- Open your site in an incognito window
- Look for the chat icon (default: bottom-right corner)
- Click it and type “Hello” — you should get a response within 3–5 seconds
Common Issues
Problem: “The chatbot shows but only on some pages.”
Fix: Check Display Rules in chatbot settings → Appearance tab. If set to “Specific pages,” add the missing pages or switch to “All pages.”
Problem: “The chatbot icon appears but clicking it does nothing.”
Fix: Check browser console (F12) for JavaScript errors. This usually means a script conflict. Try disabling JS minification plugins temporarily.
Problem: “The chat opens but the AI doesn’t respond.”
Fix: That’s a different issue — the chatbot IS showing, but the AI connection needs fixing. See AI Not Responding? Troubleshooting Guide.
Still stuck? Contact support with: your theme name, a list of active plugins, and any error messages from the browser console.
What’s Next
- 💬 Chatbot working? Customize how it looks: Customize Chatbot Appearance: Colors, Fonts, Position
- 🧠 Make it smarter with your business data: Embeddings in 10 Minutes — train it to answer questions about YOUR business
- 🔧 AI not responding? AI Not Responding? Troubleshooting Guide — covers API key, billing, and connection issues
- 💬 Need to set up a chatbot from scratch? Set Up Your First AI Chatbot in 5 Minutes
Last verified: AIWU v.4.9.2 · Updated: 2026-02-25