🧩 Overview

After installing the Otto pixel plugin on your WordPress site, you may notice that Otto still displays a "Pixel Not Installed" message. This is expected behavior and does not mean something went wrong. This article explains why this message appears and what happens next.

⚙️ Why Otto Shows 'Pixel Not Installed'

When you first connect your site to Otto, the platform automatically checks whether the pixel is installed on a schedule based on the project's age: every 15 minutes for projects under 2 hours old, every hour from 2 to 24 hours old, every 6 hours from 1 to 7 days old, after which automatic checks stop. A correctly installed pixel on a new project is normally detected within about 15 minutes.

Until the next scheduled check runs, Otto may still display "Pixel Not Installed" as a temporary placeholder status. This is a normal part of the setup workflow, not an error.

✅ What You Should Do Right Now

1. Confirm the plugin is installed and active. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and verify the Otto pixel plugin is listed and has the status Active.
2. Confirm the plugin is connected to the correct site. Make sure the API key or site URL inside the plugin settings matches the property you added in Search Atlas.
3. Do nothing further — wait for the next automatic check. On a new project this is typically within about 15 minutes. Otto will automatically update the pixel status. No manual refresh or reinstallation is needed.

🔎 How to Check Your Pixel Status

1. In the left sidebar, click OTTO SEO, then open SEO Automation to access the Otto dashboard.
2. Locate your connected site and review the pixel status indicator.
3. If the automatic check has run and the pixel was detected successfully, the status will update to Pixel Installed.
4. If the status still shows "Pixel Not Installed" well beyond the expected check interval, proceed to the troubleshooting steps below.

🛠️ Troubleshooting: Still Not Installed

If the pixel has not been detected after the expected automatic check, check the following common causes:

• Plugin deactivated or deleted: Return to Plugins → Installed Plugins in WordPress and confirm the Otto plugin is still active.
• Caching plugin interference: A caching plugin may be serving old page versions that do not include the pixel code. Clear your site cache and any CDN cache, then allow a few hours for Otto to re-crawl.
• Theme or page builder conflicts: Some themes or page builders prevent scripts from loading in the expected location. Try deactivating other plugins temporarily to identify a conflict.
• Incorrect API key: Open the Otto plugin settings in WordPress and verify the API key matches the one shown in your Search Atlas account.
• Site not publicly accessible: Otto's crawler cannot scan password-protected, maintenance-mode, or staging sites. Ensure your site is publicly reachable.

📋 Quick-Reference Summary

• The "Pixel Not Installed" message right after setup is normal and temporary.
• Automatic pixel checks run every 15 minutes for projects under 2 hours old, every hour from 2 to 24 hours, every 6 hours from 1 to 7 days, and stop after 7 days.
• A correctly installed pixel on a new project is normally detected within about 15 minutes.
• Use the troubleshooting checklist above if the status has not updated as expected.

💬 Need More Help?

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.