How to Reset a WordPress Password

Forgetting a WordPress password is a common problem for website owners, administrators, authors, and other users. Fortunately, WordPress provides several ways to reset a password, even when you cannot access the WordPress dashboard.

The easiest method is to use the Lost your password? option on the WordPress login page. However, if you no longer have access to the registered email address or the standard password-reset process does not work, you can use alternative methods such as your hosting control panel, phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI, or another administrator account.

This guide explains different ways to reset a WordPress password safely and regain access to your website.

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What Is a WordPress Password?

A WordPress password protects access to your user account and determines whether you can access areas such as the WordPress dashboard.

Depending on your user role, your account may provide access to:

• WordPress Dashboard
• Posts and pages
• Media Library
• Plugins
• Themes
• Users
• Website settings
• WooCommerce features

Administrators should use strong, unique passwords because a compromised administrator account can give an attacker extensive control over the website.

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When Should You Reset a WordPress Password?

You may need to reset your WordPress password when:

• You forgot your password
• Your password is not being accepted
• You lost access to your saved password
• You suspect that your account has been compromised
• You need to change an administrator password
• A previous website administrator left the organization
• You want to replace an old or weak password

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Method 1: Reset WordPress Password Using “Lost Your Password?”

This is the simplest and recommended method when you still have access to the email address associated with the WordPress account.

Step 1: Open the WordPress Login Page

Go to:

https://example.com/wp-login.php

You can also normally access the login page through:

https://example.com/wp-admin/

Step 2: Click “Lost your password?”

On the login screen, click:

Lost your password?

Step 3: Enter Your Username or Email

WordPress will ask for your:

• Username
• Email address

Enter the information associated with your account.

For example:

Username: admin

or:

Email: [email protected]

Click:

Get New Password

Step 4: Check Your Email

WordPress will send password-reset instructions to the email address associated with the account.

Check your:

• Inbox
• Spam folder
• Junk folder
• Promotions folder, if applicable

Step 5: Open the Reset Link

Open the password-reset link included in the email.

WordPress will display a page where you can create a new password.

Step 6: Create a Strong Password

Use a unique password containing a combination of:

• Uppercase letters
• Lowercase letters
• Numbers
• Special characters

Avoid using:

password123
admin123
12345678
yourname123

Instead, use a long and unique password that is not reused on another website.

Step 7: Log In Again

Return to:

https://example.com/wp-login.php

Enter your username or email and the new password.

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Method 2: Reset a WordPress Password From the WordPress Dashboard

If you can still access the WordPress dashboard using another administrator account, you can change the password for a user.

Step 1: Log In to WordPress

Go to:

https://example.com/wp-admin/

Step 2: Open Users

Go to:

Users → All Users

Step 3: Select the User

Find the account whose password needs to be changed.

Click:

Edit

Step 4: Generate a New Password

Find the Set New Password or password section.

Click the option to generate a new password.

WordPress may automatically generate a strong password.

You can use the generated password or enter your own strong password.

Step 5: Update the User

Click:

Update User

The user’s password is now changed.

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Method 3: Reset WordPress Password Using phpMyAdmin

If you cannot access WordPress and do not have access to the account’s email address, you can reset the password directly through the WordPress database.

This method requires access to your hosting account and phpMyAdmin.

Important

Create a database backup before changing database information.

Be extremely careful when working directly with the WordPress database.

Step 1: Open phpMyAdmin

Log in to your hosting control panel.

Open:

phpMyAdmin

Step 2: Find the WordPress Database

Select the database used by your WordPress installation.

If you do not know the database name, open:

wp-config.php

Look for:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name' );

The database name shown there is the database WordPress uses.

Step 3: Open the Users Table

Find the table ending in:

_users

The default WordPress table is:

wp_users

However, your website may use a different table prefix.

For example:

abc_users

Step 4: Find Your User Account

Look for the user you want to modify.

The table normally contains fields such as:

• ID
• user_login
• user_pass
• user_email
• user_registered
• display_name

Step 5: Edit the User

Click:

Edit

next to the appropriate user.

Find:

user_pass

Enter your new password.

For the password function, select:

MD5

Then save the record.

WordPress will recognize the password and re-hash it when appropriate during authentication.

Important

Do not edit random database fields. Make sure you have selected the correct WordPress database and user account.

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Method 4: Reset a WordPress Password Using WP-CLI

WP-CLI is a powerful command-line tool for managing WordPress.

It is useful when you have SSH access to the server.

Step 1: Connect to the Server

Connect to your server using SSH.

Navigate to the WordPress installation directory:

cd /path/to/wordpress

Step 2: Find the WordPress User

You can list WordPress users with:

wp user list

You may see output similar to:

ID    user_login    user_email
1     admin         [email protected]
2     editor        [email protected]

Step 3: Change the Password

You can update a user’s password with:

wp user update admin --user_pass='NewStrongPassword'

Replace admin with the correct username.

Alternatively, you can use the user’s ID:

wp user update 1 --user_pass='NewStrongPassword'

Step 4: Test the Login

Open:

https://example.com/wp-admin/

and log in using the new password.

Security Tip

Avoid exposing passwords in shell history when possible. Use secure credential-handling practices appropriate to your environment.

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Method 5: Reset a Password Using the Hosting Control Panel

Some hosting environments provide WordPress management tools that allow you to manage WordPress installations and users.

Depending on your hosting provider, you may have access to tools such as:

• WordPress Manager
• WordPress Toolkit
• Application Manager
• WordPress management interface

If your hosting panel provides a WordPress user-management feature, you may be able to reset the password without manually editing the database.

The exact options depend on your hosting provider and control panel.

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What to Do If You Don’t Receive the Password Reset Email

Sometimes WordPress generates the reset request successfully, but the email never arrives.

Check the following.

1. Check the Spam Folder

Look in:

• Spam
• Junk
• Promotions
• Other filtered folders

2. Confirm the Email Address

Make sure the email address associated with the WordPress account is correct.

3. Check WordPress Email Configuration

WordPress relies on the site’s mail configuration to send notifications.

If other WordPress emails are also failing, your website may have a mail delivery problem.

4. Configure SMTP

For more reliable website email delivery, many website owners configure WordPress to send mail through an SMTP service.

This can help with:

• Password reset emails
• Contact forms
• User registration emails
• WooCommerce notifications
• Administrator notifications

5. Use an Alternative Reset Method

If you cannot receive the reset email, you can use another authorized method such as:

• Another WordPress administrator account
• phpMyAdmin
• WP-CLI
• Hosting WordPress management tools

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What If You Don’t Remember Your WordPress Username?

You can often use your email address instead of your username on the password-reset page.

Alternatively, if you have database access, the WordPress _users table contains the usernames associated with the installation.

With WP-CLI, you can list users using:

wp user list

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What If You No Longer Have Access to the WordPress Email?

If the email account associated with your WordPress user is no longer available, the normal password-reset link may not be useful.

If you are the authorized website owner or administrator, possible alternatives include:

1. Log in using another administrator account.
2. Change the user’s email address through WordPress.
3. Use phpMyAdmin.
4. Use WP-CLI.
5. Use your hosting provider’s WordPress management tools.

If you are working on a website you do not own, you should not attempt to bypass account security.

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Resetting the WordPress Administrator Password

Administrator accounts have extensive permissions, so password changes should be handled carefully.

If another administrator account is available:

Users → All Users → Edit → Set New Password

If no administrator can log in, authorized website owners can use phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI to regain access.

After regaining access, review the administrator accounts and remove any accounts that are no longer required.

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What to Do If You Suspect Your WordPress Account Was Hacked

If you believe someone gained unauthorized access to your account, simply changing the password may not be enough.

Take additional security steps.

1. Change the WordPress Password

Set a new, unique password.

2. Change Related Credentials

Consider changing:

• Hosting password
• FTP/SFTP password
• SSH credentials
• Database credentials where appropriate
• Email account password

3. Review WordPress Users

Go to:

Users → All Users

Look for unfamiliar administrator or other privileged accounts.

4. Update WordPress

Update:

• WordPress core
• Plugins
• Themes

Remove unused plugins and themes.

5. Scan the Website

Use a reputable security scanner or your hosting provider’s malware-scanning tools to check for suspicious files or malicious code.

6. Review Website Activity

Check hosting logs and available security logs for unusual activity.

If you find evidence of a broader compromise, consider restoring from a known-clean backup and investigating the server before putting the site back into normal operation.

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How to Create a Strong WordPress Password

A strong password should be:

• Long
• Unique
• Difficult to guess
• Not reused elsewhere

Avoid using information such as:

• Name
• Business name
• Domain name
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Common words
• Simple number sequences

A password manager can generate and securely store unique passwords for WordPress and other services.

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Enable Two-Factor Authentication

A password is only one layer of account security.

Consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for administrator accounts using a reputable WordPress security or authentication solution.

With 2FA enabled, a user may need an additional verification method after entering their password.

This provides an additional security layer if the password is exposed.

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Common WordPress Password Problems

“Lost Your Password?” Link Does Not Work

Check:

• WordPress email configuration
• SMTP configuration
• Spam folder
• Website URL
• WordPress logs and server mail logs, where available

If necessary, use phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI.

New Password Is Not Accepted

Make sure:

• You are logging into the correct website
• You are using the correct username or email
• Browser autofill is not entering an old password
• Your password manager has been updated

Try entering the password manually or using a private browser window.

Password Reset Link Has Expired

Request a new password-reset email and use the latest link.

Do not continue using an older reset link after requesting another one.

You Are Redirected Back to the Login Page

This can be caused by:

• Incorrect site URL
• Cookie problems
• Cache
• Security plugins
• HTTPS configuration
• Server configuration

Clear your browser cookies for the website and check the WordPress URL and SSL configuration.

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WordPress Password Reset Checklist

Use this checklist when recovering a WordPress account:

• Confirm the correct website
• Open the WordPress login page
• Try “Lost your password?”
• Check the registered email account
• Check spam/junk folders
• Try another authorized administrator account if available
• Create a database backup before database changes
• Use phpMyAdmin only if necessary
• Use WP-CLI if you have authorized SSH access
• Set a strong unique password
• Review administrator accounts
• Enable two-factor authentication
• Update WordPress, plugins, and themes
• Investigate further if unauthorized access is suspected

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset my WordPress password if I forgot it?

Go to the WordPress login page and click Lost your password? Enter your username or registered email address and follow the password-reset link sent to your email.

Can I reset a WordPress password without email access?

Yes. If you are an authorized website administrator, you can use another administrator account, phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI, or an appropriate hosting management tool.

Can I reset the WordPress admin password through cPanel?

If your hosting provider gives you access to phpMyAdmin or a WordPress management tool through cPanel, you may be able to reset the password using one of those methods.

Can I reset a WordPress password using DirectAdmin?

Yes. If your DirectAdmin hosting account provides phpMyAdmin or another WordPress management feature, you can use it to access the WordPress database or manage the installation.

Does resetting a WordPress password delete website content?

No. Changing a user’s password does not normally delete posts, pages, media, themes, or plugins.

Can I change another user’s WordPress password?

An authorized administrator with the necessary permissions can change passwords for users through Users → All Users.

How often should I change my WordPress password?

There is no universal requirement to change a strong password on a fixed schedule. More important practices include using unique passwords, protecting credentials, enabling 2FA, and changing passwords immediately if you suspect they have been exposed.

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Conclusion

Resetting a WordPress password is usually straightforward when you have access to the registered email address. The built-in Lost your password? feature should be the first option to try.

If the normal recovery process is unavailable, authorized website administrators can use alternative methods such as another administrator account, phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI, or hosting-based WordPress management tools.

After recovering access, protect the account with a strong unique password, enable two-factor authentication, keep WordPress and its extensions updated, and regularly review administrator accounts. If you suspect the account was compromised, investigate the wider website rather than treating the password change as the only security measure.