{"id":30287,"date":"2024-07-22T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-22T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=30287"},"modified":"2026-08-27T14:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T21:37:43","slug":"what-to-do-when-locked-out-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/what-to-do-when-locked-out-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Do When You\u2019re Locked Out Of WordPress Admin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rubber burning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sparks flying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brakes squealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>That\u2019s<\/em> what it feels like to have your very productive day come to a screeching halt when you suddenly \u2014 and inexplicably \u2014 get locked out of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/what-is-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress<\/a> dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<div class=\"glossary-term__above-title\">\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span>DreamHost Glossary<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n    <h3>Dashboard<\/h3>\n    <p>The dashboard is a WordPress user\u2019s central hub for WordPress site management. It is the control panel for everything from publishing blog posts to managing user roles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you may know, that means you can\u2019t create or publish posts, respond to comments, or perform any of the other tasks you set out to do on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, unfortunately, there are a <em>wide<\/em> variety of reasons why you might be locked out of your site. Let\u2019s just say this could take a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, thanks to WordPress\u2019 flexibility, there are several options for diagnosing and fixing this issue. Plus, most of them are relatively straightforward, even for beginners. You should be able to troubleshoot and resolve the issue easily. That\u2019s right, you\u2019ll get some of your time back. Score!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>To get back in when you\u2019re locked out of WordPress admin: log in through your host\u2019s control panel, reset your password with phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI, disable your security plugin by renaming its folder over SFTP, or create a new administrator user directly in the database.<\/strong> The right fix depends on the exact error message you\u2019re seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One quick heads-up before we dive in: these fixes are for self-hosted WordPress sites. If your site lives on WordPress.com, you\u2019ll need that platform\u2019s account recovery process instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we\u2019ll explore the common reasons why you might get locked out of the WordPress admin. Then, we\u2019ll walk through seven methods you can follow to fix the problem. If you stay tuned to the <em>very<\/em> end, we\u2019ve even included a bonus list of how-tos to help you with a huge range of common WordPress issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<h2>Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/h2><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-common-reasons-you-may-be-locked-out-of-the-wordpress-admin\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common reasons you may be locked out of the WordPress admin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this section, we\u2019ll briefly run through some of the possible presentations you may encounter, along with an explanation of why you might be seeing that specific error \u2014\u00a0all of which directly correlate with the list of solutions we\u2019ll dive into shortly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You see \u201cThis has been disabled\u201d:<\/strong> The most likely cause of this error is that you have the wrong login URL for your site. You\u2019ll need to restore your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/change-wordpress-login-url\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress site\u2019s login URL<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your WordPress password doesn\u2019t work<\/strong>: And password recovery? Fails. Sometimes a problem with your site\u2019s email system prevents the recovery email from getting sent. To fix it, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/documentation\/article\/reset-your-password\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reset your password with phpMyAdmin<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You\u2019ve lost administrator privileges:<\/strong> In this scenario, your login works, but you can\u2019t perform any of your administrative functions. Therefore, the next step is to create a new user with administrative privileges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You see \u201cYou have been locked out of this site\u201d or a \u201clogin temporarily disabled\u201d notice:<\/strong> A security <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/wordpress\/plugin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plugin<\/a> has blocked logins after too many failed attempts. Wait for the lockout to expire, use the unlock-by-email link if you see one, or <a href=\"#h-4-disable-your-security-plugin\">disable your security plugin<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>There\u2019s a blank white screen (AKA the \u201cWhite Screen of Death\u201d)<\/strong>: There are several causes for this, but generally, it\u2019s a problem with a plugin. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-memory-limit-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PHP memory issues<\/a> can also cause it. We\u2019ll cover several methods to troubleshoot the White Screen of Death.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You see an \u201cError establishing a database connection\u201d message: <\/strong>This notification indicates a problem with the MySQL database used by WordPress for data storage. It\u2019s time to fix the database connection error.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The message indicates a \u201cParse error: syntax error\u201d: <\/strong>Incorrect code is usually the culprit. The solution is to undo any recent code changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your two-factor authentication code doesn\u2019t work:<\/strong> Maybe you lost your phone or changed numbers. Log in with one of the backup codes you saved when you set up 2FA. No codes? Deactivate your 2FA plugin over SFTP using the folder-rename trick in Method 4.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The list covers the vast majority of login issues you might come across. (Quick tip: pasting the exact error message into an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Claude can help you pinpoint which cause \u2014 and which fix below \u2014 applies to you.) However, if you run into a problem other than the above, or you can\u2019t seem to get your login working, it\u2019s best to reach out to your hosting provider for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DreamHost<\/a> customer, you know WordPress is our thing, <em>and<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">we offer 24\/7 expert support<\/a>. To talk to us anytime, simply click on the support button in the upper-right corner of the DreamHost control panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single__related-article\">\n\t<span>Related Article<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"single__related-article__wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single__related-article__title\">\n\t\t\tHow To Fix The \u201cWordPress Keeps Logging Me Out\u201d Problem\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-keeps-logging-out-error\/\" class=\"btn btn--sm btn--brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-preparing-to-fix-a-wordpress-admin-dashboard-lockout\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing to fix a WordPress admin dashboard lockout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before anything else, if you run a DreamHost WordPress install, we recommend trying to log in to WordPress via your DreamHost admin panel since now all DreamHost installs allow logging in from the panel by default (unless opted out). This may help bypass whatever issue is preventing you from logging in as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out the easy instructions <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360001310966-How-to-log-into-your-WordPress-site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in the DreamHost guide to logging in to WordPress<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Didn\u2019t get you in?<br><br>Then it\u2019s time to check to see if you have a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">backup of your site<\/a>. If so, restoring from a backup could fix the issue. By the way, if you\u2019re a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DreamPress<\/a> user, you get a fresh backup every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If restoring doesn\u2019t work or your backup is too old, you\u2019ll want to make a <em>new <\/em>backup before you start troubleshooting. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily restore your site to its present condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For DreamHost customers, the instructions for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">creating a backup<\/a> are easy to follow. Even if you\u2019re using a different hosting provider, they likely offer similar backup capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Need to make a backup manually? We got you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, we\u2019re going to save a copy of your website files.<br><br>It starts by finding your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/sftp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)<\/a> credentials in your hosting account. <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/115000675027-FTP-overview-and-credentials\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here\u2019s how to do so<\/a> with DreamHost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Can\u2019t find \u2019em? Ask your hosting provider for the deets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, download an SFTP client (we like <a href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FileZilla<\/a>). Use those credentials you just sourced to connect to your server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1083\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla.webp\" alt=\"FileZilla FTP interface with &quot;Quickconnect&quot; option highlighted and connection status\" class=\"wp-image-48117 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-300x203.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-1024x693.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-768x520.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-1536x1040.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-600x406.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-1200x812.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-730x494.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-1460x988.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-784x531.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-1568x1061.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/01_filezilla-877x594.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1083;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, generate the folder that will store your backed-up files in FileZilla. To do so: Right-click inside the upper left quadrant, choose <strong>Create Directory<\/strong>, and name your folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, just drag the files you want to save from the upper right quadrant to your fresh new folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not sure what files to grab? Just drag over the entire folder that has your site\u2019s name on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next up: backing up your database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, hop into your host account and log into the <strong>phpMyAdmin tool<\/strong>. Select your website database in the left sidebar to open it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"729\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database.webp\" alt=\"phpMyAdmin interface showing the selected &quot;tylhak_dream_press&quot; database\" class=\"wp-image-48119 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-300x137.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-1024x467.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-768x350.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-1536x700.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-600x273.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-1200x547.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-730x333.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-1460x665.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-784x357.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-1568x714.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/02_phpmyadmin_tool_website_database-877x400.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/729;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, navigate to the <strong>Export tab<\/strong> at the top of the screen, choose the <strong>Quick method<\/strong>, and use the <strong>Export <\/strong>button to begin the download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"765\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method.webp\" alt=\"phpMyAdmin interface with the &quot;Quick - display only the minimal options&quot; checkbox selected\" class=\"wp-image-48121 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-300x143.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-1024x490.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-768x367.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-1536x734.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-600x287.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-1200x574.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-730x349.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-1460x698.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-784x375.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-1568x750.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/03_export_tab_quick_method-877x419.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/765;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your database download is done, you\u2019re backed up and ready to rumble!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_how-to-fix-the-common-causes-of-getting-locked-out-of-wordpress-7-methods\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to fix the common causes of getting locked out of WordPress (7 methods)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By this point, you\u2019ve hopefully identified the most likely cause of your lockout based on the error message you\u2019re seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should\u2019ve also created a fresh backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now it\u2019s time to dig into problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You don\u2019t need to try these steps in numbered order<\/strong>. Each fix corresponds to the specific issue and presentation you see when you attempt to log in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So here we go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Restore your WordPress website login URL<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re receiving a <strong>This has been disabled<\/strong> message when you attempt to log in, the most likely reason is that you\u2019re using the wrong login URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some sites use a custom URL for logins as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/secure-your-wordpress-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">security measure<\/a>, so hackers can\u2019t guess the URL and try to brute-force their way in. Typically, you would set this up using a plugin such as <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wps-hide-login\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WPS Hide Login<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<div class=\"glossary-term__above-title\">\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span>DreamHost Glossary<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n    <h3>Brute-Force Attack<\/h3>\n    <p>A brute-force attack is a cyber assault where the attacker uses trial-and-error to break into an online account, such as attempts to guess passwords, general login credentials, or digital keys.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tool works well, but if you\u2019ve forgotten the correct URL, you won\u2019t be able to log into your WordPress dashboard. For this, you\u2019ll need to disable the plugin temporarily to fix it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DreamHost users can access their website files via their panel <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360003490852-Using-the-website-file-manager-in-the-panel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">following these instructions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, you\u2019ll use the SFTP + FTP client combo you used during the backup stage to access your website files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you can view your files, what you\u2019re looking for is a folder with your site\u2019s name on it, then inside that a folder named <strong>wp-content<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"589\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content.webp\" alt=\"Site directory open in an SFTP client showing the wp-content folder\" class=\"wp-image-48123 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-300x110.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-1024x377.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-768x283.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-1536x565.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-600x221.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-1200x442.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-730x269.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-1460x537.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-784x289.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-1568x577.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/04_wp_content-877x323.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/589;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In there, look for the <strong>plugins<\/strong> folder. Open that to look for a folder with a name that corresponds to your security plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Change the name of the folder to something else. We recommend simply adding \u201c-disabled\u201d to the end of the folder name, so you can easily recognize it later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"576\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled.webp\" alt=\"Change the name of the folder to disabled\" class=\"wp-image-48125 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-300x108.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-1024x369.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-768x276.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-1536x553.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-600x216.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-1200x432.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-730x263.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-1460x526.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-784x282.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-1568x564.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/05_change_the_name_of_the_folder_to_disabled-877x316.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/576;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How does this help? Changing the plugin name deactivates it since WordPress won\u2019t be able to recognize it anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, you should be able to log into your site successfully! Once in, you\u2019ll want to rename the plugin folder back to its original state.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single__related-article\">\n\t<span>Related Article<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"single__related-article__wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single__related-article__title\">\n\t\t\tYour Complete Introduction to WordPress Plugins\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/intro-to-wordpress-plugins\/\" class=\"btn btn--sm btn--brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Reset your password with phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, rule out the simple stuff: check that Caps Lock is off (your password is case-sensitive), make sure you\u2019re using the right username, and let your browser or a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden fill in saved credentials if you have them. Still stuck? Click <strong>Lost your password?<\/strong> on the login screen, and WordPress will email you a reset link \u2014 check your spam folder if it doesn\u2019t arrive right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But alas, sometimes the reset email never comes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often, this is the result of a temporary issue with the email system on your site. If you\u2019ve tried several times to reset your password and aren\u2019t receiving the recovery email, it\u2019s time to take matters into your own hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can reset your password directly in the database by following <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/documentation\/article\/reset-your-password\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress.org\u2019s instructions for using phpMyAdmin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alternatively, you can also use the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/cli\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>WP-CLI<\/strong> command line interface<\/a> to update your password, though not all hosting providers have WP-CLI available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To use this tool, you\u2019ll first need to ensure your username is registered as a Secure Shell (SSH) user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re unsure how to do this, check out our instructions on <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/216385837-Creating-a-user-with-Shell-SSH-access\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">creating a user with SSH access<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you aren\u2019t familiar with using SSH to access your site, we also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/216041267-SSH-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guide on using SSH<\/a> that you can review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019re logged in with SSH, navigate to your WordPress directory. With DreamHost, the command will be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><code>cd \/home\/username\/yourdomain.com<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Replace <strong>username<\/strong> with your actual user name and <strong>yourdomain.com<\/strong> with your domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, run the following command to reset the password:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><code>wp user update your_user --prompt=user_pass<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Replace <strong>your_user<\/strong> with your WordPress username. This command will have the system ask for the password to be entered securely, and won\u2019t leave a record of the new password in the command line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Refresh your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And finally, check if the password reset was successful by logging into your WordPress admin panel with the new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-create-a-new-user-with-administrator-privileges\">3. Create a new user with administrator privileges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, even when you <em>can<\/em> log in, you don\u2019t have your usual administrative privileges. This likely means that you can\u2019t perform the critical functions necessary to keep your site running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This issue is most often the result of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/this-site-contains-malware-warning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">malicious activity<\/a>: either your site was hacked, or someone with access to your account has made some changes. Security and <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215604737-Hacked-sites-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recovering from a hack<\/a> is another topic, so we won\u2019t get into that here. (Though if malware is a recurring worry, DreamHost\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/products\/dreamshield\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DreamShield<\/a> add-on can help catch it before it costs you admin access.) However, we <em>will<\/em> show you how to restore your administrator access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Head to the <strong>phpMyAdmin<\/strong> interface again and pull up your website from the list on the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scroll down (or search) to find the <strong>users<\/strong> table. Click on the <strong>Insert<\/strong> link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"530\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users.webp\" alt=\"Database table interface showing &quot;wp_yj2fdt_usermeta&quot; table selected\" class=\"wp-image-48127 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-300x99.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-1024x339.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-768x254.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-1536x509.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-600x199.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-1200x398.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-730x242.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-1460x484.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-784x260.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-1568x519.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/06_phpmyadmin_interface_users-877x291.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/530;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, fill out the <strong>Value<\/strong> fields on the form in front of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"633\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value.webp\" alt=\"Database table structure view showing columns ID, user_login, and user_pass with their data types.\" class=\"wp-image-48129 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-300x119.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-1024x405.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-768x304.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-1536x608.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-600x237.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-1200x475.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-730x289.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-1460x578.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-784x310.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-1568x620.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/07_phpmyadmin_interface_value-877x347.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/633;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each field corresponds to a field in the WordPress user settings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>ID:<\/strong> Choose a number that isn\u2019t already taken by one of the other users on your site. For example, if you have five users, your new user should at least be number six.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_login:<\/strong> The username for your new administrator account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_pass:<\/strong> The password for the new user.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_nicename:<\/strong> A nickname for the user.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_email:<\/strong> The email address for the account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_url:<\/strong> Your website\u2019s URL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_registered:<\/strong> The current date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_status:<\/strong> Should be zero.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>display_name:<\/strong> The name you want to be displayed on your website for this user.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re finished, click on <strong>Go<\/strong> to save this new user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, you need to give this new user administrator access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go back to your big list of database tables, and scroll down or search to find the <strong>usermeta<\/strong> entry and click on <strong>Insert<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"504\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta.webp\" alt=\"scroll down or search to find the usermeta entry and click on Insert.\" class=\"wp-image-48131 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-300x95.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-1024x323.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-768x242.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-1536x484.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-600x189.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-1200x378.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-730x230.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-1460x460.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-784x247.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-1568x494.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/08_usermeta-877x276.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/504;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, fill in the form fields as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>umeta_id<\/strong>: Leave this blank.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_id: <\/strong>The ID number of the new user (from above).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>meta_key<\/strong>: Enter <strong>wp_capabilities<\/strong> \u2014 swapping the <strong>wp_<\/strong> part for your site\u2019s actual table prefix if it differs. You can read the prefix straight off the table names in phpMyAdmin: if they start with <strong>wp_yj2fdt_<\/strong>, for example, the key is <strong>wp_yj2fdt_capabilities<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>meta_value<\/strong>: Type in <code>a:1:{s:13:\"administrator\";b:1;}<\/code> (use straight quotes exactly as shown).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re done, click on <strong>Go<\/strong>. Now repeat the exact same process with the <strong>usermeta<\/strong> table one more time, but use the following values:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>umeta_id:<\/strong> Leave this blank.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>user_id<\/strong>: The ID number of the new user (from above).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>meta_key:<\/strong> Type in <strong>wp_user_level<\/strong> (again, swap <strong>wp_<\/strong> for your site\u2019s table prefix if it differs \u2014 e.g., <strong>wp_yj2fdt_user_level<\/strong>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>meta_value<\/strong>: Set this to <strong>10<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once again, you can select <strong>Go<\/strong> to save and activate your changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voila! You\u2019ve now successfully given the new user administrator rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This user now gives you full access to your WordPress dashboard and site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re not comfortable with <strong>phpMyAdmin<\/strong>, or just prefer the command line, you can also use <strong>WP-CLI<\/strong> again to create your new user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create a new user with administrator privileges, access your site via SSH, navigate to the WordPress directory, and enter the following <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.wordpress.org\/cli\/commands\/user\/create\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wp user create<\/a> command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><code>wp user create newusername admin@example.com --role=administrator --prompt=user_pass<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just replace <strong>newusername<\/strong> with your desired username, and\u00a0<strong>admin@example.com<\/strong> with the email address you want to tie it to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-disable-your-security-plugin\">4. Disable your security plugin (\u201cYou have been locked out of this site\u201d)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \u201cYou have been locked out of this site\u201d mean?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It means a login-limiting security plugin has temporarily blocked logins after too many failed attempts. Plugins such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wordfence.com\/help\/firewall\/brute-force\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wordfence<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/limit-login-attempts-reloaded\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Limit Login Attempts Security<\/a> cap the number of failed login attempts, then lock out the offending IP address or username for a set period. Depending on the plugin, the message may read \u201cYou have been locked out of this site,\u201d \u201cYou are temporarily locked out,\u201d or say that logins are temporarily disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This functionality is handy since it prevents hackers or malicious users from brute-forcing their way into your site. However, if it\u2019s triggered, it can also prevent <em>you<\/em> from getting into your own site \u2014 a few fumbled passwords, and you\u2019re on the wrong side of your own security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get back in<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with the least invasive option and escalate from there:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wait it out.<\/strong> Attempt-limit lockouts are temporary and expire on their own, typically within a few minutes to a few hours. The exact window is whatever the site\u2019s administrator configured: Wordfence\u2019s \u201cAmount of time a user is locked out\u201d option controls the duration (Wordfence\u2019s own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wordfence.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/optimizing-wordfence-security-settings-brute-force-protection\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2018 settings guide<\/a> suggests values as long as 2 months for high-security sites), and Limit Login Attempts Security has an adjustable lockout duration too. If you\u2019re not in a hurry, waiting is the safest fix.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use the unlock email.<\/strong> If you\u2019re an administrator locked out by Wordfence, the lockout page includes an unlock-by-email function that sends a recovery link to your admin address, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wordfence.com\/help\/blocking\/troubleshooting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wordfence\u2019s documentation<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disable the plugin over SFTP.<\/strong> Need access <em>right now<\/em>? Temporarily disable your security plugin by renaming its folder, following the instructions from <strong>Step 1<\/strong> above (the process is identical).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have access, you\u2019ll want to re-enable the plugin and remove yourself from any blacklists (if your plugin provides this feature). Then, you can log in as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way, the same folder-rename trick works if a two-factor authentication plugin is what\u2019s locking you out and you\u2019ve lost both your phone and your backup codes.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Troubleshoot the White Screen of Death (WSoD)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhite Screen of Death\u201d (WSoD) is a phrase used in the WordPress community to describe a blank white screen \u2014 or, more often these days, an error screen \u2014 that you may see when trying to access your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"440\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death.webp\" alt=\"WordPress error message stating &quot;There has been a critical error on this website&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-48133 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-300x83.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-1024x282.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-768x211.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-1536x422.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-600x165.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-1200x330.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-730x201.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-1460x402.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-784x216.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-1568x431.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/09b_white_screen_of_death-877x241.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/440;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are several potential causes for a WSoD. Most likely, it\u2019s a rogue plugin on your site or insufficient PHP memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll walk through troubleshooting each scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Disable all WordPress plugins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, you should check to see if a plugin is the culprit. To do this, you\u2019ll need to disable <em>all<\/em> of your plugins. If this grants access to your site, you can then turn them back on one at a time until you\u2019ve isolated the specific plugin causing the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To disable all plugins without access to your WordPress dashboard, you\u2019ll need to use SFTP. Again, you can follow the instructions back in <strong>Step 1<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, instead of renaming the folder for a particular plugin, you\u2019ll want to rename the entire <strong>plugins<\/strong> folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"575\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder.webp\" alt=\"Dialog box to rename a file, with &quot;plugins-disabled&quot; entered as the new filename.\" class=\"wp-image-48135 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-300x108.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-1024x368.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-768x276.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-1536x552.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-600x216.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-1200x431.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-730x262.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-1460x525.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-784x282.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-1568x564.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/10_rename_plugins_folder-877x315.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/575;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This disables <em>all<\/em> of them. Then, you can refresh your page and see if you can log in. If not, proceed to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If disabling all plugins does resolve the issue, and you can log in to your WordPress site, open up your site in SFTP again and restore the plugins folder to its original name (don\u2019t log out of the WordPress dashboard while you do this).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They should appear in the normal plugins list now, located at <strong>Plugins<\/strong> &gt; <strong>Installed Plugins<\/strong> in your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins.webp\" alt=\"Plugins menu with &quot;Installed Plugins&quot; section and &quot;Add New Plugin&quot; button from WordPress dashboard.\" class=\"wp-image-48137 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-300x106.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-1024x360.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-768x270.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-1536x540.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-600x211.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-1200x422.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-730x257.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-1460x514.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-784x276.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-1568x552.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/11_installed_plugins-877x309.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/563;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, disable the plugins from within the dashboard by selecting all of them and choosing <strong>Deactivate<\/strong> &gt; <strong>Apply<\/strong> from the bulk actions menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, you can go back down the list and enable each plugin one at a time. After enabling each one, refresh your site and check to see if the WSoD returns. If it does, you\u2019ll know which plugin was responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, you can either check for updates to resolve the issue or find an alternative plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Increase memory for your site<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a plugin wasn\u2019t the problem, the next step is to try <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.wordpress.org\/advanced-administration\/wordpress\/wp-config\/#increasing-memory-allocated-to-php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increasing the available memory<\/a> for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To start, open up your site in SFTP again and locate the <strong>wp-config.php<\/strong> file in the root directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"829\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php.webp\" alt=\"wp-config.php file in the root directory\" class=\"wp-image-48139 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-300x155.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-1024x531.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-768x398.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-1536x796.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-600x311.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-1200x622.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-730x378.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-1460x756.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-784x406.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-1568x812.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/12_wp_config_php-877x454.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/829;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll need to edit that file to add the following line of code:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><code>define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '128M');<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Save, then refresh your site to see if it resolved the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If not, you can try a few more troubleshooting steps in our comprehensive guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/troubleshooting-wordpress-white-screen-death\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fixing the White Screen of Death<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In case all else fails, contact your host\u2019s support team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Resolve database connection errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you see <strong>Error establishing a database connection<\/strong> when you attempt to log in, it means that WordPress can\u2019t connect to the MySQL database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<div class=\"glossary-term__above-title\">\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span>DreamHost Glossary<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n    <h3>MySQL<\/h3>\n    <p>MySQL is a relational database management system that offers practical management tools. You can use MySQL to create, modify, and extract data through the SQL programming language.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress sites use these databases to store nearly all of the information on your site. If a connection can\u2019t be established, your website won\u2019t load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is that the causes of this issue are relatively easy to fix. However, since there are multiple options, troubleshooting to find which one applies can be time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, we\u2019ll cover the fix for the most common issue: incompatible login credentials.<br><br>For DreamHost users, here\u2019s how to <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/221610868-phpMyAdmin-Finding-your-login-credentials\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">access your database credentials<\/a> in the panel. The process may differ among host administrators, but overall, you\u2019ll likely follow the same one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following that, you\u2019ll want to compare these credentials to those in your <strong>wp-config.php<\/strong> file, which you can once again access via SFTP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Find the file with your site name on it and locate the <strong>wp-config.php<\/strong> file inside. Open or download the file and verify that the information under <strong>MySQL settings<\/strong> matches what you found in your panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"497\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_.webp\" alt=\"WordPress database configuration code with variable definitions for database name, username\" class=\"wp-image-48141 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-300x93.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-1024x318.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-768x239.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-1536x477.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-600x186.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-1200x373.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-730x227.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-1460x454.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-784x244.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-1568x487.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/13_mysql_settings_-877x272.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/497;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this was the issue, once those credentials line up, you <em>should<\/em> be able to access your login page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still seeing a database error? No sweat \u2014 here\u2019s our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360021570592-Error-establishing-a-database-connection#how-to-fix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fixing WordPress database connection errors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Undo recent code changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you load your site and see a <strong>Parse error: syntax error<\/strong> message, it means your site contains incorrect code, which prevents WordPress from loading \u2014 and you from being able to log in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This most commonly occurs when code is copied and pasted from the internet without a thorough double-check. Since WordPress 4.9 (released in 2017), the built-in theme and plugin file editor sanity-checks your code and refuses to save changes that would cause a fatal error. That check only covers the built-in editor, though \u2014 code added over SFTP or a host file manager isn\u2019t checked, so you can still see this error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fixing this is simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can simply undo the most recent change(s) you made to your site\u2019s code before this error appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another option is to restore a recent working backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In case you still want to use the code that caused the problem, check out our complete guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-syntax-errors-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fixing syntax errors in WordPress<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best way to prevent this issue from happening in the future is to validate any code you pull from the web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we\u2019ve said before, it\u2019s always a good idea to create a fresh backup of your site \u2014 especially before changing any code in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_wordpress-troubleshooting-resources\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">WordPress troubleshooting resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working through other issues on your WordPress site? We\u2019ve put together <em>a lot of<\/em> tutorials to help you troubleshoot various kinds of WordPress issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-image-upload-issues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Common WordPress Image Upload Issues And How To Fix Them (5 Methods)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/fix-wordpress-fatal-error-maximum-execution-time-exceeded\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix Fatal Error: Maximum Execution Time Exceeded (In 6 Steps)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-common-ssl-issues-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix Common SSL Issues In WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix Common WordPress Errors<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix The 500 Internal Server Error In WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-not-sending-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix The WordPress Not Sending Email Issue<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-404-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix WordPress Error 404 Not Found<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-white-text-missing-buttons-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix White Text And Missing Buttons In WordPress Visual Editor<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wordpress-sidebar-below-content-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix The Sidebar Below Content Error In WordPress (In 3 Steps)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-login-page-redirect-issue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Fix The WordPress Login Page Refreshing And Redirecting Issue<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_locked-out-of-wordpress-faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Locked out of WordPress FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why can\u2019t I access my WordPress admin area?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most common causes are a wrong or changed login URL, a forgotten password, a security plugin lockout, lost administrator privileges, or a site-wide problem like the White Screen of Death or a database connection error. Match the exact message on your screen to the fixes above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \u201cadministrator account not found\u201d mean?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It means your WordPress site has no administrator account WordPress can recognize, often after a hack or a botched migration. Create one manually: insert a new user into the database with phpMyAdmin, or run WP-CLI\u2019s <code>wp user create<\/code> command with the administrator role (see Method 3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why does WordPress say my login is temporarily disabled?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A login-limiting security plugin has blocked logins after too many failed attempts. These lockouts expire after a set duration, so waiting is the safest fix. Otherwise, use the unlock-by-email link if the plugin shows one, or disable the plugin over SFTP (see Method 4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I log in if my WordPress admin account is locked?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Try your hosting control panel first \u2014 DreamHost includes one-click WordPress login from its panel. If that fails, reset the account\u2019s password directly in the database with phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI, or create a brand-new administrator account and retire the locked one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_get-the-most-out-of-wordpress-with-dreampress\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get the most out of WordPress with DreamPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve ever been locked out of your WordPress admin dashboard, you know how hand-wringingly frustrating it can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are many potential causes, and since the exact error message can vary depending on the underlying problem, finding the root cause can take some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By now, hopefully, you\u2019ve learned all about the most common causes of this issue, with detailed walkthroughs on how to fix them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whenever you get an error message trying to log in, you can follow the steps accompanying it so that you can regain access to your WordPress site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want to skip the next lockout entirely? A little prevention goes a long way: use a password manager, keep your admin account\u2019s email address current, write down any custom login URL, store your 2FA backup codes somewhere safe, and keep automatic backups running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oh, but what\u2019s that? You\u2019d rather focus <em>less<\/em> on troubleshooting and <em>more<\/em> on creating amazing content and running your business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We hear you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In that case, it might be worth looking at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DreamPress<\/a>, DreamHost\u2019s managed WordPress hosting. As of August 2026, plans start at $14.99\/month for the first year on an annual term and renew at $19.99\/month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be clear about what that buys you: DreamPress can\u2019t prevent every lockout (no host can stop a forgotten password or an overzealous security plugin). What it does offer is daily backups you can restore from, a managed platform that takes routine maintenance off your plate, and 24\/7 support from WordPress experts when something like this happens anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-cta-shared article-cta-small article-cta--product\">\n\t<div class=\"tr-img-wrap-outer jsLoading\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-img-lazy \" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/product-cta-pro-services-marketing-877x586.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/product-cta-pro-services-marketing.webp 2x\"  \/><\/div>\n\n\t<a href='https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/pro-services\/marketing\/' class='link-top' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>\n\t\t<span>Pro Services &#8211; Marketing<\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\" width=\"15\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t<div class=\"content-btm\">\n\t\t<h2 class=\"h2--md\">\n\t\t\tGet More Visitors,\u2028Grow\u00a0Your Business\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t<p class=\"p--md\">\n\t\t\tThe best-designed site is worthless if no one can find it. Leverage proven online marketing strategies and techniques to help more of your target audience find you.\n\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t        <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/pro-services\/marketing\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            See More                    <\/a>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many reasons why you might get locked out of your WordPress admin dashboard. Learn how to diagnose and fix each issue one step at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1081,"featured_media":48113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"Locked Out of WordPress? 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