Changed Your WordPress Login URL and Can’t Login Now? 2 Easy Methods to Fix This Error

Picture this: you changed your WordPress site’s login URL some time ago, thinking it would boost your site’s security. And now you just can’t remember it for the life of you! Frustration bubbles up as you see a blank screen instead of the login page!

You’re not alone. Many users have faced this pesky WordPress login issue. One tiny change to the WordPress login URL, and suddenly, your site feels like a fortress you can’t enter.

The good news is that there’s no need to panic. There are simple steps you can take to reclaim access to your WordPress site’s login page. Let’s dive into these options and get you back into your WordPress site without breaking a sweat.

TL;DR: If you can’t log in after changing your WordPress site’s login URL, disable the plugin you used to do this and then retry. If you changed it manually, edit the files where you added your custom login URL. For better security without all this hassle, use a security plugin that offers bot protection and a firewall to keep attackers at bay.

But before you proceed, make sure you backup your site. This gives you a safety net that you can fall back on in case anything goes wrong.

1. Disable the plugin that you used to change the WordPress login URL

You might have used a plugin like WPS Hide Login or User Registration to change your WordPress login URL. But what happens if you forget the new URL? Don’t worry; you can easily fix this.

First, you need to access your site using FTP. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It lets you manage your website files. You’ll need an FTP client like FileZilla to get started.

1. Open your FTP client and enter your website’s login details to connect. These details usually include your hostname, username, and password. You can get them from your web host.

2. Once connected, navigate to the wp-content folder. Open it and look for the plugins folder.

3. Inside the plugins folder, you’ll see a list of all your installed plugins. Find the folder of the plugin you used to change the login URL.

4. Rename this folder to something like pluginname_disabled. This action will disable the plugin.

After you have disabled the plugin, try accessing your site’s login page again. Use the default WordPress login URL this time: yoursite.com/wp-admin.

It’s that easy! You should now be able to log in without problems. Remember to re-enable any essential plugins once you regain access.

What if you still can’t log in?

If you still can’t log in, the plugin might have changed something in your database. For this, you’ll need phpMyAdmin, a tool to manage your database.

1. Log in to your hosting account and go to the control panel, often called cPanel.

2. Find and open phpMyAdmin.

Your web host may use their own proprietary site control panel instead of cPanel. In that case, it might have a different database manager than phpMyAdmin. Regardless, the steps are pretty much the same. For the sake of convenience, we will demonstrate the steps in cPanel and phpMyAdmin.

3. In phpMyAdmin, choose your WordPress database from the list on the left.

4. Look for a table with a name like wp_options. Tables have prefixes, so yours might be different.

5. Browse through the rows in this table. You’re looking for any values linked to your plugin. These might be under similar names as the plugin, such as pluginName_options.

6. If you find a field with your custom login URL, edit it. Replace or remove the custom URL to restore your default settings.

After these steps, your login issue should resolve. Make sure you carefully follow each step to avoid errors. With patience, you’ll be back in your WordPress dashboard in no time.

2. Remove the edits you made to your WordPress site’s files

Changing your WordPress login URL manually might sound like a good idea for boosting security. However, if you or your developer went this route, it involves editing core files like .htaccess and wp-login.php.

Let’s reverse these manual changes to regain access to your login page. Here’s how:

First, connect to your website using an FTP client like FileZilla. You’ll need your FTP login details, which you can usually find in your web hosting panel.

1. Log in to your FTP client with your credentials.

2. Once connected, navigate to the root folder of your site. It is usually named public_html or www. It normally contains files like wp-login.php and .htaccess.

If you have manually changed the WordPress login URL, you might have renamed these files.

3. Start by locating the renamed wp-login.php file. Download this file to your computer.

4. Use a code editor like Visual Studio to open the file. Look for any modifications that reference your custom login URL. To make this easier, use the Find feature in your text editor.

5. After finding all instances, revert them to their original state. For your reference, the original URL is yoursite.com/wp-admin. Be careful to ensure you only remove or change added custom lines.

6. Do the same for the .htaccess file and any other files you’ve changed. These might be located in different folders under your site’s root directory.

7. Once you’ve corrected a file, remember to save the changes in your text editor and re-upload the updated files to your site through FTP.

Now, try accessing your login page again by using the default WordPress URL.

If you’ve correctly undone all your changes, you should be able to log back into your site. Always backup your site before editing these files to prevent any accidental loss of data.

Should you change the WordPress login URL?

Many online guides suggest changing your WordPress login URL to enhance security. The idea is to hide the login page from attackers. But if you find yourself reading this article, it might be because you have already experienced some issues. This scenario is exactly why we DON’T recommend changing the login URL.

When you change the login URL, recovering access can be tricky. You might not want to mess with your site files or risk damaging your website. Changing the login URL is simply trying to ensure security through obscurity. This method doesn’t fully guarantee that your site is protected.

Even if you obscure your login page, attackers could eventually find it. They might stumble upon it by accident or through more targeted approaches. Plus, they often look for other vulnerabilities, like XML-RPC, to access your site.

So, what should you do instead?

Secure your site with a robust security plugin like MalCare. MalCare can add layers of protection to your login page, deterring bot attacks. It also finds vulnerabilities and helps secure your entire site.

MalCare comes with useful features like a one-click malware scanner and removal tool. It includes a smart firewall that blocks incoming attacks before they can cause harm. This way, you can keep your WordPress site secure without changing your login URL.

Final thoughts

It can be frustrating to get locked out of your WordPress site because you changed its login URL. But fixing it is easier than it seems. Disabling the plugin you used to do this or editing the URL value in your site files can often restore access quickly. Remember, changing your login URL isn’t the best way to keep your site safe. Attackers might still find their way to your login page, and these steps can only do so much.

For a more complete approach to security, consider using a security plugin like MalCare. It guards your login page against bots and its smart firewall stops attackers right away. With one-click malware scanning and removal, MalCare also helps keep your site secure without the need for drastic measures.

FAQs

How do I recover my WordPress login URL?

If you changed your WordPress login URL and forgot it, you can get access back with FTP. Use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your site. Go to the wp-content/plugins folder. Find the plugin you used to change the login URL and rename its folder to disable it. This should let you use the default login URL: yoursite.com/wp-admin. If you changed files like wp-login.php directly, use FTP to download these files. Look for any edits you made to the login URL and undo them. Upload the fixed files back to your site. This should help you get back to your login page.

How do I find my WordPress URL?

To find your WordPress URL, log in to your WordPress dashboard. Click on Settings and choose General. You will see WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL). These show your WordPress URL. This URL is where your main site files are. If you can’t log in, check the email you used to set up WordPress. It might have your site URL. You can also look at your hosting provider’s control panel or documents. They often have the setup details there.

How do I find my WordPress login username and password?

If you forget your WordPress username or password, go to yoursite.com/wp-admin. On the login page, click Lost your password? below the form. Enter your email or username. You’ll get an email to help reset your password. If you don’t remember your username, check your past emails from WordPress. They usually have your username. If you still can’t find it, use phpMyAdmin through your hosting account. Check the wp_users table in the database. You’ll see your username and email there. You can reset your password in the database, but only do this if you’re okay with changing database entries.

How do I find my custom login URL in WordPress?

If you can’t remember your custom WordPress login URL, start by checking the plugin you used to change it. Go to the plugin’s settings in your WordPress dashboard if you can still access it. If that doesn’t help, use an FTP client to connect to your site. Find the wp-content/plugins folder and look for the plugin you used. Check its files for any mention of the custom URL. You can also use phpMyAdmin to check the wp_options table for entries related to the plugin. If you can’t find it, try disabling the plugin by renaming its folder in FTP. This should let you log in using the default URL: yoursite.com/wp-admin.