How to Reset the WordPress Admin Password

Losing access to your WordPress admin account is frustrating, but it’s a solvable problem. Whether you forgot your password, your reset email isn’t arriving, or you’re locked out of a site with no working mail server, there’s a method that fits your situation. This guide covers four reliable approaches to resetting a WordPress admin password — ordered from simplest to most technical.

Quick Method Selector

Method 1: Reset From the WordPress Dashboard

Use this when: You’re already logged in and just want to update your password.

1. Go to Users → Profile in the admin menu.
2. Scroll to the Account Management section.
3. Click Set New Password. WordPress generates a strong password automatically.
4. Replace it with your own if preferred, then click Update Profile.

This is the cleanest approach. No database access, no tools — just a standard password update through the interface.

Method 2: Use the “Lost Your Password?” Link

Use this when: You’re locked out but can receive email at the address on your account.

1. Go to yoursite.com/wp-login.php.
2. Click Lost your password?
3. Enter your username or registered email address.
4. Check your inbox for the reset link and follow it.
5. Set a new password and log in.

If the email never arrives, check your spam folder first. If your site isn’t configured to send email reliably, consider installing WP Mail SMTP — but for immediate access, skip to Method 3 or 4.

Method 3: WP-CLI Password Reset (Recommended for Developers)

Use this when: You have SSH access to the server. This is the fastest and most reliable way to recover a WordPress admin account without touching the database directly.

# List users to confirm the username or ID
wp user list

# Reset by username
wp user update admin --user_pass="YourNewPassword123!"

# Or reset by user ID
wp user update 1 --user_pass="YourNewPassword123!"

WP-CLI handles password hashing correctly using WordPress’s own internals, so there’s no need to generate hashes manually. You can review the official WP-CLI user update documentation for additional options.

Security note: Passwords passed as inline arguments can appear in shell history or process logs. Prefer prompt-based workflows or generated passwords where possible, especially on shared systems.

Method 4: Reset via phpMyAdmin (Database Recovery)

Use this when: You have no email access and no SSH, but you can reach phpMyAdmin through your hosting control panel.

1. Open phpMyAdmin and select your WordPress database.
2. Open the wp_users table (the prefix may differ — check wp-config.php for $table_prefix).
3. Find your admin user and click Edit.
4. In the user_pass field, clear the existing value.
5. Type your new password in plain text, then select MD5 from the function dropdown.
6. Click Go to save.

Important context: Modern WordPress stores passwords using stronger hashing algorithms such as bcrypt. Writing an MD5 hash directly is a recovery technique, not a preferred workflow. WordPress will detect the MD5 format on your next login and automatically upgrade the hash to its current standard. Change your password again through the dashboard afterward to ensure it’s stored correctly.

You can also review the official WordPress password reset documentation for alternative recovery methods.

After Regaining Access

Once you’re back in, take a few minutes to:

• Change your password again through the dashboard if you used a database method.
• Verify no unauthorized admin accounts were added under Users → All Users.
• Consider enabling two-factor authentication with a plugin like WP 2FA.

Conclusion

Locked-out situations are rarely permanent. Start with the simplest method available to you, and work down the list only as needed. WP-CLI is the most efficient path for anyone with server access, while phpMyAdmin remains the reliable fallback when you’re working without it. Whichever route you take, follow up with a proper dashboard reset and a quick security audit to make sure your account stays yours.

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