Locked off from wordpress, can’t login and access reset password

This only works if you allow new user registrations…

Can you create a new user with a password you can remember long enough to get you in there? Keep in mind that whatever is rejecting your password on your present admin account might not like your new password on your new account either.

But if you can do that then you might be able to access PHPMyAdmin again and promote that new user to an admin.

As admin you can then set the old admin a new password via the user dashboard without sending them any notification either. I usually have a second admin user account on most sites so you can keep or delete your second account (or the old first account) if you wish.

This article may help you if the above doesn’t work for you. https://www.ads-software.com/support/article/login-trouble/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by JNashHawkins.

Thanks for the reply @jnashhawkins

I used this guide to create a new id. But I can’t login to the wp-admin and access the dashboard. I can only see my blog itself.

I followed the steps carefully and actually made the user using my phpadmin. I have the access to it and can edit it still.

Can you tell me how to properly promote the user?
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-an-admin-user-to-the-wordpress-database-via-mysql/

The only step I can think of as a ‘gotch ya’ in that is to make sure you use the MD5 setting if you change that password.

And on the new user… that will be a subscriber in the ‘role’ setting which is a drop down if I remember correctly so you just select admin in the drop down and save it back.

As long as you have the right user name and password then you should be able to attend to the rest via a login.

The only step I can think of as a ‘gotch ya’ in that is to make sure you use the MD5 setting if you change that password.

I did that. I have access to the user . I can login alright. But can’t access my dashboard. @jnashhawkins I am sorry for the troubles but i have been using wordpress for a while and this has never happened.

And on the new user… that will be a subscriber in the ‘role’ setting which is a drop down if I remember correctly so you just select admin in the drop down and save it back.

A subscriber can’t access the dashboard? How can i access the option to edit role.

I do have a right username and password and i am logged in, i cant access the dashboard.

@jnashhawkins

Thanks for the help I accessed it and have got admin privilaged. Should i delete the original admin user. Will this delete posts written by the original admin?

If the admin user is called admin or something very obvious then you probably should delete it or change the login name. Bots and hackers try the obvious names first when they try ‘rattling the doors’.

Also, best practices are to not post with an admin account (though I’m a poor example of that), so create a posting only account with an editor ‘role’. Again the Bots especially will try poster’s usernames when they see them.

Some of the security plugins will stress the above two concerns and ‘natter’ at you incessantly until you correct those things… a good thing in my opinion.

I like having a couple of admin level user accounts just in case… Might be better off not doing that but it seems expedient and not that unsafe.

If you have two-factor authentication and two phone numbers available to you then a second admin account calling the second phone number can really be a boon. For the record though, I hate two-factor Authentication.

Thanks @jnashhawkins I have updated this answer to be updated. Although i have another problem but will start a new token for it. Thanks for the advice.