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How to Change Your WordPress Login

1 February 2009 77 Comments

In my previous post, Web Site Vandalism on the Rise, I mentioned the importance of not using "admin" as your login for WordPress. One of the commenters asked that I write a post explaining how to change this, so here it is – complete with screenshots, since it can get confusing if you’ve never worked with a database before.

Since I use HostGator, I’m going to show you screen shots from there. (By the way, I highly recommend them for hosting your blog or site – customer support is the absolute BEST.)

1.  Login to your Cpanel, then click on your host’s MySQL administration tool (I.E. phpmyadmin):

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2.  Locate and select your WordPress database

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3.  From your WordPress database, locate and select the wp_users table (Note: the wp prefix may differ) and then click the browse icon

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4.  Locate admin and click the edit icon

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5.  Under the user_login column, change admin to your preferred WordPress administrative login name and then click go

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77 Comments »

  • Clement said:

    Straight to the point. I will change my “admin” user name to something else right now.

    Clements last blog post..Do not be deceived, Google Adsense really pays!

    # 2 February 2009 at 5:33 am
  • Outsourcing said:

    Yeah, it can be very useful. Thanks

    # 2 February 2009 at 7:37 am
  • Ornamental Iron Works in NJ said:

    Such a detailed instruction, thank you very much for posting

    # 2 February 2009 at 7:38 am
  • Mike Mills said:

    This is such a great step you can take to protect your blog from hackers!
    I have also heard you can change the name of the wp-admin folder so the location of the login is different.
    Have you heard of this? Can you do it?

    # 2 February 2009 at 8:43 am
  • George said:

    You can also change it in the wordpress dashboard by going to the users menu and selecting the admin username. Then changing the password there.

    Georges last blog post..Make Money Money Online With No Investment – No Product – No Expertise?

    # 2 February 2009 at 8:53 am
  • Melanie said:

    Thanks for this! Until I got comfortable with PHPMyAdmin, I lived in fear of forgetting the password to one of my WordPress blogs.

    Of course, this was also before I got RoboForm! :)

    Melanies last blog post..Magnolia is Currently Defunct!

    # 2 February 2009 at 11:09 am
  • Dennis Edell said:

    Excellent writeup. How do you get such clear screenshots?

    Dennis Edells last blog post..D.S.W.M. Monthly Article Round-Up Is Back!

    # 2 February 2009 at 5:59 pm
  • tiherp said:

    Great…..I was finding the way……..and finally got it……I will try this out today……really if it works….I will keep it in mind as one of the great information.

    # 3 February 2009 at 12:27 pm
  • belajar seo said:

    ok, thanks. i’m gonna change my admin login too right now. your tips look simple. i hope i can do it :D

    belajar seos last blog post..Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009

    # 4 February 2009 at 1:41 am
  • Grand Rapids Web Design said:

    Thanks for sharing this. I also use HostGator and was having some issues changing my login. Not any more! Thanks.!

    # 4 February 2009 at 8:14 am
  • Miami Attorneys said:

    Your site is really nice. Thank you for sharing this article. Your detailed explanation by using screen grabs of the output is really cool.

    # 4 February 2009 at 11:44 am
  • Trade Show Guru said:

    hi Kay,
    Thanks for the instructions. I have a different control panel setup, but got to the wp_users database, but my user login box was blank (didn’t say “admin”) Do I put something in there?
    I tried George’s suggestion above going through my wordpress control panel, but it says admin cannot be changed.
    Any ideas on why I’m not see “admin” in my user_login so that I can change it?
    ~ Steve, the trade show guru

    Trade Show Gurus last blog post..Trade Show Zombies

    # 4 February 2009 at 8:16 pm
  • Poker said:

    Thanks for the post, I changed it as soon as I notice it.
    I had admin in almost all the sites, so I suppose that lots of ppl will have the same problem and should change it.

    Pokers last blog post..Problemas en el servidor de torneos (17/01/2009 – 18/01/2009)

    # 5 February 2009 at 4:38 am
  • UK Van leasing said:

    Thanks for the post on how to change your user login, going to change mine straight away to make it more secure.

    # 5 February 2009 at 11:13 am
  • Rajit Khadgi said:

    Great stuff ,…. I too will change the user …
    Next time I have a probelm I will comment and you write a post in that also ok ? cool

    Rajit Khadgis last blog post..NatureMill Composter

    # 6 February 2009 at 10:28 pm
  • Tina - Tattoo Remova said:

    Nice post, you’re instruction looks practically easy. Actually, I have quite a phobia when it comes to customizing the cpanel. I have tried customizing my cpanel before and the result were real mess. Until now, i don’t mess up with my cpanel unless i have somebody expert on it by my side.

    # 6 February 2009 at 10:58 pm
  • Anything Tips said:

    Thanks for the Post SeoDiva,

    And in case the blog got hacked already and the password changed by the intruder, as long the blog owner have access to the MySQL Database through PHPMyAdmin, he still can recover his blog back, i wrote a little tutorial on how to recover from lost wordpress admin password in details supported by screenshots few months ago, i’d like to share it with you guys if u don’t mind, since its very related to the topic, you can find it at the following link:

    http://www.anythingtips.com/wordpress/how-to-recover-from-lost-wordpress-admin-password/

    Best Regards

    Anything Tipss last blog post..How to Scan for your own Non-Public Socks Proxy Servers

    # 7 February 2009 at 9:22 am
  • byajero said:

    Thanks for sharing. Now I know how to edit my admin login to my wordpress account. This will help to make my account and my site secure.

    by: Hectic Capiznon Bloggers 2009

    byajeros last blog post..Click fraud? Let Google explains it.

    # 8 February 2009 at 5:19 am
  • Nandini said:

    The images you have inserted in this post are really awesome. I also liked the style of writing. Excellent post. Well-done. Congratulations.

    Nandinis last blog post..Landscaping & Lawn care accounts – ACWORTH, GA

    # 8 February 2009 at 10:06 pm
  • tengkuken said:

    thanks for you info…its very important for me…

    # 10 February 2009 at 3:17 am
  • CD Mastering said:

    Changing the name of admin folder is the best way to to protect your account from hackers.
    Thanks for useful tips. Your screen shots are ultra clear.

    # 10 February 2009 at 4:55 am
  • Insurance san diego said:

    I am also using HostGator and was having some issues changing my login. I try this one. Seems to be simple.

    # 10 February 2009 at 8:43 am
  • ZeroFeeHost said:

    Thank you for the guide, it’s very clear and with great screen shot, I don’t know why WordPress doesn’t have the option to change admin name on it’s panel, it’s very insecure.

    # 10 February 2009 at 2:43 pm
  • Hosting Service said:

    This is great post, very helpful for newbies. I like instruction with pictures, you cannot go wrong with them. Thank for sharing this. BTW, i love the theme of your site.

    # 10 February 2009 at 11:22 pm
  • Shimul said:

    Thanks for providing this information on how to edit an admin login for a wordpress account. I think this will really help one to make his account a secure one.

    Shimuls last blog post..Landscaping & Lawn care accounts – BALLWIN, MO

    # 10 February 2009 at 11:38 pm
  • Dean said:

    That’s a good idea, using the default login makes it too easy for hackers to get into your blog database.

    # 11 February 2009 at 2:00 am
  • Mike said:

    In near future,I am going to start my own blog in wordpress. Currently I am studying which tools I should use to get most benefits of blogging and make my blog secure. This article is going to help me a lot. I think the the first thing I will do after starting my blog is to change my login name and password :) . Thanks for help. Looking forward to see more posts related to WordPress.

    # 11 February 2009 at 6:54 am
  • matchsad said:

    Nice screen shots in your article i got lot of experience. Now i also follow your article.

    ………………………………..
    XiiTec IT Solutions

    # 11 February 2009 at 10:33 am
  • India Inc. said:

    You can also change it in the wordpress dashboard i find that way bit easier. I am a Justhost user i didn’t face any problem from that.

    India Inc.s last blog post..Tesco Evoucher Codes

    # 11 February 2009 at 2:27 pm
  • Abhi said:

    I have a plan to start my own blog in wordpress very soon. So, I think your post is really going to help me.

    # 12 February 2009 at 2:00 am
  • Aditya Vyas said:

    My problem is fixed by justhost people

    thanks for replying admin

    Aditya Vyass last blog post..Tesco Evoucher Codes

    # 12 February 2009 at 11:52 am
  • TechnoSamrat said:

    Its the same for other hosts also.. I did the same in LiquidWeb!!

    # 13 February 2009 at 10:51 am
  • Webdesign SEO said:

    You are always an inspiration SEO DIva – ty. I started internet cruising when I saw your post and I shored up some more holes in my WordPress game. It involves protecting your username and password in your wp-config.php file. I don’t know if you typically allow links in comments but this is a real peach for like minded SEO’s and enthusiasts:

    http://www.josiahcole.com/2007/07/11/almost-perfect-htaccess-file-for-wordpress-blogs/

    Cheers SEO Diva !!!

    # 14 February 2009 at 9:30 pm
  • Puneet said:

    a good trick to change WP login from our host panel …. will try this out with one of my wp blog :D

    # 15 February 2009 at 9:53 pm
  • Dev said:

    Thank you so much for informing us about the procedure on how to edit an admin login for a wordpress account. I think its really going to help me to create as well as to secure my account.

    # 15 February 2009 at 10:53 pm
  • seo said:

    Thank you.iam very fond of these step by step guides .

    # 16 February 2009 at 4:39 am
  • seo consultant said:

    thanks for the tip. I was also wondering how to do that.

    # 16 February 2009 at 12:07 pm
  • caverta said:

    that was a nice concept ,, thanks for sharing.. WP has become most popular these days .. it is gaining trust more and more .. it is popular because of its built in themes ,templates and plug ins etc.

    # 17 February 2009 at 2:29 am
  • Web Talk said:

    I already know this tricks and I have already changed my login name since long. i would like to point out that you also need to change your password ( in case you didn’t) to something complicate. best passwords are the ones involving capital letters, numers and special symbols. Here is an example: J0hnD03!

    # 17 February 2009 at 8:14 am
  • Chris - Free PS3 said:

    Thanks for the details. Whilst my host and database uses cpanel I’ve managed to follow it and change my log in (after reading your vandalism post). I feel much safer now.

    # 17 February 2009 at 3:48 pm
  • selena said:

    Its a great instruction. Thanks for sharing. I’ll give try it.

    # 18 February 2009 at 6:02 am
  • Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009 said:

    Thanks for the tips, but I ussualy using WordPress Stealth Login :)

    Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009s last blog post..Petunjuk dan Tata Cara Pemilu 2009

    # 18 February 2009 at 6:36 pm
  • rajkumar said:

    I am working as SEO from Past 6 months, I am not able to understand what are blogs.

    # 20 February 2009 at 3:24 am
  • Minnesota Lawyer said:

    I am actually thinking of a way to change that… thanks to your post, it saved me from hundred headaches.

    # 20 February 2009 at 11:48 pm
  • Delphi Programming said:

    Very Interesting… You have explained everything with the screen shots itself.. Very helpful..

    # 21 February 2009 at 1:38 am
  • Sam said:

    Wow ive always wondered how to do this, thanks for the easy to follow explanation, the pictures really helped!

    Sams last blog post..New SEO Tools List Added.

    # 22 February 2009 at 12:55 am
  • Virtual assistant said:

    Excellent! this is too good for newbies who has never touched the slq database.

    I never create admin user.

    PS : Yes, Hostgator is really great. I think they are no.1

    Virtual assistants last blog post..Where to find virtual assistant?

    # 22 February 2009 at 1:57 pm
  • herry said:

    wow i finally knows how to change my wordpress login…. thx man… it helps me alot :D

    # 23 February 2009 at 12:26 am
  • Michael said:

    Thanks a lot, I have a few blogs that I need to go back and update. Don’t want anyone messing around with these.

    # 23 February 2009 at 8:16 am
  • seo said:

    a nice trick to change WP log in from.

    # 24 February 2009 at 1:15 am
  • sem said:

    Excellent writeup, thank you for sharing.

    sems last blog post..Google’s Search Evangelist, Search Camp

    # 24 February 2009 at 1:52 am
  • Website Traffic Guide said:

    We got more usefull tips here. We hope can make it simple than that. Thanks SeoDiva.

    Website Traffic Guides last blog post..Tips for Successful Blogging

    # 24 February 2009 at 2:50 pm
  • Andy | West Florida Components said:

    Thanks so much for this article. I missed the first one about hacking being on the rise – will read that one next to see what other tips you have.

    I don’t use hostgator but I can probably figure it out from the detailed instructions. Thanks again.

    # 24 February 2009 at 8:29 pm
  • Kim- Free Ads said:

    Your blog is very detailed and informative. Now I know how to protect mine. Thanks for one great help.

    # 26 February 2009 at 10:10 am
  • Kim- Free Ads said:

    Thank you for the very detailed instruction. I am sure I’ll be using this information to change mine.

    # 26 February 2009 at 4:15 pm
  • sms broadcast said:

    wow this was a great information….. but i haven’t use wordpress yet… maybe late i will use it.. :p

    sms broadcasts last blog post..Sudah Saatnya "Mobile Marketing"

    # 27 February 2009 at 6:07 am
  • Used computers said:

    I think it becomes a little complicated when it is a discussion related to PHPMyadmin. So thanks for sharing this.

    # 28 February 2009 at 11:40 am
  • Singapore Property said:

    This will benefit people who needs to change their password.Have it changed now before you regret. It will definitely affect online businesses if hacker left a message that public is able to view it.

    # 2 March 2009 at 6:48 pm
  • Tamal Anwar said:

    Hey, I never thought I can change the default login name, but now that you’ve explained it, I can do it now. Thanks for this tutorial. One think, will changing my login, effect on my blog?

    Tamal Anwars last blog post..10 cool paid review sites to boost your income

    # 2 March 2009 at 11:45 pm
  • Online Fashion Shopping said:

    Wow thats awesome. I didn’t know how to go about changing it too. Thanks for the information and screenshots. They are very useful to me.

    # 3 March 2009 at 6:08 am
  • SEO guy said:

    There is a login page plugin as well to change the style of login page.

    # 4 March 2009 at 3:31 pm
  • The Film Wall said:

    Thanks to share it this information .Great and useful post ,who use word press ….keep it up..

    # 6 March 2009 at 1:10 pm
  • CashMakers said:

    Great instruction. Good for me, I never forgotten my WordPress login, but if I would, your guide would saved me. Thanks!

    # 6 March 2009 at 5:00 pm
  • bloginsane said:

    Thank you, that was very informative, not a plain text, but also images made the picture clear.

    # 9 March 2009 at 8:28 am
  • Trade Show Guru said:

    hi Kay,
    Did you fall off a cliff? :) Seriously though, hope all is well. Haven’t seen a new post in over a month. Wondering if you have an insight into my comment above? ~ Steve, the trade show guru

    Trade Show Gurus last blog post..Green Trade Show Displays

    # 10 March 2009 at 10:35 am
  • Seo Diva (author) said:

    @Steve – I’m back to posting! I got derailed for awhile (getting married will do that) but am back on track :)

    Regarding your earlier question, that’s a little scary, and I hate to tell you the wrong thing and have you get locked out of your blog! Try asking the question at WordPress.org and see if one of the gurus has a good answer.

    # 12 March 2009 at 4:47 pm
  • fireoffice said:

    to edit mysql it too danger

    # 13 March 2009 at 12:56 am
  • Seo Diva (author) said:

    @fireoffice – it is scary and you don’t want to make any mistakes, so if you’re uncomfortable with it you shouldn’t even go there.

    # 13 March 2009 at 9:38 am
  • best registry cleane said:

    thanks,I have change my WP login

    # 14 March 2009 at 10:38 am
  • Buy Pandora Battery said:

    Hey thanks for this post. Screenshots really make it interesting to learn. Hope to see more posts from you with screenshots.

    # 16 March 2009 at 9:16 am
  • Cheap Blackberry Bol said:

    I never forgotten my wordpress id ,incase i forget my id i would definately go through the instructions of your blog…i will add it ino my favourities

    Cheap Blackberry Bols last blog post..Blackberry Bold for US Cellular

    # 23 March 2009 at 3:59 am
  • cash advance lenders said:

    Definately nice suggestion will use if required

    # 26 March 2009 at 4:05 am
  • Medical Questions A said:

    I CAN CHANGE WORDPRESS LOGIN “BY YOUR ARTICLE IDEAS”,THANKS MATE!

    # 10 April 2009 at 10:34 am
  • big penis, penis said:

    i trust you it is gonna to work out….nice blog…i am not good with PHP…and yet not have a word press id and password …will definitely make one and use your tips..

    # 15 April 2009 at 2:50 pm
  • consolidate debt how said:

    The way of shared this information with the use of screenshots has made it very easy to learn and understand how to change your wordpress login. it is of great utility to keep your login name safe from hackers.

    # 16 April 2009 at 8:16 am
  • Diet Blog said:

    That’s so easy! I never would have been able to figure it out on my own though. Thanks for the run down. I’m going to change mine today, just to be safe.

    Diet Blogs last blog post..The Importance Of pH In Our Diet

    # 21 April 2009 at 10:40 am
  • Philippine Astronomy said:

    That is something very useful. Changing the wordpress login usedt o be a very tedious task before this, thanks for this post.

    # 27 April 2009 at 5:45 am