Looking for your Wordpress Login?

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Your WordPress login provides you with access to the behind the scenes hub of your website. This guide explores everything that you need to know about logging in and why it is important.

In 2021, 455 million sites online were run using WordPress. WordPress websites are popular because they are easy to set up, simply to customize and highly user friendly. They can be useful for new business owners, small startups, bloggers and countless other individuals who need their own website.

When you set up your WordPress website, you will be provided with a unique login.

Wordpress Login

Why Is Your WordPress Login So Important?

Your WordPress login is important because it provides access to your website’s admin section and dashboard. You can use the dashboard to:

  • Make changes to your website
  • Add new content
  • Edit posts and articles
  • Respond to comments
  • Utilize or add plugins
  • And More!

Without access to this site, you won’t be able to change or modify your web pages at all. Similarly, with access to this section of your site, anyone could make changes, potentially for nefarious purposes.

That’s why the WordPress login system is so important. It provides you and administrators with the access you need to your site and keeps other people out.

WordPress.com And WordPress.Org – What’s The Difference?

When you are starting a WordPress site, you have two options. You can either choose to set one up using WordPress.com or WordPress.org.

Both options will provide you with access to the popular WordPress site building software and management system. However, there are significant differences between the two.

WordPress.org

This is the location of the open-source software known as WordPress that powers the 455 million sites we mentioned above.

It’s 100% free and is available for anyone to use. You can easily download and access the software directly from WordPress.org.

However, you won’t be provided with a domain name and web hosting solution. Both are necessary if you want your website to be accessible online.

WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a hosting solution. It was created by Automattic which itself was founded by the co-founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenwing. Due to this, WordPress.com and WordPress.org are often considered to be the same thing.

WordPress.org is the software. WordPres.com is a hosting service to use and access the software.

Which Is The Best Option?

The right option for you will depend on a variety of factors. Using WordPress.org will make it far easier to monetize your site without restrictions. On the other hand, WordPress.com provides a less hands on approach with more support in terms of both management and maintenance.

Now, let’s explore some of the key differences when logging into both WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

Login To WordPress.org

Logging into WordPress.org will allow you to:

  • Contribute to WordPress
  • Gain support form the forum
  • Review or rate themes and plugins

To access WordPress.org, you will first need to create an account. This is as simple as creating a username and choosing an email address before accepting the terms and conditions.

Once you have an account, you can login to WordPress.org on the domain:

If you lose your password, you can regain access by clicking on ‘lost password?’ at the bottom of the login page.

Do note, that this will not provide you access to your WordPress Dashboard or the administration section of your website. Accessing these areas involves the same process as accessing your site through WordPress.com.

You need to visit your site’s login page by placing wp-admin after the domain name. For instance:

  • http://yournewsite.com/wp-admin

You can then use the same username and password that you created during the initial WordPress.org 5 minute install.

Depending on the theme you use, you might also be able to access your admin page from the front end of your website. However, this is not always the case.

Login To WordPress.com

You can login to WordPress.com on:

Here you will be able to log in using your:

  • Email
  • Google account
  • Apple ID

You may also be able to sign in through a mobile app.

If you want to access your admin area of your website directly then you can by adding three options to the end of your site’s URL including:

  • /login/
  • /admin/
  • /wp-login.php

For instance this could be:

  • http://yournewsite.com/wp-login.php

The first two options should take you directly to your WordPress login page. If this doesn’t happen, then the third should be chosen instead.

These are the best options for a standard WordPress installation. However, it’s possible that you installed WordPress using a subdirectory of your main domain. This might include:

  • www.yournewsite.com/wordpress/ OR blog.yournewsite.com/

If this is the case, then you will need to add one of the three options above to the end of your site such as:

  • www.yournewsite.com/wordpress/admin/

Regardless of which option you choose, you should arrive at the login page of your website. If you are worried about forgetting these links, then you can always bookmark one of them to ensure that you are always able to find it.

You can also click the ‘remember me’ option. This will be suitable if you are accessing your WordPress website through a secure computer or device. However, it should not be used on a public system if you want to keep your WordPress login secure. This isn’t the only step you can take to improve the security of your WordPress login. Let’s explore some of the other key possibilities.

Keeping Your WordPress Login Secure

wordpress login security

As mentioned, it’s important that your WordPress login remains secure. There are a number of ways that you can do this. Many of which are the same advice that will be suitable for ensuring that any login password remains protected.

For instance, you should not use a password that could be easily guessed. This includes any password with personal information such as family names, DOBs or anything similar. This is particularly important for bloggers as it’s likely that some or all of this info will be accessible somewhere on your website.

Ideally, you should use a website that is completely unique. This means that it should not be the same as passwords you use elsewhere online. That could create a security issue. The most secure password will be a unique jumble of letters and numbers in a pattern that only you would recognize. Again, if you are worried about forgetting this, you can ensure that the password is remembered on a secure site.

There are other ways to keep your site secure. For instance, you can move your login page to a unique URL.

How To Move Your WordPress Login To A Unique Page

Before we discuss how to do this, it’s worth exploring why it could be necessary.

There are effective ways to guess passwords to something like WordPress using advanced software.

One example includes a Brute Force Attack.

During this type of attack on your website a hacker will complete multiple attempts trying to guess the password that you used. Most passwords are hard to guess and there are distinct patterns people use when creating passwords. So, even if you think yours is unique, it’s possible that you followed one of these patterns used by hackers.

Even if you didn’t, your password could have been included in a list sold on the dark web. Or, they might utilize script software to automate the process and try millions of combinations in a matter of minutes.

The bottom line: your WordPress website will never be as secure as you hoped. This is why a unique login page can be beneficial.

The easiest way to change your Login page is by using a plugin. A plugin is an additional or extra piece of software which changes how your site functions. In this case, it alters the login page. One example is:

WPS Hide Login

This is already used by hundreds of thousands of WordPress site owners. It’s easy to understand and it’s compatible with a number of other solutions including BuddyPress.

To utilize this plugin, you will need to download. You can access it through your list of plugins on your site page in the right hand sidebar.

You will then be able to add a new login URL and a redirection URL that will trigger when someone tries to access your page through the typical options listed above.

Do be aware that as soon as you change these settings, you will no longer be able to access your login page through the typical addresses. So, you do need to make sure that you know the new URL.

You may also want to bookmark the fresh URL on your trusted device.

Do be aware that WPS is a plugin which is only maintained. As such, the creators do not guarantee the provision of free support. If there is an issue, then you will need to report the problem and wait for a response.

If you do have an issue, then you can solve the problem by removing the plugin from your server.

There are alternative plugins that can provide the same or similar benefits such as Perfmatters. This plugin is covered with a support option. As such, you won’t be left high and dry if you do encounter an issue here.

Alternative Solutions

Aside from using plugins, you can also explore other ways that you can change your login page. For instance, you may want to try editing your .htaccess file.

.htaccess can be used to set up system-wide settings. Instead of providing you with a unique login page, you can use your .htaccess file to set up a password that will be required before anyone can reach the page. This won’t just be an effective way to prevent people from accessing your site. It can also ward off bots as well.

If you are using a cPanel host, you will need to create a .htpasswd file. You can do this using a generator tool and then upload it directly to your wp-admin folder.

You can then create a .htaccess file and upload that to your /wp-admin/ directory. Don’t forget to upgrade the username and directory path.

Be aware that this will break your AJAX on the front side of your website. This will be required for certain third party plugins which you may already be using.

To avoid this issue, make sure that you add the following code to your .htaccess file:

<Files admin-ajax.php>
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
Satisfy any
</Files>

Do be aware that options like this do not guarantee the security of your website. A skilled hacker may still be able to gain access. So, it’s important to take as many steps as you can to ensure that you do not run into issues here.

Do You Want To Limit The Login Attempts?

There are other ways to ensure that your website has additional levels of protection. For instance, you might want to think about limiting the login attempts.

Remember, we mentioned that hackers can repeatedly try different passwords as often as they like. Well by limiting the logins, you can prevent them from doing this completely.

Your WordPress host may provide this option to you and ensure that IPs are blocked after a set amount of incorrect login attempts. However, if you don’t have this option from your host then you may want to consider using a free plugin.

One example would be Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.

This plugin is specifically designed to stop brute force attacks on your websites. At the same time, it can also improve the performance of your website by limiting the number of login attempts. It is already used by more than 2 million websites online.

Once a user reaches a set number of tries, their IP address and username will be blocked from any further attempts.

It’s worth noting that WordPress by default does provide an unlimited number of login attempts. So, without this type of additional security feature in place it is vulnerable to a brute force attack.

As well as providing you with customization options Limited Login Attempts Reloaded also provides direct email notifications. This means that you are always aware if someone is attempting to hack into your website.

Once you download the plugin, you will be able to customize a wide range of factors including:

  • Allowed retries
  • Lockout period
  • Lockout increase time after set period of tries
  • Time until retries reset

Another useful option is that you can whitelist a certain IP address. If you or one of your administrators constantly forgets passwords or login details, this is worth considering.

You’ll be able to choose your own settings here based on your needs and your security decisions. However, we can offer some basic advice that will help you with your set up.

Allowed Retries

You can set any number of retries you want. However, it is recommended that you choose a number between 4 and 6. This is enough for the typical person to finally input the right password without giving too much leeway for a potential hacker.

Lockout Period

Some people want to set an unlimited lockout period. While this will provide you with the highest level of security, it’s not useful if someone forgets their password. As such, you should think about giving enough time that hackers will surrender while avoiding technical issues for a forgetful administrator. As such, anyone up to an hour is probably the best option.

Recharges

Recharges are when you increase the lockout time after a number of unsuccessful attempts. So you might decide six incorrect attempts are a warning sign that something isn’t right. You’re probably correct and it’s important to deter hackers from further attempts.

To do this, we recommend setting the increase for at least one day. You’ll then need to think about the time until the whole system resets and people are allowed to try again.

Remember white listing and blacklisting tools should allow you to set strict requirements when it comes to login attempts and allow for forgetful friendly individuals.

Customize Your WordPress Login Page

Beyond security requirements, there are other reasons to alter your WordPress login. For instance, you might want to ensure that it is more attractive to users and welcoming. This is important if you are operating an online ecommerce store or a WordPress membership site. In cases like this, users are often going to land on the login page. So, customizing it can ensure that it looks fantastic and delivers a far better user experience overall.

Login pages can be custom designed with different background images, welcome messages and graphics. It all depends on the type of aesthetic and design that you want for your website.

As you may have guessed, you can change your login page using a plugin. There are various free WordPress plugins which allow you to do this and one of the best is ThemeMyLogin.

This will allow you to replace the default login page and ensure that it feels and looks far more professional. Once you have activated the plugin, you will be able to input the details you want and change aspects of the page. However, your options with this plugin are a little limited.

So, you could also explore WPForms. This is premium login and you will need to pay for the solution. Once you have downloaded and paid for the plugin, you can add various options including:

  • Different fields
  • Checkboxes
  • Images
  • And more

This plugin is very user friendly and it’s not difficult to add a new login page for your WordPress website.

By default, your Login page will match the theme and style of your WordPress website. If on the other hand, you want to completely alter and customize the login page, then you can use a WordPress page builder plugin.

SeedProd allows you to do this. Using a drag and drop builder, you will be able to create a completely custom login page in a matter of minutes. The pro version of this plugin also provides you with different page templates and page blocks that are easily customized.

A Custom login page could provide numerous benefits for your wordpress site. If you are selling products on your site which requires users to login it may increase the number of conversions. It can also ensure that your website feels and looks far more professional with the right aesthetic. This can even be a great way to ensure that your website stands out from other sites which may have used the same template or theme and use a similar domain name.

Troubleshooting The Common Issues With WordPress Logins

wordpress login troubleshoot

Now let’s dive into the reason you probably landed on this page:

Login issues

Every piece of online software can have problems with logins and WordPress is no different. A problem here will stop you from accessing the admin area of your website. If you are running a business, this can lead to downtime and if you are running a blog, it can simply be infuriating.

So, let’s explore some of the common login issues that you may experience along with the right fixes you need.

Forgotten Password

The most common and obvious login issue is a lost or forgotten password. Everyone has forgotten their password at one point or another. It is easy for this to happen, particularly when you need to keep track of so many.

WordPress does provide a built-in recovery feature. As mentioned, you simply need to click ‘lost your password.’ Once you enter your email address, you’ll be sent a link to create a new password.

It’s possible that you can’t find the password in your emails. If that’s the case, check your spam and do a thorough search. If you still can’t find it, try to reset it again. If this doesn’t work, then your next option will be to reset your password directly through the WordPress database.

A web host will usually provide access to database management software. One example is phpMyAdmin. Through this software, you’ll be able to directly change databases including the password.

Before you take this step, you should ensure that you have a complete backup of your site in case anything goes wrong. Once you have done this, you can launch the software and open the wp_users table.

You’ll then need to search for your username in the user_login column and select ‘edit.’

Once you locate the user_pass field, you can then type a new password into that field. At the drop down menu select MD5 and then Go.

Once you have completed this step, you will be able to access your WordPress site through your new password.

Cookies And Caches

It’s worth noting that WordPress requires the use of cookies to be enabled. If you don’t have cookies enabled you won’t be able to access the site. Cookies are small files that are found in browser directories which store info on various websites.

Caches store temporary files that are used to access a webpage. If your cache is not up to date, then you may be trying to access an older version that doesn’t support WordPress.

You can solve this issue quickly by clearing both your cache and cookies while also ensuring that cookies are enabled. How you do this will depend on the internet software that you are using or your specific device. Due to this, you may also be able to access the site from an alternate device.

Theme Issues

WordPress has countless themes for you to choose from when building your website to ensure it feels unique and stands out. Unfortunately, some of these themes can tamper with your WordPress login. If you use a File Transfer Protocol client to change the name of the folder holding your theme WordPress will automatically switch back to the default template.

You will need to access the wp-content/themes folder to do this and then give the theme a brand new name. You can then try logging in again and – if the theme was the issue – your attempt should be a success. This might mean that you’ll need to switch templates and disable a custom login page like the ones we mentioned above. This might also mean that you need to redesign your site to ensure that it works as it should without any further issues.

Interference From Plugins

You can run numerous plugins in the background of your WordPress site. We have already discussed a few of these and how they can be beneficial. If these plugins are not updated correctly, then they can cause issues with plugins. Two or more plugins can also conflict with one another and stop you from accessing your website.

First, check whether the issue is the plugins by deactivating them. If you can access the admin area, deactivate all the plugins in the side menu. Again, make sure that your site is backed up before you complete this step.

If you don’t have access to your admin section, you can rename the plugin folder using the WordPress root directory. You will need a File Transfer Protocol client to do this.

Once you rename the folder, WordPress won’t access or recognize it. Be aware that disabling all the plugins at once will cause issues across various areas of your site. However, it is the quickest and easier way to find out if the plugins are the problem. Once you discover this, you’ll then need to check each plugin separately to find the culprit or culprits for your login issues.

Corrupted Login File

It’s possible that your login file for WordPress has been corrupted. Remember, the default file is wp-login.php. If this file has been misplaced, then WordPress won’t provide a login page for your site. Instead, you’ll encounter the dreaded 404 error.

To fix this issue, you’ll need to replace the original file with a new one. You will have to backup WordPress and then delete your login file.

You should locate this within the WordPress root directory. After you have done that, you can download the latest version of the software to locate the file in the new download. You should then copy that file into the place of the deleted file.

Open the fresh login file and search for the term “redefinining user_login” You will need to replace:

$user_login = $user_data[“user_login”];

With:

$user_login = $user_data-&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp

If the corrupted file was the cause of your troubles, your login should now work.

Summary

wordpress login summary

As you can see, there are a number of key points to consider with your WordPress login. You should now understand how to login to the back-end of your WordPress website and the different URLs for WordPress login.

Remember, it’s important to be aware of the requirements for both WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Whereas one is the direct source for the software, the other is a hosting solution.

It’s also important to ensure that you do protect your WordPress site. You can do this through a number of steps including:

  • Choosing a secure Password
  • Creating a unique login page
  • Adding an additional password
  • Restricting login attempts

At a certain point, you may experience issues with your WordPress login. However, by taking the right steps, these are easy to manage and correct. Usually, they will be due to a technical mistake.

You can also customize your WordPress login. This will be useful for WordPress users who are setting up an ecommerce site. It can attract more customers to your store.

Your WordPress login is vital to the success of your site. Without it, you will be lost. Are you struggling to find your WordPress login?

You can use our free tool to easily access it by entering your website URL on our main page now.