How to Reset Your WordPress Password (4 Ways)

Forgetting your WordPress password happens to everyone, and the fix usually takes two minutes. There are a few different routes depending on whether you can still log in, whether you can get the reset email, and whether someone else on your site can help. Here are all of them, starting with the easiest, plus the reason reset emails so often go missing.

Pick the right method

Your situation	Best method
You're logged in and want a new password	Change it in your user profile
You're locked out but can get your email	Lost your password? link
Another administrator can log in	Ask them to reset it from Users
No email and no other admin	Ask your web host, or edit the database

Method 1: Lost your password? (locked out)

1. Go to your login page, usually yoursite.com/wp-login.php.
2. Click Lost your password? under the login form.
3. Enter your username or the email address on your account.
4. Open the email WordPress sends you and click the reset link.
5. Choose a new password and save it.

WordPress.org calls this the easiest way to reset a password, and it's quick, as long as the email arrives.

Method 2: Change it from your profile

1. In your dashboard, go to Users > All Users.
2. Click your username to edit your profile.
3. Scroll to the New Password section and click Generate Password.
4. Keep the strong generated password, or type your own. The strength meter rates your choice from weak to strong.
5. Click Update User.

WordPress.org confirms your new password becomes active immediately, so you'll use it the next time you log in.

Method 3: Ask another administrator

If someone else on your site has an administrator account, they can go to Users, open your profile and set a new password for you. This is often the fastest fix in a small team, and it's one reason I always recommend having two administrator accounts for a business site, held by two different people you trust.

Why the reset email doesn't arrive

Here's the bit people miss. The reset link goes to the email address on your WordPress user profile, which may be an old address, a former employee's inbox, or the address your web designer used when they built the site. WordPress.org also notes that the standard method relies on your email working, and some sites can't send email reliably at all.

• Check your spam and promotions folders.
• Try your username instead of your email address, or the other way round.
• Think about which email you used when the site was set up.
• Wait a few minutes before requesting another link.

Method 4: When nothing else works

WordPress.org documents ways to reset a password directly in the site's database, using phpMyAdmin or the MySQL command line, by changing the password field for your user. It also warns that using phpMyAdmin is at your own risk. Unless you're comfortable with databases, contact your web host instead. Most hosts can reset an admin password or give you access in minutes, and it's far safer than editing tables yourself.

Choose a password you won't lose

• Let WordPress generate a strong password, then save it in a password manager.
• Never reuse a password from another site or service.
• Make sure the email on your profile is one you check every day.
• Add two-factor authentication with a reputable security plugin.

A password reset is a good moment to tighten security generally. My guide to securing and protecting your website covers the basics, and my roundup of website monitoring tools helps you spot anything odd on your site quickly.

After you've reset it

Log in with the new password, then check your profile email is correct so future resets reach you. If you suspect someone else knew your old password, review the list of users for anyone you don't recognise, and change the passwords of any other accounts that shared it. It's a few extra minutes that could save you a lot of trouble.

Reset a password for someone on your team

If you're the administrator and a colleague is locked out, you don't need their old password. Open Users, click their name, generate a new password in the New Password section and click Update User. Then share the new password with them securely, ideally through a password manager rather than email or chat, and ask them to change it to one of their own the next time they log in. It's also a good moment to check the email address on their profile is current, so they can reset it themselves next time.

Signs it's time to change your password anyway

• You've shared it with a freelancer or agency who no longer works with you.
• You've used the same password on another site that's had a breach.
• You notice posts, users or plugins you don't recognise.
• You logged in on a shared or public computer.

My verdict

Click Lost your password? on the login page and follow the emailed link, or change it under Users if you're already logged in. If the email never arrives, it's almost always going to an old address, so ask another administrator or your host for help rather than editing the database yourself.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reset my WordPress password?

Click Lost your password? on the login page, enter your username or email, and follow the emailed reset link.

How do I change my WordPress password when I'm logged in?

Go to Users > All Users, open your profile, click Generate Password, and click Update User.

Why haven't I received the WordPress password reset email?

It goes to the email on your user profile, which may be an old address. Check spam too.

Can an administrator reset my WordPress password?

Yes. Another administrator can set a new password from your user profile.

When does a new WordPress password start working?

WordPress.org says it becomes active immediately.