You’re not alone if you’re having trouble logging into WordPress. Finding your WordPress login page URL and finding out how to access the admin dashboard might be difficult, especially if this is your first time using the CMS or Content Management System.
The good news is that it’s actually rather straightforward after you’ve figured out how the admin section works. You’ll be able to personalize your self-hosted WordPress site, write and publish new articles, manage users, and much more once you’ve mastered the basics of accessing it.
We’ll go over everything you need to know about logging into WordPress in this article. We’ll start by providing you an overview of the WordPress login page, then show you how to log in, identify your WordPress login URL, personalize it, and more. So, let’s begin!
An Overview of the WordPress Login Page
Before we begin, it’s important to remember that this post will cover the steps for login into the open-source WordPress.org CMS, which is also known as self-hosted WordPress:
This is not to be confused with Automattic’s WordPress.com, which is a customized version of WordPress.org. Simply click the Login button in the upper right corner of the platform’s main page to log into a WordPress.com-hosted site:
It will take you to the control panel, where you can access the WordPress dashboard (which looks identical to that of a self-hosted WordPress site):
Alternatively, go to wordpress.com/log-in and you’ll be sent to the login screen instantly. The procedure differs somewhat if you’re using a self-hosted WordPress site. Aside from distinct login URLs, the latter provides greater customization options for the admin dashboard and login page.
The WordPress login page is where you go to go to your website’s admin dashboard, commonly known as the back end. This is where you can do anything you need to personalize and administer your website, such as create and publish content, add and edit themes, and install plugins.
You may also create new users and give them their own login details as the administrator of your WordPress site.
The WordPress login page is crucial because it protects your website from hackers. Creating a secure login environment helps protect your site’s critical data and information from hackers and other criminal agents.
However, you must first understand how to log in to WordPress before you can begin modifying and safeguarding your site. It might be difficult at first, but we’re here to assist you.
Where Can I Find My WordPress Login URL?
You must know which URL to use in order to log into WordPress. The login URL for your WordPress website is usually your domain name plus one of the following:
- /wp-admin
- /login
- /wp-login.php
- /admin
If your website’s domain is example.com, for example, your WordPress login URL may be example.com/login. This isn’t always the case, though.
Assume you’re attempting to access a subfolder (example.com/wordpress/) or a subdomain (blog.example.com) of your main site. If that’s the case, you can go to your WordPress login screen by going to example.com/wordpress/wp-login.php or blog.example.com/wp-login.php.
Your hosting company can also offer you your WordPress login URL. You should receive an email with instructions about accessing and login into your site when you initially set up a hosting account and install WordPress.
Most hosting companies allow you to access your account control panel to visit the dashboard and login page. If you’re a Kinsta* member, for example, you can access your website details by going to Sites on your MyKinsta dashboard:
When you log in to your SiteGround* hosting control panel, you’ll see this information under Websites. If you’re still having difficulties finding your login page, we suggest contacting your hosting company for assistance.
How to Login to the WordPress Admin Panel
One of the most challenging aspects of learning how to log in to your WordPress admin area is figuring out the URL. Once you’ve determined which address to use, you’ll be sent to the WordPress login screen, where you can simply enter your email address or username and password:
If you’re the site administrator, your hosting provider can supply you with your login credentials. You should receive an email with your login information when you set up your hosting account. If your hosting company utilizes cPanel (or, more particularly, Softaculous), you may have been prompted to generate your login credentials during the setup process.
When you log into WordPress, you’ll be sent to the admin dashboard. You may also use example.com/wp-admin/ to get to this page directly:
The WordPress admin panel (also known as the dashboard) is the site’s back end, as previously stated. It’s here that you’ll perform all of the crucial work that goes into building and maintaining your website, such as:
- Page and post creation and updating
- Installing themes and plugins
- Managing and adding users
- Customizing the look and feel of your website
The WordPress admin is essentially where you manage and control practically every aspect of your website. As a result, it’s critical that you understand how to easily log into WordPress.
If you’ve found the login page but can’t remember your password, you may utilize the password recovery option to regain access to your WordPress account. If you click the Lost your password, the link under the login form, you’ll be prompted to enter your username or email address:
A password reset link will be emailed to the email address connected with your account once you submit this information. You may recover or reset your password by following the instructions in that email.
How to Make a WordPress Login Page Shortcut
It’s not always easy to remember the WordPress login URL. The good news is that there are a few shortcuts you may utilize to go to your admin area faster and more easily.
To begin, click the “Remember Me” option located under the WordPress login form:
If you check this box, your browser will remember your website login information and keep you signed in. You won’t have to input your credentials each time you visit your WordPress dashboard this way.
There are additional options for creating a shortcut to your WordPress login page without keeping your login info in your browser. Let’s look at some possible options:
In your browser, save your WordPress Admin page as a bookmark.
You may bookmark your WordPress login page in your browser to create a shortcut. If you’re not familiar with this term, it refers to a method of saving a website or web page so that you don’t have to put in the URL every time you want to visit it.
The method of bookmarking a website differs somewhat depending on the browser. If you’re using Google Chrome, simply click the star icon at the end of the URL address bar to get started. Then modify the site’s name, pick a folder to save it to, and click the Done button:
You may also add it to your favorites bar so that it shows below the address bar in a browser tab when you open it. If you don’t use Chrome, this post will show you how to bookmark a website using any browser.
Create a Login Link for Your WordPress Website
Add a link to the page on your website as another option for generating a shortcut to log in to WordPress. It may be used in the main menu, the footer, or the sidebar. You’ll be able to access it from the front end of your site without needing to remember the login URL. If you intend to have numerous users log in to your WordPress site, this is also useful.
To do so, go to your dashboard’s Appearance > Menus section:
You’ll need to create a menu first if you haven’t already done so.
Then, from the dropdown menu, pick the menu to which you wish to add the link and press the Select button. Select Custom Links from the Add Menus section and enter the following URL for your WordPress login page:
Select the Add to the Menu option, then drag and drop the custom link item into your site’s front-end menu. Click the Save Menu button when you’re finished.
How to Make Your WordPress Login Page More Secure
There are certain actions you can do to improve the security of this screen once you’ve learned how to access your admin area and log in to WordPress. Changing your WordPress login URL is one option.
How to Change the URL of Your WordPress Login
There are a number of other URLs you may use to reach the login page for your WordPress site, as we explained previously. These are useful since they are simple to recall if you are familiar with them.
Unfortunately, this also means that hackers are aware of the URLs that most WordPress sites use to reach the login page. That’s why it’s a good idea to switch up your WordPress login URL.
There are a few various approaches you may take. Manually editing your .htaccess file is one method. However, if you’re not knowledgeable about code, this can be difficult, and you risk destroying your entire site.
Another approach is to utilize a plugin, which we encourage, especially for beginners. iThemes Security Pro is one of our favorites:
This robust plugin comes with lots of security measures that you may use to protect your WordPress site. You may use it to modify the login area’s default URL and require strong passwords to prevent brute-force attacks.
While you may also use WPS Hide Login if you want a more simple and free option.
This popular and lightweight plugin allows you to change your login URL fast and effortlessly. Go to Settings > WPS Hide Login on your dashboard after you’ve installed and activated it:
Then, in the Login URL section, just type in the new login URL path you wish to use. You may also establish a new redirection URL that will be used whenever someone attempts to log in to your site using the /wp-login.php or /wp-admin URLs.
Additional Security Recommendations for Your WordPress Login Page
Changing the URL of your login page is one method of improving security. You may also use the following methods to safeguard your WordPress login:
- Limiting the number of login attempts
- Utilizing Two-Factor Authentication
- Implementing a CAPTCHA
This is especially significant if your site allows open user registration or if your dashboard has multiple numbers of users. Spam and bots can be kept out via 2FA, CAPTCHAs, and other preventative measures. Plugins are the most convenient method to add these features to your site.
The iThemes Security plugin, which allows you to set up 2FA, Google CAPTCHA integration, and login attempt restrictions, has already been covered. Limit Login Attempts Reloaded, Loginizer, and Really Simple CAPTCHA are a few additional popular and highly-rated WordPress plugins worth checking out.
How to Make a Custom Login Page for WordPress
There are additional methods to customize the WordPress login page besides changing the URL and applying security measures to prevent hackers from entering. One option is to replace the login logo with your own (rather than WordPress’).
While this isn’t required, it may be beneficial if you’re building sites for clients or have a large number of users. It may be used to customize and improve the appearance of the login page.
You have two alternatives for changing the logo that shows above the form on your WordPress website login page: directly editing the code or using a plugin. If you know how to code, you may customize the login page using WordPress’ instructions. Otherwise, a plugin is recommended.
You may also use a page builder like Elementor* to design custom login forms. It includes a login widget for creating custom login forms, as well as other capabilities for modifying WordPress content.
Sometimes, you may encounter weird errors related to the WordPress login page. One of the best things you can do is to reach out to professionals so that they can provide you with solutions in detail along with troubleshooting tips.
We hope you found this post useful and were able to regain access to your website! Check out our blog homepage for more useful articles like this one. Don’t forget to sign up for our free lessons by subscribing to our newsletter!
