How do I reset my WordPress admin password?

Reset the WordPress Admin password via Softaculous

Start by opening cPanel and scrolling down to the WordPress Manager by Softaculous. 

This will take you to the WordPress auto-installer screen. Scroll down to find the installation for which you want to change the password.

Next to the installation whose password you want to change, click the edit icon (a pencil). This will take you to the installation editing screen.

Scroll down to the Admin Account section and find the Admin Password field. Type in a new password – making sure it’s secure and that you can remember it.

Now go back to your site and log in using your new password.

Reset the WordPress Admin password via FTP

Another way to change or reset your passwords is through FTP.

Start by accessing your site using an FTP client or a code editor with FTP included.

Navigate to the root directory of your site:

Now navigate to wp-content/themes and find the folder with the currently active theme in it. In that folder, find the functions.php file. Open it or download it so you can edit it.

It’s always a good idea to make a duplicate of this file first, just in case of any problems.

Now, in the first line, right after the opening <?php, add this line of code:

wp_set_password( 'password', 1 );

The first parameter is the new password: I suggest you use a more secure one than ‘password’. And the second parameter is the User ID. User ID 1 will be the administrator.

Now, save the modified file or upload it to your site in the same location, overwriting the old version of the file.

Your admin password will now be the password you used in the functions file. Log in to your site and check you can access it.

Once you’ve logged in, go back to your functions.php file and remove that line of code.

Using the Lost Password link to Reset Your Password

If you have access to the email account you used to set up your WordPress account, but you don’t know your password, you can use the forgot password link to quickly reset your password.

Browse to your WordPress login page, typically this is located at /wp-admin, such as: https://domain.com/wp-admin. Then click on the Lost your password? link at the bottom.

On the next screen, enter your username or the email address you used for your WordPress account. Click on Get New Password and you will receive a link to create a new password via email.

Check your inbox and click the link in the email you receive. You’ll be taken to a screen where you can reset your password.

Finally, log into your site using the new password with your username or email address. Done.