How to Fix a Locked Out WordPress Admin

Getting locked out of your own WordPress dashboard is frustrating, but there are several reliable ways back in.

Common Causes #

• Simply forgetting your password
• Being blocked after too many failed login attempts (a security feature)
• A security or firewall plugin misconfiguration blocking legitimate logins

Option 1: Reset Your Password via Email #

1. Go to your site’s login page (yourdomain.com/wp-admin).
2. Click Lost your password?
3. Enter your username or the email address associated with your admin account.
4. Check your inbox for a password reset email and follow the link.

Option 2: Reset Your Password via the Database #

If the email reset isn’t working:

1. Log into my.apexmanagedhosting.com and open Your Apex Managed Panel.
2. Find and launch phpMyAdmin from the Database section.
3. Select your site’s database, then open the wp_users table.
4. Find your admin username’s row and click Edit.
5. In the user_pass field, enter a new password — select MD5 from the Function dropdown before saving to properly encrypt it.
6. Click Go to save, then try logging in.

Option 3: Use Emergency Password Reset in the Panel #

Your Apex Managed Panel may include a built-in Emergency Password Reset tool:

1. Log into your portal at my.apexmanagedhosting.com.
2. Open Your Apex Managed Panel and look for WordPress Tools or Emergency Access.
3. Select your site and follow the prompts to generate a new admin password.

Option 4: Temporarily Deactivate Security Plugins #

If a security plugin is blocking your login:

1. Connect to your site via SFTP or the File Manager.
2. Navigate to wp-content/plugins/.
3. Find the security plugin’s folder and rename it (add “-off” to the end).
4. Try logging in again.
5. Once you’re back in, review the plugin’s settings to prevent the same lockout from recurring.

Need Help? #

If you need further assistance, contact our support team at [email protected] or start a live chat from any page on apexmanagedhosting.com.