You have your Forgot WordPress password and can no longer access the admin area of your website? In most cases, access can be reset directly via WordPress's built-in password recovery. For this, you normally only need access to the email address associated with your WordPress user account.
If the recovery email does not arrive or you no longer have access to the registered email address, there are other options available. With access to your CURIAWEB hosting, for example, you can check which administrator is configured in WordPress and reset the password via the database if necessary.
In this guide, we will go through the various options one by one. Always start with the standard WordPress password recovery and only resort to technical methods like phpMyAdmin if the regular way does not work.
Briefly explained: Open the WordPress login page, click on „Forgot password?“ and enter your username or email address. WordPress will then send you a link you can use to set a new password.
Where can I find the WordPress login page? #
On a standard WordPress installation, you can usually access the login page via:
or:
Replace your-domain.ch through your actual domain.
If you /wp-admin/ you access and are not logged in, WordPress normally redirects you to the login page automatically.
If WordPress was installed in a subdirectory, this directory also belongs to the address. With an installation in the directory blog could the call look like this, for example:
Reset WordPress password via „Lost your password?“ #
Integrated password recovery is the easiest and most secure way if you no longer know your password.
Reset WordPress password #
- Open the login page of your WordPress website.
- Click below the login form on „Forgot password?“.
- Give your WordPress username or your registered e-mail address one.
- Click on „New password“ or the displayed button to request recovery.
- Open the email inbox of the WordPress user in question.
- Open the password reset message sent by WordPress.
- Click on the link contained within it.
- Set a new, strong password.
- Save the password securely, ideally in a password manager.
- Log back in to WordPress with the new password.
WordPress usually suggests a strong password itself when resetting. You can use this one or set your own password.
Recommendation: Use a long and unique password that you do not use for any other service. A password manager can generate secure passwords and store them for you.
Username or email address: What do I need to enter? #
For password recovery on a standard WordPress installation, you can your username or the e-mail address registered to the user account use.
This is helpful if you no longer know your WordPress username, but still remember which email address was used for the account.
Note that the email address of your WordPress user does not necessarily have to be the same address you use for your CURIAWEB customer center.
WordPress password and CURIAWEB password are not the same #
During troubleshooting, various credentials are often confused with one another.
The WordPress password belongs to a user within your WordPress installation. It is independent of other credentials such as:
- CURIAWEB Customer Center
- cPanel
- FTP
- email mailboxes
- database users
When you reset your WordPress password, these other passwords will not be changed.
Didn't receive a password reset email? #
If no email arrives after the password request, it does not automatically mean that WordPress is not working.
First, check the simple causes:
- Wait a few minutes and check your inbox again.
- Check the spam or junk folder.
- Check if you used the correct email address or username.
- Check whether the email mailbox in question can receive messages in general.
- Check existing spam filters or filter rules.
If other WordPress system messages are also not being delivered reliably, the configuration of outgoing email sending may be the cause.
Why WordPress emails sometimes don't arrive #
WordPress must be able to send emails for various functions. These include password resets, user notifications, and messages from contact forms, among others.
By default, a WordPress installation uses the mail function available on the web server for this purpose. Depending on the configuration and sender, however, a message may not be delivered reliably, may be rejected by the receiving mail server, or may be classified as spam.
For more reliable shipping, it is therefore often recommended to use SMTP. WordPress authenticates with a designated mail server and sends messages through it.
CURIAWEB is available for this purpose GoSMTP PRO free available. We explain the setup step by step in our guide Send WordPress emails via SMTP.
Important: If you are currently completely locked out of WordPress, you cannot simply configure an SMTP plugin via the dashboard. The SMTP configuration is primarily important to prevent future delivery problems. For the current recovery, you may need an alternative method.
Password link has expired or does not work #
A password reset link is not intended to be used permanently. If an older link no longer works, request a new one via „Forgot password?“ simply start a new one.
If you have requested multiple recovery emails, use the most recently requested message and the link contained within it.
Do not request an unnecessary number of password resets in quick succession. This makes it harder to keep track of which recovery message is current.
The administrator's email address is no longer reachable #
It gets more difficult if you know which WordPress account is affected, but no longer have access to the email address associated with it.
In this case, the normal password recovery cannot be completed because you cannot receive or open the recovery link.
If you still have access to your hosting and the WordPress database, access can still be restored. One possibility is to change the password of the relevant WordPress user directly via phpMyAdmin to be reset.
Since changes to the database must be carried out carefully, we cover this process in a separate guide: Change WordPress admin password via phpMyAdmin.
What is phpMyAdmin? #
phpMyAdmin is a web-based management interface for MySQL or MariaDB databases. With WordPress hosting, you can use it to access your website's database directly.
WordPress stores numerous information in its database. This also includes user accounts and the password hashes required for authentication.
With appropriate hosting access, an administrator password can therefore be reset even if the normal WordPress password recovery is no longer available.
Attention: phpMyAdmin provides direct access to your database. Incorrect changes can impair the functionality of your WordPress website. Do not change any values there on a whim.
Which method should I use first? #
For password recovery, you should always start with the simplest method.
Recommended order #
- Try normal login again and check your credentials.
- Use „Forgot password?“ on the WordPress login page.
- Check inbox and spam folder.
- Request a new recovery link if the link has expired.
- If emails are not arriving, check whether WordPress has general issues with sending mail.
- Use phpMyAdmin only as an alternative recovery method if the regular way does not work and you have the required hosting access.
This sequence reduces the risk of unnecessary interventions in the WordPress database.
Password manager continues to show the old password #
Sometimes the password has already been successfully changed, but the browser or password manager continues to automatically fill in the old password during the next login.
Therefore, check after a password reset which password is actually entered in the login form.
If your password manager did not save the new password automatically, update the corresponding entry manually.
Browser keeps reporting an incorrect password #
If WordPress continues to report that the login credentials are incorrect, check first:
- whether you are on the right website
- whether username or email address are correct
- whether your browser automatically fills in an old password
- whether spaces were inserted when copying the password
- whether you are actually using the most recently set password value
You can also test the login in a private or incognito window of your browser. This allows you to quickly determine whether saved browser data or auto-filled login credentials are playing a role.
Login page at /wp-admin or /wp-login.php not accessible #
If it is not the password, but already the loading of the WordPress login page that fails, there may be a different issue.
Possible causes include, for example:
- WordPress was installed in a subdirectory
- the login address has been changed by a security plugin
- a plugin is causing an error
- A redirect is incorrectly configured
- the website itself is not reachable
- A server error prevents the request
In such a case, a password reset alone may not help. First, check whether the website is generally accessible and whether you are using the correct login address.
WordPress reports „Error: The username is not registered on this site“ #
Such a message indicates that the entered username does not match an existing WordPress user account.
Check the spelling first. If you no longer remember your username, you can use the email address associated with your WordPress account for password recovery instead.
If this is also unknown and you have hosting access, the existing WordPress users can potentially be identified via the database. However, do not make any changes unless you are sure that you are working with the correct WordPress database.
Multiple WordPress websites in the same hosting #
If you run multiple WordPress installations, make sure you reset the password for the correct website.
Every standalone WordPress installation usually has its own user management. An administrator account on website-a.ch is therefore not automatically the same account as a user on website-b.ch.
This is true even if the same username or email address was used on both websites.
Can CURIAWEB see my WordPress password? #
No. WordPress does not store user passwords as readable plaintext in the database, but rather as cryptographic password hashes. The existing password therefore cannot simply be read out from the WordPress database and displayed.
If a password is no longer known, it is reset and replaced with a new one.
This is an important difference: A reputable recovery process will not show you your previous WordPress password.
Check the user profile after successful restoration #
As soon as you have access to the WordPress dashboard again, you should check your user profile.
Open:
User → Profile
Check in particular:
- whether the saved e-mail address is still up to date
- whether you have permanent access to this email inbox
- whether your display name is configured correctly
- whether your new password was saved securely
You should correct an unreachable email address before you need to rely on password recovery again.
Check other WordPress users #
If you are the administrator of your website, it is also worth taking a look at the existing users after the restoration.
To do this, open:
Users → All Users
Check whether all user accounts are known and whether the assigned roles are still needed. Unknown administrator accounts in particular should be investigated more closely.
We explain how user roles work and how to securely manage accounts in detail in the article Managing WordPress users: Properly setting up accounts, roles, and permissions.
Forgot password or was the access compromised? #
It makes a difference whether you simply forgot your password or suspect that another person had access to your WordPress account.
In the event of potential unauthorized access, you should perform additional checks after recovery.
Check among other things:
- unknown administrator accounts
- newly installed or unknown plugins
- unexpected changes to themes
- modified posts or pages
- unusual redirects
- further potentially compromised credentials
Just changing the password is not enough if an attacker has already manipulated files, plugins, or database contents.
Important: If you detect concrete signs of a compromised WordPress website, treat the issue as a security incident rather than merely a forgotten password.
Use a secure password after resetting #
For your WordPress account, use a password that you do not use for any other service.
For example, using the same password for would be particularly problematic:
- WordPress
- your email account
- cPanel
- FTP
- the CURIAWEB customer center
- other websites or online services
If a reused password is compromised in one place, attackers can try to use the same credentials on other services.
We explain in the article how you can regularly change your password if you already have dashboard access and which security rules make sense. Change WordPress password: Securely update admin password in dashboard.
What to do if you lose access completely? #
If neither normal password recovery works nor you can safely work with phpMyAdmin or the WordPress database, you should not make changes to your website on a whim.
As a CURIAWEB customer, you can contact our support in this case. Describe as precisely as possible:
- which website is affected
- which error message is displayed
- whether you still have access to your CURIAWEB customer portal
- whether the WordPress login page is accessible
- whether a password recovery email arrives
The more precise the details, the easier it is to distinguish whether actually only the WordPress password is affected or if there is another technical issue.
Typical mistakes in password recovery #
Many problems with the WordPress login have simple causes. Therefore, check the obvious points first before making any changes to the database.
- wrong WordPress website opened
- incorrect username used
- entered wrong email address
- Spam folder not checked
- used old recovery link
- Browser or password manager is still entering the old password
- Confused WordPress and cPanel passwords
- intervened directly in phpMyAdmin, even though the normal reset was still possible
Note: For a forgotten WordPress password, always begin with „Forgot password?“. Direct intervention in the database is an alternative recovery method and not the normal first step.
Summary #
If you forgot your WordPress password, open your website's login page and use the feature „Forgot password?“. You can enter your username or the email address associated with your WordPress account, and you will then receive a link to set a new password.
If the recovery email does not arrive, first check your spam folder, email address, and the general email delivery of your WordPress website. For reliably configured WordPress mail delivery, CURIAWEB customers have GoSMTP PRO free We explain how to set it up in our manual Send WordPress emails via SMTP.
If you no longer have access to the saved email address or if the regular reset does not work, the password can alternatively be reset via the database with the appropriate hosting access. To do this, follow our separate guide Change WordPress admin password via phpMyAdmin.
After a successful recovery, you should check the email address on file, use a strong and unique password, and, if unauthorized access is suspected, additionally Control WordPress user accounts and administrators.
