Reset WordPress Admin Password via phpMyAdmin

What this problem is

If you cannot log in because the admin password is unknown or the reset email does not arrive, you can set a new password from the database.

Why it happens

• Password was changed and not documented
• Email delivery issues prevent reset links
• Admin account was modified after a migration

Prerequisites

• Hosting control panel access
• phpMyAdmin access to the WordPress database
• Know your WordPress database table prefix (often wp_)

Diagnosis

Confirm you are editing the correct database by checking DB_NAME in wp-config.php.

Detailed steps

Step 1) Open the users table

In phpMyAdmin, open {prefix}users (example: wp_users).

Step 2) Find the admin user

Locate the row for the username or admin email.

Step 3) Set a new password using MD5

1. Click Edit on the user row.
2. In the user_pass field, type a new temporary password.
3. In the function dropdown for user_pass, choose MD5.
4. Save.

Expected result: you can log in with the new password immediately.

Step 4) Change the password again from WordPress

After logging in, go to Users > Profile and set a strong password. WordPress will re-hash it with modern algorithms.

Expected results

• Access recovered to the admin account
• Password stored with modern hashing after you change it in wp-admin

What to do if it fails

• If login still fails, verify the table prefix and that you edited the correct user row
• Check if a security plugin blocks logins by IP
• Confirm cookies are enabled and you are using the correct login URL

Best practices

• Use a temporary password when setting MD5 and change it right after login
• Limit phpMyAdmin access and use strong hosting passwords
• Enable 2FA for admin users