How to change your WordPress password easily

The security of your website is a top priority. Whether to protect yourself against potential threats, or if you forget your password, changing your WordPress password (regularly) is essential.

In this article, we’ll look at how to change your WordPress password easily, using 3 different methods (from the simplest to the most technical).

We’ll take you step-by-step through the process of renewing your password quickly and securely, even if you no longer have access to your dashboard or the email address associated with your WordPress account.

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Why should you change your WordPress password?

If you find yourself in one of the following situations, you need to change your WordPress password:

• You’ve forgotten your password (don’t panic, it happens to everyone 😉 ).
• Your account has been hacked.
• You have previously shared access to your account with another user, and you no longer wish them to have access.

That said, even if you’re not in one of the situations listed above, changing your password regularly is a very good habit to get into, as keeping your WordPress site secure depends on a number of factors.

As cyber attacks are commonplace, regularly refreshing your WordPress password can limit malicious intrusions.

This is especially true if you’ve been informed of a recent data breach at a supplier you use.

What’s more, whenever you suspect unauthorized access to your dashboard, your first instinct should be to update your WordPress password.

This allows you to secure your site and protect your hard work.

How to change your WordPress password (3 methods)

Change your password via your WP dashboard

The easiest way to change your password is directly via your WordPress dashboard. This is the easiest method, and simply requires access to your WordPress account.

Log in to your WordPress administration, then go to Users > Profile.

In the “Account Management” section, click on the “Set New Password” button.

A new field appears, where you can enter your brand-new password.

Click on the blue “Update Profile” button at the bottom of the page to confirm your WordPress password change.

If you no longer have access to your administration, no problem. Continue reading this tutorial to discover other ways to change your password.

Reset your WordPress password via the login page

If you can’t access your WordPress dashboard directly because you’ve forgotten your password, for example, you can go to the WordPress login page.

By default, it can be accessed from the following URL: votre site.fr/wp-admin

A good security practice is to change the URL of the WordPress login page. You can do this easily with a general-purpose security plugin like the ones we present on this page.

On the WordPress login page, click on the “Forgot your password?” link.

Follow the instructions by entering the email address associated with your WordPress account.

You will then receive an email with a link to reset your password.

Click on this link, and a new page will open allowing you to create a new password.

Change your WordPress password via phpMyAdmin

Another option, more technical but often necessary, is to go directly through the database of your WordPress site.

This method is particularly useful if you don’t have access to your dashboard or the email address associated with your WordPress account, for example.

It requires access to phpMyAdmin, a database management tool usually supplied by your web host.

Modifying a WordPress database is a delicate operation. A mistake can cause your site to malfunction. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, remember to back up your WordPress site before making any changes.

Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin

Connect to the administration interface provided by your hosting provider. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m going to use cPanel, the interface offered by hosting provider bluehost (affiliate link).

Once logged into cPanel, click on “phpMyadmin,” in the “Databases” section:

Step 2: Locate the wp_users table

On the left, select your WordPress site, then scroll down to find the wp_users table.

Note that wp_users is the default name of this table in your database. For security reasons, we strongly advise you to change it. See this tutorial for instructions.

Click on the table in question, then on “Edit,” next to your login.

Step 2: Change your WordPress password

Locate the “user_pass” line, and set a new password in the “Value” column.

In the “Function” column, select “MD5” to encrypt your password.

Finally, save the operation by clicking on the “Execute” button at the bottom of the page.

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Tips for securing your password

Now that you’ve changed your password, why not consider some practices to further strengthen your WordPress password security?

In the face of hacking attempts, a few precautions can make all the difference.

To improve the security of your WordPress password, here are a few recommendations:

• Choose strong passwords containing a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters to strengthen the security of your website.

Need some inspiration? Use a password generator.

• Use unique passwords for each service, so that even if one password is compromised, your other accounts remain secure.
• Use a reliable password manager to store your passwords, such as Dashlane (affiliate link).

• Enable two-factor authentication on your WordPress site to add an extra layer of protection.

By implementing these tips, you increase your chances of keeping your site safe from intruders.

Finally, keep in mind the importance of regularly changing your WordPress password.

Conclusion

In conclusion, changing your WordPress password regularly is an essential step in protecting your site from security threats.

Whether you use your dashboard, your site’s login page, or phpMyAdmin, you now have several effective ways to change your WordPress password with complete peace of mind.

By adopting good practices such as using strong, unique passwords, updating them regularly, and enabling two-factor authentication, you’ll significantly strengthen the security of your WordPress site and keep your work safe from malicious attacks.

Now it’s your turn. Do you use other methods to reset your WordPress password? Which ones? Tell us in the comments!

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Aurore | WPMarmite