LastPass and the Importance of Password Recovery for WordPress Websites
It is a well-known fact that humans are not designed to remember random combinations of alphanumeric characters, which are essentially strong passwords. This is one of the primary reasons why companies like LastPass thrive. Forgetting passwords can be a nightmare, especially when it comes to WordPress websites. Imagine setting up a client’s WordPress site, customizing the theme, installing the plugins, adding the content, and then going out for a beer, only to forget the password you set for the default user. In such situations, there is a quick healing potion available, which is what this post is all about.
WordPress Password Recovery: Two Methods
This post will cover two methods for recovering lost passwords for WordPress websites. The first method involves using phpMyAdmin, which is useful if you are on localhost using WAMP/XAMPP/MAMP. The second method involves using MySQL, which is useful if phpMyAdmin is not installed on your server. Part (b) of this series will cover the second method.
Resetting Your WordPress Admin Password Using phpMyAdmin
The tricky part of this method is launching phpMyAdmin. If you are using WAMP or its variants, simply click on the icon on the taskbar and select phpMyAdmin. If you are on a shared hosting plan and have cPanel, login to cPanel and select phpMyAdmin found under Databases.
Once you are inside phpMyAdmin, select the database that you are using for your WordPress installation. Let us assume the database to be genesis_wp for this tutorial.
Look for a table entry called wp_users and select it. In most scenarios, this should be the case. However, if you have used a different prefix during the WordPress installation, then your user table entry would be different. The default prefix is wp_, hence the table entry wp_users. However, if your prefix was say ptbktwp_, then your user table entry would be ptbktwp_users.
For simplicity, let us consider the default prefix – wp_users. Once the table is loaded, look for the username you had chosen while installing WordPress. In this tutorial, we are assuming it to be the default username – admin. Click on the little yellow pencil icon located next to the admin entry – that’s the edit icon.
Look for the row named user_pass (usually the 3rd one) and make the following changes:
Under the Function field, set it to MD5.
Under the Value field, enter your new password – let’s say mikerotch.
Click on Save Changes.
Now you have successfully changed your WordPress password to mikerotch.
Reset Your WordPress Password Video Guide
If you prefer video tutorials, we have prepared a video tutorial of the entire process. We hope you find it helpful.
Have You Ever Forgotten Your WordPress Password?
Forgetting passwords can be a nightmare, especially when it comes to WordPress websites. Have you ever been in a crazy forgotten password situation before? Let us know in the comments below.
