How to Log In to WordPress Dashboard

There are various ways to access your WordPress dashboard. Learning them will help manage website content and settings easier. 

One of the most common methods to access the WordPress login page is via direct links. 

A WordPress website with multiple users can benefit from having a custom login. This method will give an additional layer of security since each user will have their own login credentials to access the same WordPress admin area. 

In this article, we will share direct links to access the login page for a WordPress site, including a subdirectory and a subdomain, explain how to log in to WordPress faster, and fix the most common WordPress login issues.

Video Tutorial on How to Access and Use WordPress Dashboard

Find out how to access and use your WordPress dashboard by following our video tutorial: 

WordPress Login via a Direct Link

One of the most straightforward ways to access your WordPress login page is by using a direct link. However, you will need to know your WordPress login credentials for this method. 

The credentials refer to the username and password website owners or administrators set up during the WordPress installation. 

Here are the steps to access your WordPress admin dashboard using a direct link: 

1. Head to your web browser’s address bar and insert your WordPress site URL with any of the following paths: 

• www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin
• www.yourdomain.com/wp-login.php
• www.yourdomain.com/admin
• www.yourdomain.com/login

2. The web browser will open your WordPress login page. Insert your Username or Email Address and Password and click on the Log In button to access your WordPress dashboard. 

WordPress Login via a Subdirectory

To login to WordPress via a subdirectory folder, use the same URL with the subdirectory. Your login URL will look like this:  

• www.yourdomain.com/subdirectory/wp-admin.php
• www.yourdomain.com/subdirectory/login

Then, insert your credentials to login to your WordPress admin area. 

WordPress Login via a Subdomain

Like with a subdirectory, include a subdomain in your site URL when accessing the WordPress admin login page. The WordPress login URL should look like this:

• subdomain.example.com/wp-login.php
• subdomain.example.com/login

How to Set Up a Custom WordPress Login

A WordPress website with multiple users can benefit from a custom username and password. This method will make your website more secure by creating a separate user login instead of having multiple WordPress users using the same credentials. 

Here are the steps to create custom WordPress login credentials:

1. Click on the Users tab on the Dashboard and select the Add New button.

2. Insert a separate WordPress Username, Email, and Password for each user. Check the Send the new user an email about their account box and select the Role depending on the access. Click the Add New User button to finalize the process.  

How to Set Up a Language Selector on the Login Page

If your WordPress site has multiple users that speak different languages, you can implement a language selector on the login page. The selected language will also apply to the registration and password reset pages.

To enable the language selector, you must first install the desired languages in the WordPress admin dashboard. Go to Settings -> General and find the Site Language menu.

Open the drop-down menu and choose a language to install. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Whenever users access the login page, they will see a drop-down menu to select a language. Simply choose one and click Change to switch languages.

How to Login to the WordPress Dashboard through hPanel

One of the login methods that do not require entering your WordPress username and password involves using your hosting account. Your hosting provider can help you login to WordPress directly by logging into your hosting account. 

Here are the steps to access your WordPress dashboard using Hostinger’s hPanel:

1. Log in to your hosting account and choose Hosting from the main menu. Select the WordPress site and click on the Manage button. 

2. Click on the Dashboard button under the WordPress section. 

3. Click on the Edit Website button on the right side of the screen, and the hosting provider will open the WordPress dashboard in a new tab. 

Access the WordPress Dashboard

All of the login methods above will give access to your WordPress dashboard. Here are some of its features to help optimize your WordPress site: 

• Posts – add a new blog post to your WordPress site. 
• Media – the gallery for all media types, from images and videos to audio files. 
• Pages – add and organize the different pages on your WordPress site. 
• Comments – manage the comments you receive from visitors. 
• Appearance – customize your WordPress site design and features.
• Plugins – get additional tools and features using a WordPress plugin. 
• Users – manage the different users that have access to your WordPress site. 
• Tools – check information about your WordPress site’s health and ways to import and export data. 
• Settings – change the settings of your dashboard and WordPress website. 

Tips to Remember Your WordPress Login

There are also different ways to log in to your WordPress dashboard faster. For example, you can bookmark the WordPress login URL or use a password manager. 

Here are five methods to make the login process easier:

Add a Bookmark URL to the Browser

Add the WordPress login page to your browser’s bookmark bar so you won’t have to enter the WordPress login URL each time. This method also helps prevent writing the wrong login link. 

Each browser has its own process to bookmark the default URL to login to WordPress: 

Google Chrome

There are three ways to bookmark a URL using Google Chrome:

• Click on the three dots on the right upper corner of the browser and select Bookmarks -> Bookmark this tab… to mark the tab. 
• Press Ctrl +D on your keyboard. 
• Tap on the star icon next to the login URL. 

You can also edit your bookmark’s Name and Folder on the browser’s bookmark bar.

Mozilla Firefox

With Mozilla Firefox, it is also possible to bookmark a URL by pressing Ctrl + D on your keyboard or clicking on the Star icon. Another option is to click on the hamburger menu in the upper right corner and select Bookmarks -> Bookmark current tab. 

Mozilla Firefox will show a pop-up to Edit bookmark, including its Name and Location. It is also possible to add Tags for the WordPress login URL.

Microsoft Edge

If you are using Microsoft Edge, click the three dots on the right side of the screen and select Favorites. Another option to bookmark the WordPress login page URL involves pressing Ctrl + Shift + O on your keyboard or clicking the Star icon. 

Just like in Google Chrome, there is an option to edit the Name and Folder.

Add a Login URL on the Website Menu 

Another way to speed up logging in to the WordPress admin area is to add the login URL to your menu. The login link will be available on your WordPress site directly with this method. Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Log in to your WordPress admin account and head to Dashboard -> Appearance -> Menus. Either choose a menu to include the login URL or create a new menu. If you do the latter, fill the box next to Menu Name and click on Create Menu. 

2. Add your WordPress login URL under Custom Links. Include the Link Text to be shown on the menu. Click Add to Menu and Save Menu to finalize the process. 

Alternatively, you can use a WordPress menu plugin to do this.

Add a Login Link to the Footer

Besides adding the login URL to the WordPress site menu, you can incorporate it in the footer. To do so, use a WordPress plugin like Theme My Login. 

Once installed, follow the steps below to add a login link by editing your WordPress site footer:

1. Head to Dashboard -> Appearance -> Widgets. Click on the plus sign to add a WordPress block and look for the Theme My Login block.

2. Choose Log In under Action and click on the Update button. 

Use the Meta Widget

If you do not want to use a plugin, another option is to use the meta widget. It is part of the WordPress default setup that adds links to your login page, the site’s RSS feeds, and WordPress.org. 

To do so, head to Appearance -> Widgets and click on the plus sign. Add the Meta block and type the Title you want to show on your WordPress site’s footer. 

Use a Password Manager

You can speed up your login process by saving your credentials. To keep your WordPress username and password secure, use a password manager. This method helps prevent brute force attacks that may target your WordPress account.  

A password manager helps store and generate passwords securely. Here are some of the top password manager applications to consider:

• LastPass – uses a master password to secure multiple accounts in a vault, providing a secure way to share your WordPress password with others. There is a free version for one device type, a Premium plan for $3/month, and a Family plan for $4/month for multiple devices. 
• 1Password – offers password-sharing features. There are two pricing plans – Team & Business and Personal & Family, both with a 14-day free trial.  
• Dashlane – encrypts and autofills your WordPress password with customizable security settings. It offers a Team plan for $5/month and a Business plan for $8/month with a 30-day free trial. 

How to Troubleshoot Access to WordPress Login Page Problems

If you cannot access the login page and admin dashboard, here are some ways to troubleshoot the issue: 

Incorrect Password

One of the most common reasons users cannot log in to their admin dashboard is an incorrect WordPress password. If your username and password do not match, WordPress will show the following error message on the login screen:

If you do not remember your password, click on the Lost your password? link located on the error message or under the WordPress login form. Enter your Username or Email Address, and WordPress will send a link to your email to change your password. 

Error Establishing Database Connection

Another reason you cannot access your WordPress admin dashboard might be your WordPress site failing to establish a database connection. The WordPress site may fail to retrieve and display information from a database due to traffic issues or corrupted files. 

To fix this WordPress database connection error, repair your database or create a new one. 

WordPress Login Redirect Loop

You may also encounter an issue where WordPress keeps redirecting you to the wp-admin page, even after entering the correct login credentials. This is one of the redirect errors in WordPress. 

There are three ways to fix the WordPress login redirect loop issue: 

• Clear browser cache and cookies. 
• Restore the default WordPress .htaccess file.
• Deactivate themes and plugins. 

WordPress Login Disabled

If you fail too many WordPress admin login attempts, login will become disabled to prevent brute force attacks. The error message will prevent you from logging in for another 20 minutes.

When submitting information to the login form, make sure you use the right WordPress password. Click Lost your password? if you have forgotten it. 

Locked Out of WordPress

Other issues that can result in you being locked out of WordPress include: 

• White screen of death. Increase WordPress site memory limit, disable plugins and set the theme to default. 
• Parse error: syntax error. Fix this error using an FTP client.
• Issues with plugins or themes. Fix the corrupted .htaccess file via an FTP client.

Conclusion

Accessing your WordPress dashboard is necessary to create, customize, and manage content on your WordPress site. 

To login to your WordPress admin area, enter your site URL with one of the following paths:

• www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin
• www.yourdomain.com/wp-login.php
• www.yourdomain.com/admin
• www.yourdomain.com/login

Insert your WordPress credentials on the login page to access your dashboard. Use the same URL pattern to access the login page for subdirectory and subdomain WordPress sites.

We recommend creating a custom user login to secure your admin page in case the site has multiple users. 

If you don’t want to insert your WordPress admin credentials, login to WordPress directly from your hosting account. 

We’ve also shared some tips to help remember your WordPress login credentials and troubleshoot login issues. If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the section below.

How to Log In to WordPress Dashboard FAQ