How do you Log into a WordPress Site?

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Estimated reading time: 2 min

Once WordPress is installed, you may be wondering how to log into your WordPress site to access your website files.

Unlike an HTML website where you may work on your site files in Dreamweaver then upload them to your hosting server, all work on a WordPress site is done in the cloud, right on the website.

Often, new users try to log into their site at WordPress.com. If you installed WordPress on your own hosting server, you own what is called self-hosted WordPress. You do not access your site at WordPress.com, which is a different product.

Logging In

When you installed WordPress, you had to select a username and password. You  need this information to log into your site.

If you can’t find your username, it should have been emailed to the address you selected when installing. If you can’t find it in your inbox, check your spam folder.

Using those credentials, follow these steps to login:

  1. Go to the login area: example http://your-site.com/wp-admin or http://www.your-site.com/wp-admin.  (Replace your-site.com with the actual domain where your site is installed.)
    The WordPress login screen
  2. Enter your username or email address.
  3. Enter your password.
  4. If you want to be automatically logged in when you access the login page, select Remember Me.
    Do not select Remember Me if you work on a shared computer.
  5. Click Log In.

After you log in, you are automatically taken to the WordPress dashboard home page. There are helpful widgets on the homepage that give you news and information about WordPress, stats about activity on your site, and information from plugins such as Yoast SEO and BackupBuddy.

Tips to Keep your WordPress Site Safe

Here are some tips for keeping your login and website safe from hackers and malware:

  1. Don’t share your admin username and password with anyone. If someone needs access to your website, such as a developer, create a new user account for them. In your dashboard, go to Users > Add New. Once that person is finished working on the site, delete their user account or change their role from admin to subscriber.
  2. Only work on your site from a computer that is clean from malware and viruses. Always use a commercial anti-virus product and scan your computer regularly.
  3. For security, use a strong, random password. Never use a password such as your child or spouse’s name, your birthdate, or Password1234. These are easily hacked.
  4. Don’t save your passwords in a Word doc on your computer. If your computer gets hacked, they will have access to your site and hosting account. If you have difficulty remembering the passwords for you website and hosting account, use a password manager such as Last Pass, Dashlane, or RoboForm.
  5. If you need to email your password, use a secure system such as NoteShred. They have a free version but the premium subscription is only $15 per year.
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