How to reset WordPress Admin Password on Localhost

In this article, we'll explore the process of resetting the WordPress admin password when working on a local server environment. If you've installed WordPress locally and forgotten the admin password, unlike on a live server where you can reset it via email, this method won't work because local servers typically aren't configured to send emails.

Instead, we'll use phpMyAdmin to reset the password. To begin, access the phpMyAdmin control panel by entering its URL into your web browser:

http://127.0.0.1/phpmyadmin

Once logged into phpMyAdmin, follow these steps to reset the WordPress admin password on your local installation:

1. Select the database associated with your WordPress installation. Locate and click on the table named wp_users. This table contains user data for your WordPress site.

2. Find the row corresponding to the admin user whose password you want to reset, and click the 'Edit' link next to their username.

3. Locate the user_pass column in the row for the admin user. The password stored here is hashed for security.

4. Replace the existing hashed password value with your new desired password. Make sure to select MD5 in the Function dropdown menu next to the password field.
5. Click the 'Go' button to save your changes.

6. Restart your MySQL server to ensure the changes take effect.
7. Return to the WordPress login page in your browser. You should now be able to log in using the new password you just set.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully reset the WordPress admin password directly through the database when working on a local development environment. Remember to keep your new password secure and consider using stronger encryption methods if working in a production environment.