I can’t access the WordPress dashboard: what to do
Access to the WordPress dashboard is essential for managing your site, but it can suddenly be denied. A white screen, errors, endless redirects or credentials that stop working are common situations, and they often cause panic.
In this article I explain the most common causes and what you can (and should not) do to fix them without making things worse.
Error: blank page or empty screen
If you go to /wp-admin or /wp-login.php and see a completely blank page, it is almost always a silent PHP error caused by a plugin or by a function in the theme.
Solution: connect via FTP or the file manager, go to the wp-content/plugins folder and rename the folder of a recently installed plugin (e.g. elementor becomes elementor_old). This deactivates it and lets you see whether it is the cause.
500 error or “Internal Server Error”
This is a generic server-side error. It is often caused by a corrupted .htaccess file, a failed update or permission problems.
Solution: connect via FTP and rename the .htaccess file to .htaccess_old, then try to log in again. If it works, go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save” to regenerate it.
Login error: correct password but access denied
If the password is correct but the login keeps taking you back to the same screen, there may be problems with caching, cookies or security settings.
Try these steps:
- Clear your browser cache
- Try another browser or a private window
- Temporarily deactivate security plugins (via FTP)
Endless redirects between login and homepage
This often happens after installing a badly configured redirect or cache plugin. The site gets stuck in a loop between the login page and the homepage.
Solution: connect via FTP, clear the plugin cache (e.g. WP Fastest Cache, LiteSpeed and so on) and try renaming the plugin responsible.
Hosting, domain or SSL certificate
If the domain does not point correctly to the hosting, the SSL certificate is not configured properly or there is a wrong redirect between HTTP and HTTPS, access to /wp-admin can fail or loop. So check DNS, the WordPress URLs and the SSL certificate before touching the site files.
You forgot your password (and the email never arrives)
If you cannot reset your password because the email does not arrive, you can change it manually in the database. If you need to recover access completely, the guide on creating an admin user from phpMyAdmin may also help:
– Open phpMyAdmin from your hosting control panel
– Go to the wp_users table
– Edit your user’s row and replace the user_pass column with a new password hashed in MD5 (use an online tool to generate one)
When to avoid trial and error
If the site is live and receives visits or bookings, avoid testing without knowing what you are touching. Editing core files or deleting plugins or tables can break the whole site.
Conclusion
Not being able to access the WordPress dashboard is a serious problem, but it can almost always be solved. Before attempting too many changes, identify the cause and act calmly.
If you cannot get back in or are afraid of breaking something, get in touch: I can help you restore access quickly and safely.