
How may I change my Wordpress admin userid?
#1
Posted 06 March 2016 - 08:11 PM
I am not a SQL expert, a Cloudflare familiar, or even an expert on the internals of Wordpress.
I suppose I could negotiate through the various Wordpress files and folders on my site and change a PHP file, if that's all it would take, but I suspect strongly that that's not where it's done.
I could add yet another admin user, but (1) two admin users may not share the same email address and (2) I fear using a different admin username will interfere with post authorship information, among other things.
I've scoured through the Wordpress control panel and my cpanel, and I see no easy manner to accomplish a change of my Wordpress admin username. Is it even possible?
[Edit: Ah, yes, and as you might deduce, I would appreciate an answer appropriate for a simpleton.]
#2
Posted 06 March 2016 - 09:14 PM
The WordPress docs offer a few ways this can be done:
https://codex.wordpr...g_Your_Password
PHPMyAdmin is available through your control panel. If you're not comfortable with that, they also give an option for editing a file and uploading it through PHP.
I would also suggest taking a backup of your account before making changes, just in case something goes terribly wrong.
Hope that helps
█ Scalable shared hosting plans in the cloud! Check them out!
█ Highly Available Cloud Shared, Reseller, and VPS
█ http://www.mddhosting.com/
#3
Posted 06 March 2016 - 09:50 PM
Yes, I've seen the Wordpress doc on it. The ones to which you offered links, FWIW, are about changing the admin *password*, not username. Possibly, from what I see in PHPMyAdmin the principle would be the same: for the database entry I see "username" and "nicename" (?) and an encrypted presentation of the password. Inasmuch as I assume the principle would be the same (editing the database item) I *may* work up my courage and do it after I set up another "fall-back" admin userid...The WordPress docs offer a few ways this can be done:
https://codex.wordpr...g_Your_Password
PHPMyAdmin is available through your control panel. If you're not comfortable with that, they also give an option for editing a file and uploading it through PHP.
I would also suggest taking a backup of your account before making changes, just in case something goes terribly wrong.
Hope that helps
Thanks.
[edit to remove questionable words]
#4
Posted 06 March 2016 - 10:19 PM
Yes, I've seen the Wordpress doc on it. The ones to which you offered links, FWIW, are about changing the admin *password*, not username. Possibly, from what I see in PHPMyAdmin the principle would be the same: for the database entry I see "username" and "nicename" (?) and an encrypted presentation of the password. Inasmuch as I assume the principle would be the same (editing the database item) I *may* work up my courage and do it after I set up another "fall-back" admin userid...
Thanks.
[edit to remove questionable words]
Whoops. It looks like I overlooked that you said user id and not password. I assume you can just edit it directly in the DB, but only WordPress would know for sure. So long as you have a backup or can revert any change you make, you will probably be safe.
█ Scalable shared hosting plans in the cloud! Check them out!
█ Highly Available Cloud Shared, Reseller, and VPS
█ http://www.mddhosting.com/
#5
Posted 13 March 2016 - 05:14 PM
I don't use Wordpress but the following should work.
You could take a look at this link. It has some nice photos showing how to change the username (not user id) in various ways.
http://www.wpbeginne...press-username/
I think the only way to change the actual admin user id without breaking associations to the admin account would be to follow the "Method 1 Create a new user and delete the old one" from the link above. When deleting the existing admin account make sure that you click on ‘Attribute all content to:’ option before actually deleting the existing admin account!
Before getting started, you should be able to change the current admin user email to a different valid email (either an existing one or a new one set up in cpanel for this purpose), then you can use the existing admin email for the new user. Or you can do the opposite and use a different valid email for the new user and once everything is completed, change the email to the desired admin email.
#6
Posted 13 March 2016 - 05:52 PM
I don't use Wordpress but the following should work.
You could take a look at this link. It has some nice photos showing how to change the username (not user id) in various ways.
http://www.wpbeginne...press-username/
I think the only way to change the actual admin user id without breaking associations to the admin account would be to follow the "Method 1 Create a new user and delete the old one" from the link above. When deleting the existing admin account make sure that you click on ‘Attribute all content to:’ option before actually deleting the existing admin account!
Before getting started, you should be able to change the current admin user email to a different valid email (either an existing one or a new one set up in cpanel for this purpose), then you can use the existing admin email for the new user. Or you can do the opposite and use a different valid email for the new user and once everything is completed, change the email to the desired admin email.
Yep, PhilD13, I figured on something like that. I truly thank you for your confirmation and I have bookmarked the link. Now (as stated above) I just have to "bookmark a link for courage". I must say, I wasn't aware of that "Attribute all content to..." business. That is very reassuring.
Thanks again. (Upvoted, of course.)
#7
Posted 19 March 2016 - 12:48 PM
You can't change the main admin account w/o a plugin. I don't think you can delete it either, at least I couldn't. Just do a wp search on "change admin name." It's much easier than trying to change it completely in the editor or messing around in cPanel.
#8
Posted 19 March 2016 - 01:14 PM
You can't change the main admin account w/o a plugin. I don't think you can delete it either, at least I couldn't. Just do a wp search on "change admin name." It's much easier than trying to change it completely in the editor or messing around in cPanel.
I was able to do what I wanted by following a hint offered by a previous poster. That being,
(1) Add a new admin id.
(2) Login as that admin and delete the "old" admin; be prompted, "Either delete all content or attribute to...". Choose "Attribute to [new admin]”.
Voila!
Now, as per "root" user protector,that is completely separate, and in my innocence I had misunderstood. I found that, too, in cPanel. Full control.
If there is another userid in control of something, of which I am not aware, for all my logins to provide complete and full control over my Wordpress site are now userids and passwords to my liking, and I *now* know how to control them.
Thanks to all wise posters here! Problem solved.
Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: wordpress, admin, userid, username
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users