Learn to change MySQL collation settings in phpMyAdmin

This article describes how to use phpMyAdmin to modify the collation settings for MySQL databases and tables.

MySQL allows you to store and handle data in a wide range of languages using multiple character sets.
MySQL employs a set of rules to determine the sorting order and quality for certain operations, such as comparing two strings. We refer to this collection of rules as collation.

You can use the phpMyAdmin tool in cPanel to alter a database or table’s collation based on the character set that you wish to use for string data.

# Steps to change default collation for the database

1. Log in to cPanel account.

2. In the cPanel home screen go to the Databases section and click on phpMyAdmin.

Now, the phpMyAdmin administration page will appear in a window.

3. On the left side of the panel, click on the name of the database that you want to modify.

4. Click on Operations at the top of the menu bar.

5. Under the Collation, select the collation that you want for your database, and then click on Go.

# Steps to change the collation for a table

1. Log in to cPanel.

2. In the cPanel home screen, go to the Databases section and then click on phpMyAdmin.

Now, the phpMyAdmin administration page window will appear.

3. In the left side of the panel, click on the + icon that is next to the name of the database and contains the table that you want to modify. phpMyAdmin will expand the view to show the database’s tables.

4. Click on the name of the table that you want to modify.

5. Click on Operations, in the top menu bar.

6. Under the Table options, in the list box for Collation, select the collation that you want for the table and then click on Go.