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Reset Your Joomla Admin Password

Forgot your Joomla admin password? This guide shows several ways to get back in.

CMS and Apps2 min read18 steps

What is Joomla?

Joomla is a free CMS. A CMS (content management system) is a program for building websites without much code. You log in to its admin area to manage your site. Joomla keeps your password in a database. A database is where the site stores its data. The password is scrambled there, so nobody can read it.

  1. Go to yourdomain.com/administrator.
  2. Click Forgot your password?
  3. Type the email address of your admin account and click Submit.
  4. Open your email. Follow the link in the message.
  5. Enter the code, then choose a new password.

If no email arrives, check your spam folder. Your site must also be able to send email.

Method 2: Change it in phpMyAdmin

Warning: You are editing the database. Take a backup first.

  1. Log in to cPanel and open phpMyAdmin.
  2. Click your Joomla database in the left list. Find its name in configuration.php in your site folder if you are unsure.
  3. Open the table ending in _users. The start of the name can differ, such as abc12_users.
  4. Find your admin row and click Edit.
  5. In the password row, choose the function MD5 in the dropdown beside it, if your version allows it.
  6. Type your new password in the value box.
  7. Click Go.
  8. Log in with the new password and then change it again inside Joomla.

Modern Joomla stores passwords in a stronger form. The MD5 trick still works as a temporary way in. Once you log in, Joomla upgrades it. Change the password right away.

Method 3: Add a new super user

  1. Open phpMyAdmin and the _users table.
  2. Click Insert and add a new user with a name, a username and your email.
  3. Use MD5 for the password again.
  4. Open the table _user_usergroup_map. Insert a row with your new user id and group id 8. Group 8 is Super Users.
  5. Log in with the new user.
Tip: After you get in, use a strong password. Joomla also offers two-factor login. It adds a second check, like a code from your phone.

Quick recap

  • Try Forgot your password? first.
  • If that fails, edit the _users table in phpMyAdmin.
  • You can also add a new Super User.
  • Back up the database before editing.
  • Change the password again after you log in.