How to Find and Secure Your WordPress Login URL

Can’t find the WordPress login URL?

Don’t worry! Since you’ve landed on this page, we will walk you through the steps to find the WordPress login URL.

But before that, did you know how vulnerable WordPress admin login is?

The WordPress login page is vulnerable to brute-force attacks, which are common cyberattacks that attackers use to target WordPress login URLs.

In this article, we will show you how to find and secure the WordPress login URL. Also, we will discuss four practical strategies for protecting your WP login page.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

Understanding the Default WordPress Login URL

The WordPress default login URL, also known as wp-login.php or wp-admin log-in URL, is the IP address used to access a WordPress login URL.

By default, it can be accessed by adding /wp-login.php in front of your domain.

For instance, you can access the example.com site’s login URL by entering https://example.com/wp-login.php (or https://example.com/wp-admin, which also redirects you to the wp-login.php page) in your browser.

Similarly, someone can also enter your website’s login URL by simply adding wp-login.php after your domain.

Customizing the WordPress Login URL

As we learned in the previous section, accessing the WordPress login URL is easy. Unfortunately, it’s also easy for hackers and attackers. Thus, customizing your WordPress login URL is critical.

In this section, we will learn two ways to customize your login URL. Simply put, we will learn to make your website inaccessible if someone types /wp-login.php in front of your domain.

Changing the Login URL from the Files Manager

⚠️ Changing your WordPress login URL without a plugin requires modifying files from the WordPress files manager. We do not recommend this method unless you know what you are doing.

If you are ready, head to the files manager to get started.

Accessing the files manager can be different depending on your web hosting provider. We recommend checking out your host’s official guide or contacting them immediately. They will help you find the required file.

Usually, you will find it under the public_html folder. File manager >> public_html >> wp-login.php.

Before making any move, make sure to download this file to your device. That way, you can easily replace the corrupted file with your downloaded copy, in case of a problem.

After downloading, open the file in any text editor. Make sure the text editor has a find-and-replace feature; otherwise, you will have to manually scroll through several thousands of lines of code to find and replace wp-login.php.

Using the find-and-replace feature, look for all instances where you can find wp-login.php and replace it with your new URL, such as my-confidential-login.php.

You can test your new login URL by entering https://yourdomain.com/your-confidential-login.php in your browser.

This process is pretty dangerous and hectic, right?

Now, let’s check out the more straightforward way of changing the login URL using AIO Login. 

Using AIO Login

First and foremost, download the AIO Login plugin.

From the WordPress dashboard, navigate to the ‘Plugins’ and select ‘Add New Plugin.’

Search for AIO Login using the search bar. Download the plugin and activate it.

Open your newly installed plugin and navigate to the ‘Login Protection’ tab.

After enabling the feature using the slider, enter your custom login URL in the ‘Login URL’ input box.

Fill in the Redirect URL with the destination you want the applicant to send when they attempt to access your website using wp-login.php on your website. They will land on your homepage if left blank.

Lastly, save changes, and you are good to go!

Common Issues While Accessing WordPress Login URL

You just changed your login URL, but what do you do if you can’t log in to your WordPress? 

In this section, we will troubleshoot common issues when you can’t access the WordPress login URL.

Redirection Issue

Sometimes, the problem is not as deep as it seems. Simple redirection issues can occur because of a slow or unstable internet connection. Before diving deep, it is important to check the basics. Also, check your browser. There might be an extension blocking the necessary cookies. 

Lastly, double-check your login credentials. Often, users think that something is wrong with the WordPress login page and why it is not working, but later, they realize that their caps lock was on.

Cookie Blocking

Cookies and cache are often the culprits when you can’t access your WordPress. These are fundamental to the Internet and can cause login issues when corrupted or blocked. 

Thus, clearing cookies and restarting your browser can solve your redirection issues a lot of times. You can clear cookies using the site information in Google Chrome.

WordPress Hacked

Previously, we talked about the vulnerabilities of an unsecured WordPress login URL. Coupled with a weak password, you just created a new hangout spot for hackers.

Therefore, if you can’t access your wp-login/wp-admin, you might be hacked. 

Hackers can perform cyberattacks, such as a WordPress brute force attack, on your WordPress login URL. Such an attack does not require any advanced software. It uses trial and error to find login credentials or other sensitive information.

Hackers may also use passwords extracted from previous data breaches. In such a case, those accounts using the same password for multiple accounts can easily be breached.

Thus, securing your WordPress admin is necessary. 

In the next section, we will learn a few effective strategies for securing your WordPress login URL from brute-force attacks.

04 Ways to Enhance Your WordPress Security

The first step is changing your default login URL, which secures your WordPress admin URL, which we have already learned. Here are four additional ways to enhance your WordPress security.

01. Use a Strong Password

This one might seem obvious, but an alarming number of people still use weak and easy-guessable passwords. A study done by NordVPN found the password “123456” was used 4,524,867 times in 2024.

It is a complete study of the most common passwords. Check it out and make sure your password is not on the list. If it is, rush to your dashboard and change it right now!

In short, do not use easy passwords. Try password managers instead of relying on your brain’s memory to remember your passwords. If you can easily remember passwords, your password is weak.

It should be a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Before creating a new password, follow best practices, such as not using your or your loved one’s name or the same password for multiple accounts.

02. Limit Login Attempts

As we discussed earlier, brute-force attacks use trial and error to crack your login credentials. This practice requires hackers to use thousands of combinations to find the correct password.

Therefore, limiting password attempts can stop hackers from performing brute-force attacks. You can limit login attempts using AIO Login.

Open AIO Login settings and navigate to the Login Protection tab and Limit Login Attempts subtab.

First of all, switch the enable button.

Go to the second input box and change the Maximum Attempts to the number of attempts you want the user to have before being temporarily locked out.

Switch to the Timeout, which is the time you want the user to be blocked out after a set of incorrect attempts.

Now, write a Lockout Message to be shown to temporarily blocked users.

02. Implement Two-factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, requires one to prove their authentication using another authentication factor after a successful password, usually through one’s mobile. Hence, it traps a hacker who does not have access to your mobile.

This step can protect your website, even if your password is leaked or compromised.

To enable, switch to the Security tab and then the 2FA subtab. You’ll see a toggle switch.

Slide it open, and a QR code will pop up.

After scanning it with any TOTP app such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, etc., Also, copy the string below the QR code to recover OTP in case you lost your phone. After that, click next.

Enter the OTP in the input box and use Verify OTP to verify.

03. Install Google reCAPTCHA

Implementing Google reCAPTCHA can further enhance your login page security. It helps filter incoming traffic and keep bots away!

You can add it by switching to the Google reCAPTCHA sub-tab.

Enable reCAPTCHA using the slider button before selecting version 2 or 3 from the drop-down. 

Enter your WordPress’s unique Site Key in the input box.

Then, paste the reCAPTCHA’s secret key in the following box.

Select your preferred theme, light or dark, and then save the changes.

That’s it! By enabling Google reCAPTCHA, you can significantly enhance the security of your WordPress site and protect it from automated threats.

Final Remarks

Considering the threats while running your businesses online, it’s essential to protect your WordPress login URL using a plugin like AIO Login. It allows you to change the WordPress login URL, implement 2FA, and reCAPTCHA. 

Moreover, you should not neglect the power of consistent monitoring. Verify traffic coming to your WordPress admin login URL. Promptly address the issue if you notice inconsistent or suspicious behavior. Blacklist IPs that are constantly attempting to log in using AIO Login’s ban/whitelist IPs feature.

Frequently Asked Questions