How to Change Your Default WordPress Username

Every fresh WordPress installation has a default username admin. There is no option to change this username during installation. Because the admin is a well known username, you might get the risk of being brute force attack and could be a disastrous for your Website or blog. To avoid this risk you should change the default username to something unique.

If you have a root access to your webhosting account. Initiate a SSH session. Then connect to your MySQL server by using the following command:

mysql -u username -p

Change username with your MySQL username. It will prompt for your password. Once connected you need to connect to your database. The following command will does the jobs.

use database;

Change database with your WordPress database name. Finally you can change the default username with the MySQL query below.

update `database`.`wp_users` set `user_login` = 'newusername' where `wp_users`.`ID` = 1 limit 1;

You should change database with your WordPress database name and newusername with you desire new username for your WordPress blog.

Type quit to disconnect from your MySQL server.

But if you do not have a root access to your account you can still change the username by using phpMyAdmin. Normally share hosting account do not have a root access. But the database is accessible by using phpMyAdmin. You can access it from your cPanel.

First select your WordPress database its located in the left side.

Then select the table name wp_users.

Now edit the table by clicking the icon that looks like pencil. You will see a screen something like below.

To change the username find a field name user_login. You can find it below the ID field or the second field from the top. The default value is admin. So change it to any name that is unique and you can remember very well. But do not forget to click the button Go to save the change. Congratulation, you just change the default WordPress username. And you can login using your new username.