What is WP-CLI?
WP-CLI is the command-line tool for managing WordPress without opening the browser. You can manage users, plugins, themes, database, cache, posts, and even reset user passwords from terminal. WordPress.org describes WP-CLI as a scriptable way to perform WordPress admin tasks from the command line. (WordPress.org 日本語)
This tutorial explains how to reset a WordPress admin password using wp commands.
1. Login to Your Server
Connect to your server using SSH.
ssh username@your-server-ip
Example:
ssh root@188.xxx.xxx.xxx
Or, for cPanel user:
ssh mycpaneluser@your-server-ip
2. Go to Your WordPress Installation Directory
You must run WP-CLI from the WordPress root directory, where wp-config.php exists.
Example paths:
cd /home/username/public_html
or:
cd /var/www/html
or:
cd /opt/lampp/htdocs/mywordpress
Check if this is the correct WordPress directory:
ls -l
You should see files like:
wp-config.php
wp-admin
wp-content
wp-includes
3. Check WP-CLI Is Working
Run:
wp --info
Then check WordPress core status:
wp core version
If you are logged in as root, WP-CLI may block execution. Better method is to run as the website owner:
sudo -u username wp core version
Example:
sudo -u mycpaneluser wp core version
Emergency method only:
wp core version --allow-root
4. List WordPress Users
Run:
wp user list
The official WP-CLI wp user list command shows user fields such as ID, user login, display name, email, registration date, and roles. (WordPress Developer Resources)
Example output:
+----+------------+--------------+----------------------+---------------------+---------------+
| ID | user_login | display_name | user_email | user_registered | roles |
+----+------------+--------------+----------------------+---------------------+---------------+
| 1 | admin | Admin | admin@example.com | 2024-01-01 10:00:00 | administrator |
| 2 | rajesh | Rajesh Kumar | rajesh@example.com | 2024-02-01 12:00:00 | administrator |
+----+------------+--------------+----------------------+---------------------+---------------+
To show only administrators:
wp user list --role=administrator
To show only useful columns:
wp user list --role=administrator --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,roles
5. Reset Admin Password Using User ID
The main command is:
wp user update USER_ID --user_pass='NEW_PASSWORD'
WP-CLI officially supports wp user update for updating an existing user, and the --user_pass=<password> option is used to set the plain text password for that user. (WordPress Developer Resources)
Example:
wp user update 1 --user_pass='MyNewStrongPassword@123'
Expected output:
Success: Updated user 1.
Now you can login to WordPress admin:
https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin
6. Reset Password Using Username
You can also reset password using the WordPress username.
wp user update admin --user_pass='MyNewStrongPassword@123'
Example:
wp user update rajesh --user_pass='Rajesh@Secure2026'
7. Reset Password Using Email Address
WP-CLI also allows user login, email, or ID as the user identifier for wp user update. (WordPress Developer Resources)
Example:
wp user update rajesh@example.com --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
8. Safer Method: Avoid Showing Password in Command History
Directly typing password in command may save it in shell history. Better approach:
read -s WP_NEW_PASS
Type the password and press Enter. It will not display on screen.
Then run:
wp user update admin --user_pass="$WP_NEW_PASS"
Clear the variable:
unset WP_NEW_PASS
Example full flow:
cd /home/username/public_html
wp user list --role=administrator --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,roles
read -s WP_NEW_PASS
wp user update admin --user_pass="$WP_NEW_PASS"
unset WP_NEW_PASS
Nice and clean. No password sitting in your terminal history like a banana peel waiting for future trouble.
9. If WP-CLI Says “Error: This does not seem to be a WordPress installation”
This means you are not inside the correct WordPress directory.
Find wp-config.php:
find /home -name wp-config.php 2>/dev/null
Example output:
/home/example/public_html/wp-config.php
Then go there:
cd /home/example/public_html
Run again:
wp user list
10. If You Have Multiple WordPress Sites
Use the --path option.
wp --path=/home/example/public_html user list
Reset password:
wp --path=/home/example/public_html user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
Example for addon domain:
wp --path=/home/example/addon-domain.com user update rajesh --user_pass='StrongPass@2026'
11. If You Are Using cPanel
Usually WordPress path is:
/home/cpaneluser/public_html
Run as the cPanel user:
sudo -u cpaneluser -i
cd /home/cpaneluser/public_html
wp user list
wp user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
Or from root:
sudo -u cpaneluser wp --path=/home/cpaneluser/public_html user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
12. If You Are Using XAMPP / LAMPP
Example:
cd /opt/lampp/htdocs/mywordpress
wp user list
wp user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
If running as root:
wp user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026' --allow-root
Better:
chown -R daemon:daemon /opt/lampp/htdocs/mywordpress
sudo -u daemon wp --path=/opt/lampp/htdocs/mywordpress user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
13. Create a New Admin User If Existing Admin Is Broken
Sometimes resetting password is not enough because the admin user may be corrupted, deleted, or has wrong role.
Create a new admin user:
wp user create newadmin newadmin@example.com --role=administrator --user_pass='StrongPassword@2026'
Example:
wp user create rajeshadmin rajesh@example.com --role=administrator --user_pass='Rajesh@Admin2026'
Verify:
wp user list --role=administrator
14. Set Existing User as Administrator
If user exists but role is not administrator:
wp user set-role USERNAME administrator
Example:
wp user set-role rajesh administrator
Or using user ID:
wp user set-role 2 administrator
Verify:
wp user list --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,roles
15. Recommended Full Safe Command Flow
Use this when you forgot WordPress admin password:
cd /home/username/public_html
wp core version
wp user list --role=administrator --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,roles
read -s WP_NEW_PASS
wp user update admin --user_pass="$WP_NEW_PASS"
unset WP_NEW_PASS
wp user list --role=administrator --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,roles
If username is not admin, replace it with correct username:
wp user update rajesh --user_pass="$WP_NEW_PASS"
16. Common Errors and Fixes
Error: wp: command not found
WP-CLI is not installed or not in PATH.
Check:
which wp
If nothing returns, install WP-CLI or use full path if your hosting provides it.
Error: This does not seem to be a WordPress installation
You are in the wrong directory.
Fix:
find /home -name wp-config.php 2>/dev/null
cd /path/where/wp-config-exists
Error: Error establishing a database connection
WordPress cannot connect to DB. Check wp-config.php:
cat wp-config.php | grep DB_
Then test:
wp db check
Error: YIKES! It looks like you're running this as root
Better run as site user:
sudo -u username wp user list
Temporary emergency method:
wp user list --allow-root
Error: Permission denied
Fix ownership according to your hosting user.
Example:
chown -R username:username /home/username/public_html
Then run:
sudo -u username wp user list
17. Security Tips After Reset
After login, do these:
wp user list --role=administrator
Remove unknown admin users:
wp user delete suspiciousadmin --reassign=admin
Change your password again from WordPress dashboard if needed.
Update plugins and themes:
wp plugin update --all
wp theme update --all
Check WordPress core:
wp core verify-checksums
Flush cache:
wp cache flush
Final Quick Commands
Reset by username:
wp user update admin --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
Reset by user ID:
wp user update 1 --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
Reset by email:
wp user update admin@example.com --user_pass='NewPassword@2026'
List admins:
wp user list --role=administrator
Create new admin:
wp user create newadmin newadmin@example.com --role=administrator --user_pass='StrongPassword@2026'
Set user as admin:
wp user set-role rajesh administrator
Best safe password reset:
read -s WP_NEW_PASS
wp user update admin --user_pass="$WP_NEW_PASS"
unset WP_NEW_PASS
