Change wp-admin and wp-login.php using .htaccess in WordPress

Security is a top concern for any WordPress website owner. One of the most effective methods to protect your site is by changing the names of standard login pages, such as wp-admin and wp-login.php. In this article, I’ll show you how to achieve this using only the .htaccess file.

Access the .htaccess file

The .htaccess file is a configuration file located in the root directory of your WordPress installation. You can access it via FTP client or using the file manager in your hosting provider’s control panel.

Add redirection rules

Open the .htaccess file and add the following lines at the beginning:

# Change the name of wp-admin
RewriteRule ^your-new-admin-name$ /wp-admin/ [QSA,L]

# Change the name of wp-login.php
RewriteRule ^your-new-login-name.php$ /wp-login.php [QSA,L]

Replace “your-new-admin-name” with the desired name for the admin login page and “your-new-login-name.php” with the desired name for the login page.

Save and upload the file

Save the changes to the .htaccess file and upload it back to the root directory of your WordPress installation, overwriting the existing file if necessary.

Update internal and external links

Once you’ve changed the names of the login pages, make sure to update any internal or external links pointing to them. This includes links in your site’s content, navigation menus, and anywhere else login pages can be accessed.

Test the functionality

Visit your new login link and make sure everything works correctly. You should be able to log in without any issues using the new name for the login page.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully changed the name of wp-admin and wp-login.php using only the .htaccess file on your WordPress site. This simple change can help improve your site’s security by making login pages less predictable for potential attackers.

Remember, security is an ongoing process, so be sure to keep your site up to date and implement additional security measures as needed.

I hope this guide has been helpful. Good luck and keep your site secure!