Guest Post by Pradeep Kumar S.
Changing the default username of WordPress blog is one of the most elementary security measures for preventing it from being hacked.
By default, the WordPress user name is admin. Normally, people don’t care to change it. By this, you are indirectly helping the hackers.
Changing the default username of your WordPress blog will make the hacker to go wild and make it hard for him to figure out. Twice as much work to do. Here are three easy methods for changing the username.
Note: Before you begin make a backup of your files and your databases.
Three Easy ways to get rid of ‘Admin’
1. Create a new user with administration rights and delete Admin
- Create a new user with all the administration rights and give the user a nickname.
- Now log out and log back in with the new username and delete the original admin user.
Note: The Nickname should not be the same as the username. It is for Public Display, like in comments. (for e.g, If you are Dean Martin, your username can be john-1012 and nickname as Dean Martin)
2. Use a WordPress Plugin
I recommend these two plugins, myself and my friends tried our hands on it. These plugins lets you change user’s login username. Here your author link will correspond to your new username.
Follow the instructions included with the respective plugin.
3. Making changes in the phpMyAdmin
If you use phpMyAdmin to access your database, you can follow these methods as per the instructions. If you are using another program you’ll have slight variations. Beware of that, before doing.
- Back up your database first.
- Use phpMyAdmin to access your database.
- Locate the table labeled WP-User and click browse. This lists all the records in that table.
- Select the record labeled Admin and edit. The edit button looks like a small pencil.
- Then to the field labeled user-login and change that name (admin) to your desired username and save.
- Go to your login page and verify.
Take the first step on securing your WordPress blog – Good luck!
This was a Guest Post by Pradeep Kumar from HellBound Bloggers. Pradeep is an active member of the community and has already written another post on Free WordPress hosts. On his blog, he shares Tech News, Reviews and Tutorials. If you wish to write a Guest Post, you can find the details here.
This entry was submitted by a guest author. If you wish to contribute, please contact me for my terms.
Nice and useful post.Thanks.
Thanks for the words, its from Pradeep 🙂
Proudly hosted by Arun ! 😀
Hi Arun,
Have you seen WP-Optimize .. it does this job along with other optimization options. Actually you can rename any username to other username too.
http://bit.ly/ABcKN take a look 🙂
BTW great tips 🙂
Thanks for the heads up, I just saw the plugin, sounds cool. The ability to apply MySQL commands without PHP, that should help a lot of people without the cPanel. ( I know someone who needs this plugin a lot )
Good job there, keep developing 🙂
Nice one man ! 🙂
Thanks for sharing ! ….
nice info man!!!
really easy way to change !! I was looking for this from some times 🙂
cheers!!
So you have it! Glad that I could be of help to you…
Thanks for the first comment here 🙂
I think third method is more trustful and secure then above two methods.
what you think Arun?
The third method would be better, if you don’t end up in any errors. Using plugins is not my style, and the first method is a work around. 🙂
Yeah ! I agree with you Alok.
But 3rd one needs some guidance for newbies ! 😉
Million thanks to Pradeep and Arun 🙂
You are welcome Anish 🙂
Thanks Anish ! 😉
Pradeep,
Nice post and extremely helpful for wordpress starters…
I liked the key image 🙂
Thanks for the compliments on the Key. My sister’s creativity. 🙂
Thanks Nihar ! 😉
Yeah ! The Key. It is nice.. especially the sephia tone of it ! 😀
Thanks Arun you let me know the importance of changing ‘admin’ username …a great security measure indeed
To pradeep 🙂
Changing usernames also help to keep you blog away from hackers.
usernames is a start, but its not very difficult to find out your current username, so its only a start, but a good one. I think allowing only selective IP’s to login (using .htaccess) is one of the most secure ways, try that too.
Yes! It’s working! I use method 3..
Great! Way to go 🙂
Really excellent advice. I always choose the user name and it does seem to be a basic glitch in wp that this silliness persists.
Thanks a lot for these tricks!
If you install WP via Fantastico installer, they ask for a username, WP should adopt their model. Thanks for your feedback 🙂
Thanks man! 🙂
I’ve tried way number 3 and now my blog is more securer than before.
Way to go 🙂
Not really securer, MohammadFarzanHussain. Maybe Arun forgot to tell you not to use your own name as well…
Thanks for heads-up Okoth but its hard to guess the changed username as compared to the default username (i.e. admin) 😀
that’sa great post. Deleting default user is best for newbies and doing it by using PHPMyAdmin is for advanced users.
Really nice article and I’ve employed several of the suggestions mentioned here on my website, which has only been going for about 4 months.
Thanks for the tips and advice and this can only make other wordpress bloggers blogs a lot more secure, user friendly and I hope others find your guide useful. Thanks, Snix!