Sometimes it's necessary to change the WordPress Admin Email account. For example, you may want to update your contact information, transfer site ownership.
Without further explanation, I am going to start from beginer to advance guideline.
Beginner Friendly Methods
Not everyone is a coder who works with WordPress. For a non non-coder like me, I will start covering the basic steps for you to change your admin email.
Changing Admin Email via WordPress Settings
A basic step perfect for any WordPress user.
- Navigate to WordPress Dashboard.
- Hover on
Settings > Generaloption. - Find out "Administration Email Address".
- Enter your new email address in this field.
- Scroll and click on "Save Changes".
- Check for the verification message.
- Click the confirmation link and complete the process.
Updating Email through User Profile
It's another user friendly method for updating individual users email.
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
- Navigate to
Users> Profile - Scroll down to the "Contact Info" section.
- Locate the "Email (required)" field.
- Enter your new email address in this field.
- Scroll down and click on "Update Profile".
- Check the inbox of your old email and check for the verification email
- Click on the confirmation link.
Intermediate Methods
We’ve reached the slightly more advanced methods. I say 'methods,' but there’s only one method that qualifies. Here it is:
WordPress Multisite Network Settings
This method is specifically for those running a WordPress Multisite network.
In Multisite, you have a network of WordPress sites, and changing the Network Admin email is slightly different from changing it on a single site.
Step 1: Access Network Admin Dashboard
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard
- In the top-left corner, you should see My Sites
- Click on
My Sites > Network Admin > Dashboard
Step 2: Navigate to Network Settings
- In the Network Admin dashboard, go to
Settings > Network Settings
Step 3: Locate Network Admin Email
- Scroll down the Network Settings page until you find the Network Admin Email field
- This email is used for administrative purposes across your entire network
Step 4: Change the Email Address
- Enter the new email address in the Network Admin Email field
Step 5: Save Changes
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.
Step 6: Verify the Change
- Check the new email address for a verification email
- Follow the instructions in the email to confirm the change
Directly Editing the Database via phpMyAdmin
This method involves manually changing the admin email address in your WordPress database. It's considered advanced because it requires direct database access and carries some risks if not done correctly.
Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin
- Log in to your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel)
- Locate and click on phpMyAdmin under the databases section
Step 2: Select the correct database
- In phpMyAdmin, find your WordPress database from the list on the left
Click on it to open the database
Step 3: Locate the users table
- Look for a table named wp_users (note: the prefix "wp_" might be different if you changed it during installation)
- Click on this table
Step 4: Find the admin user
- Click on the Select data from the top bar.
- In the
wp_users table, locate the row with your admin username - This row should have a user_id of 1 unless you've made changes
Step 5: Edit the email address
- Find the "user_email" field
- Change the email address to your new desired admin email
- Scroll down and click "Go" to save changes
Using WordPress CLI
WordPress CLI (WP-CLI) is a command-line interface for WordPress. It allows you to manage many aspects of WordPress installations, including changing the admin email, without using a web browser.
Step 1: Access your server
- Connect to your server via SSH
Step 2: Navigate to your WordPress installation directory
- Use the
cdcommand to move to your WordPress root directory - Example:
cd /var/www/html/yoursite
Step 3: Verify WP-CLI is installed and working
- Run
wp --infoto check if WP-CLI is installed and functioning
Step 4: Change the admin email
- Use the following command to change the admin email:
wp user update 1 --user_email=newemail@example.com- Replace
newemail@example.comwith the desired email address - The
1represents the user ID of the admin (typically 1 for the first user)
Step 5: Verify the change
- You can confirm the change with this command:
wp user get 1 --field=user_email
Additional WP-CLI commands for user management:
- List all users:
wp user list - Get info for a specific user:
wp user get username - Create a new user:
wp user create username email@example.com
FTP and wp-config.php Method
This method involves directly editing the wp-config.php file to override the admin email address. It's considered advanced because it requires FTP access and modifying a critical WordPress configuration file.
Step 1: Connect to your server via FTP
- Use an FTP client like FileZilla or Cyberduck
- Enter your FTP credentials to connect to your server
Step 2: Locate wp-config.php
- Navigate to your WordPress root directory
- Find the wp-config.php file
Step 3: Download and backup wp-config.php
- Download a copy of wp-config.php to your local machine
- Keep this as a backup in case anything goes wrong
Step 4: Edit wp-config.php
- Open the
wp-config.phpfile in a text editor - Add the following line of code just before the line that says
"/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */": define( 'WP_ADMIN_EMAIL', 'your-new-email@example.com' );- Replace '
your-new-email@example.com' with your desired admin email address
Step 5: Save and upload
- Save the changes to wp-config.php
- Upload the modified file back to your server, overwriting the existing one
Step 6: Verify the change
- Log into your WordPress admin panel
- Check the admin email address to confirm the change
Developer Approach
This method is primarily reserved for developers(Hackerman) or those comfortable with PHP and WordPress hooks. It involves adding custom code to your WordPress installation to programmatically change the admin email.
Custom function in functions.php:
- Access your theme's
functions.phpfile via FTP or the WordPress theme editor. - Add the following code snippet:
function update_admin_email() {
$new_admin_email = 'new-admin-email@example.com';
$current_user = wp_get_current_user();
if ( $current_user->ID === 1 ) { // Ensure we're updating the main admin user
wp_update_user( array(
'ID' => 1,
'user_email' => $new_admin_email
) );
}
}
add_action( 'init', 'update_admin_email' )- Replace '
new-admin-email@example.com' with the desired admin email address. - Save the file and upload it back to your server.
Why is the admin email change stuck waiting for confirmation?
Because WordPress does not apply the change immediately. When you edit the address under Settings then General, it stores the new one as a pending value and emails a confirmation link to the new address. Until someone clicks that link, the site keeps using the old address and the settings screen shows a note saying the change is pending.
This is the single most common reason an admin email change appears to fail. Check the new inbox, including spam. If the mail never arrives, your site is probably not sending mail at all, which is worth fixing with SMTP rather than working around.
To skip the confirmation entirely, use one of the direct methods above. Editing the option in the database or running the WP-CLI command writes the value straight away, which is also the answer when you no longer have access to the old mailbox.
How do you get the admin email in code?
Use get_option( 'admin_email' ), or the shorthand get_bloginfo( 'admin_email' ). Both return the site's administration address, which is what WordPress uses for system notices. It is stored as a normal option, so it is also what the WP-CLI and database methods above are writing to.
Worth keeping straight: this is the site address, not any individual account. The administrator's own login email lives on their user record and is fetched with get_userdata(). Changing one does not change the other, and mixing them up is why password resets sometimes go to an address nobody is watching.
WordPress Admin Email FAQs
Why is my WordPress admin email not changing?
WordPress stores the new address as pending and emails a confirmation link to it. The change only applies once that link is clicked, so check the new inbox and its spam folder. If no mail arrives, the site is likely not sending email and needs SMTP configured.
What is the difference between the admin email and my user email?
The admin email under Settings then General is the site address used for system notices. Your user email sits on your own account and receives password resets. They are separate values, so changing one leaves the other untouched.
How do I change the admin email without access to the old inbox?
Use a method that skips confirmation. Update the admin_email option directly in the database with phpMyAdmin, or run the WP-CLI option update command. Both write the value immediately, so no confirmation link is needed.
Does changing the admin email affect user logins?
No. The administration email only receives site notices such as update and new user alerts. Logins use each account username and password, so nobody is locked out when it changes.
Where does WordPress send admin notifications?
To whatever the administration email address is set to at that moment. That covers core update notices, new user registrations and comment moderation mail, which is why an outdated address quietly means missed alerts.
Final Thoughts
That's all about changing the WordPress admin email. No mater you are a beginner or advanced WordPress user, my guidelines will help you to modify your email ID.
Remember to follow best practices, prioritize security, and choose the method that best fits your needs.
By keeping your admin email up-to-date and secure, you're taking an important step in safeguarding your WordPress site.
