Adding administrator rights to an existing user in Wordpress may be necessary for various reasons, such as lost access to an admin account or the need to quickly change a user's permissions. This process requires direct access to the WordPress database, which can be done through phpMyAdmin or another database management tool. It's important to proceed with caution to avoid damaging the database.
Prerequisites
- Access to the WordPress database (usually via phpMyAdmin).
- Basic knowledge of working with databases.
1. Logging into phpMyAdmin The first step is to log in to phpMyAdmin or another database management tool provided in your hosting package. After logging in, locate the database of your WordPress installation.
2. Identifying the wp_users Table In the WordPress database, find the wp_users table. It typically has the prefix wp_, but your installation may use a different prefix. This table contains information about all the users of your site.
3. Changing User Role To change a user's role, you need to modify the wp_usermeta table, where user meta-information, including their roles, is stored. Look for a row where the user_id corresponds to the ID of the user to whom you want to grant administrator rights. The meta_key will have a value of wp_capabilities (again, the prefix may vary). The meta_value for an administrator account usually looks something like this: a:1:{s:13:"administrator";b:1;}.
4. Editing User Role To grant administrator rights to the user, modify the meta_value to the string mentioned above. If the row doesn't exist, you can add a new entry for the user. Make sure to set user_id and meta_key correctly.
5. Verifying Changes After making the change, log in to WordPress with the user account whose role was modified. If the operation was successful, the user should now have access to the admin interface.
Security Considerations
- Always create a backup of your database before making any changes.
- Proceed with caution and ensure you understand each step thoroughly.
- Consider using safer methods for recovering access or changing user roles if possible.
In this article, we've walked through the steps necessary to add administrator rights to an existing WordPress user via database modification. Remember that modifying the database is an advanced operation that should be done with proper care.
