Administration
Clear WordPress administration guides.
Handle backups, restores, migrations, user access and configuration changes with ordered steps and a clear rollback point.
Tutorials
Guides in this topic
Routine administration can still affect every page, login or database record. Start with a verified backup, choose the guide for your task, and confirm the result before deleting the old copy or changing live DNS.
Backups
How to back up a WordPress site manually
Back up WordPress manually: export the database with phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI, download wp-content via SFTP, and store off-site copies you can actually restore.
Backups
How to restore WordPress from a backup
Restore WordPress from backup: import SQL safely, upload wp-content, fix URLs, clear cache, and recover when a restore breaks login or permalinks.
Migration
How to change a WordPress URL and domain
Change WordPress site URL and domain safely: update siteurl and home, search-replace the database, fix HTTPS, and avoid broken logins after migration.
Access
How to reset a WordPress admin password
Reset WordPress admin password via email, phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI, or functions.php when locked out of wp-admin and the lost password link fails.
Configuration
How to increase the WordPress PHP memory limit
Raise WordPress PHP memory limit in wp-config.php, php.ini, and hosting panels to fix memory exhausted errors during imports, updates, and heavy plugins.
Staging
How to create a WordPress staging site
Create a WordPress staging site: clone with host tools, staging plugins, or manual copy plus URL replace for safe plugin and theme testing.
Migration
How to migrate WordPress to a new host
Migrate WordPress to a new host: export files and database, update DNS, fix wp-config, search-replace URLs, and verify email and SSL after cutover.
Database
How to clean a WordPress database
Clean a WordPress database: remove post revisions, spam comments, orphaned meta, transients, and plugin tables safely without breaking live content.
Users
How to manage WordPress user roles
Manage WordPress user roles safely: assign Administrator, Editor, and Shop Manager correctly, use role editors, and audit plugin access.
Security
How to disable WordPress file editing
Disable WordPress theme and plugin file editing in wp-admin: use DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT, harden security, and edit code safely via SFTP instead.
Keep troubleshooting
More WordPress how-to guides
Move to another topic when the evidence points beyond this part of WordPress. Each guide keeps the diagnosis focused and the next step reversible.
- Errors WordPress error troubleshooting Critical errors, white screens, database failures, and recovery steps.
- Security WordPress security guides Certificates, mixed content, HTTPS redirects, and hardening basics.
- Plugins WordPress plugin tutorials Install, update, deactivate, and roll back plugins and themes safely.
- WooCommerce WooCommerce troubleshooting guides Checkout, payments, shipping, and shop issues that stop orders.
- Performance WordPress performance guides Caching, images, database bloat, and slow admin fixes.
Questions answered
WordPress administration FAQs
Practical answers about backups, staging, migrations, access, databases and configuration changes.
What should a complete manual WordPress backup include?
Back up both the database and site files, including wp-content, wp-config.php and any server configuration you depend on. Store the copy away from the hosting account and confirm that the archive opens and the database export is readable.
How do I know whether a WordPress backup can be restored?
A successful backup message is not proof of recovery. Test the backup on staging or a temporary environment, confirm the database imports, and check that media, plugins, themes, logins and important forms work.
What must change when moving WordPress to a new domain?
Update the WordPress and Site Address values, replace old URLs in serialized database data with a suitable tool, configure DNS and HTTPS, and add redirects from the old domain. Test logins, media, forms and integrations before declaring the move complete.
Can I reset a WordPress administrator password without email?
Yes. Depending on your access, use WP-CLI, phpMyAdmin or a temporary function added carefully to the site. Remove temporary reset code immediately and investigate why normal password email or account recovery failed.
Should I increase the WordPress PHP memory limit?
Increase it only after confirming memory exhaustion in a log. A higher limit can restore a request, but it may hide a plugin, query or import that consumes excessive memory. Stay within the host's configured maximum.
What is a WordPress staging site used for?
Staging is a private copy used to test updates, code, migrations and troubleshooting away from visitors. Block indexing and outgoing customer email, protect access, and avoid copying stale staging data back over new live orders or form entries.
How should I prepare for a WordPress host migration?
Inventory DNS, email, PHP, scheduled tasks, storage and integrations, then create and test a full backup. Lower DNS TTL in advance where appropriate and keep the old hosting available until the new site, HTTPS and mail-dependent forms are verified.
Is it safe to clean the WordPress database?
It can be, but optimisation tools may misidentify active plugin data. Back up first, remove known revisions, transients or orphaned tables in small groups, and check database size and site behaviour after each operation.
Which WordPress user role should I assign?
Give each person the least privilege needed for their work. Reserve Administrator for people who must change plugins, themes, users or site-wide settings, and review accounts regularly when staff or suppliers change.
Should WordPress file editing be disabled?
Disabling the built-in plugin and theme editors reduces the chance of accidental live changes and removes one route an attacker could use after gaining admin access. Keep a controlled SFTP, repository or deployment route for legitimate edits.
Need help with a WordPress admin task?
Explain the change you need and the access you currently have. A BugShield developer can confirm the scope and price before starting.
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