How To Change The Admin Email In WordPress

If you’re a small business owner or an SEO managing multiple sites, you already know how crucial it is to maintain full control of your WordPress site.

But more than often, we end with this following problem.

A probelm that won’t let you have 100% control on your website.

Not having your email address as wordpress admin email can lead to –

  1. Not getting key site notifications,
  2. Not getting password resets, or
  3. important updates in time or completely not getting at all.

This happens because, sometimes, your freelance developer or former agency might use their own email as the WordPress Admin Email during site development.

For me it was the developer who used his email Id as my WP websites admin email and when he left the job, I could not get hold of him to change it in time.

So, I had to look for solutions.

In this guide, I’ll go through few solutions I tried in my process of changing admin email in WordPress.

You can use any of these solutions to get your site’s admin email squared away and back under your control, without having to rely on a freelancer who might not respond right away.

Four Ways to Change Admin Email Address

Option 1: Change Admin Email via Database (Recommended)

  1. Log in to Your Web Hosting Control Panel (e.g., cPanel) or Use phpMyAdmin:
    • Access the database associated with your WordPress website.
  2. Locate the WordPress Database:
    • Open the phpMyAdmin tool and select your WordPress database from the left panel.
  3. Find the wp_options Table:
    • In the database, locate the table named wp_options. The prefix wp_ might vary if you customized it during installation (e.g., yourprefix_options).
    • Wp_options in database
  4. Search for the Admin Email Option:
    • Look for the row where the option_name is admin_email.
  5. Edit the Email Address:
    • Click Edit next to the admin_email row.
    • Replace the current email address with your new email address.
    • Save the changes.
  6. Verify the Change:
    • Log in to your WordPress dashboard and confirm the new email is updated under Settings > General.

Note – Click on Select data to see actual data.

Option 2: How to Change Admin Email in WordPress Using a Plugin (If You Still Have Dashboard Access)

If you can log in to your WordPress dashboard, you can use a plugin to change your admin email without waiting for confirmation links.

Once saved, double-check under Settings > General that your admin email is updated.

  1. Install a Dedicated Plugin

Popular choices include WP Mail SMTP or Change Admin Email.

2. Adjust Settings Within the Plugin

Many of these plugins feature a straightforward interface where you can directly enter the new email address. The plugin takes care of the behind-the-scenes changes in your WordPress database.

3. Save and Confirm

Once saved, double-check under Settings > General that your admin email is updated.

Option 3: Update Email via Code

  1. Access wp-config.php File:
    • Use an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla) or File Manager in your hosting control panel to locate and edit the wp-config.php file.
  2. Add This Line to Force an Admin Email Change:phpCopy codeupdate_option('admin_email', '[email protected]');
  3. Save and Refresh:
    • Reload your WordPress dashboard to apply the changes.
  4. Remove the Code Afterward:
    • Delete the added line from wp-config.php to avoid unintended future changes.

Option 4: Contact Hosting Suppor

Sometimes, technology can get tricky—especially if you’re a busy small business owner or solopreneur. If you’re completely locked out or uncomfortable with these steps, reach out to your hosting provider. Their support team can update your admin email directly from the database on your behalf.

Extra Steps to Consider After Changing Your Admin Email

  • Double-Check Email Deliverability
    Make sure your email hosting is configured correctly. Test by sending a password reset link or a new user invite to ensure you receive messages.
  • Update User Profiles
    If you have multiple users with Administrator roles, ensure each user has the correct email tied to their own profile.
  • Stay on Top of Plugin & Theme Updates
    Now that you’ll receive site notifications at your own email address, make sure to keep your plugins, themes, and core WordPress version updated to avoid potential security vulnerabilities.
  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
    Adding 2FA to your login process is an extra layer of security that helps keep your site safe from unauthorized access—even if someone gets your password.

Why You Need Full Control of Your WordPress Admin Email

Why the “WordPress Admin Email” matters and what could happen if it’s not in your name:

  • Password Reset and Recovery
    If you ever forget your WordPress password, a reset link is sent to the registered admin email. If you don’t have access to that inbox, you’re locked out of your own site.
  • Site Notifications and Updates
    WordPress, by default, sends essential updates—like plugin vulnerabilities or comments awaiting moderation—to the admin email. If these notifications land in someone else’s inbox, your site could go unmanaged and vulnerable for weeks or months.
  • User Management
    If you’re adding new team members or freelancers, the admin email often receives confirmation notices or role adjustment alerts. Being out of this loop can lead to unauthorized user access or confusion on your team.
  • Business Branding
    A small business thrives on trust and consistency. Having your official company email as the admin contact underscores your brand identity. Clients see a professional operation rather than a quickly thrown-together site still tied to a past developer’s address.

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a mom-and-pop shop owner, or scaling a small business, you should take ownership of your WordPress admin email. It secures your site, keeps communication flowing to the right place, and empowers you to run your online business with confidence.

ABOUT AUTHOR

A tech enthusiast and contributor to numerous blogs and studies, brings a wealth of industry experience. With expertise in emerging technologies, Raj helps businesses and individuals make well-informed decisions. Outside of work, he enjoys keeping up with the latest tech advancements and spending time with family.

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