Are you experiencing continuous refreshing and redirecting on your WordPress login page when attempting to log in to your website?
This problem can restrict access to the WordPress admin area, hindering your ability to manage your website.
In this post, we will guide you on resolving the issue of the WordPress login page refreshing and redirecting.
What Causes the Refresh and Redirect Problem on the WordPress Login Page?
The occurrence of the WordPress login page refresh and redirect error is commonly attributed to inaccuracies in WordPress URL settings or the failure to establish proper login cookies.
Typically, during the login process, WordPress validates your username and password and then sets a login cookie in your browser. Following this, you should be redirected to the WordPress dashboard.
However, if WordPress encounters issues setting the login cookie correctly or if the URL for your WordPress admin area is incorrect, you will be redirected back to the login screen instead of reaching the admin dashboard.
Login page redirection problems in WordPress can also stem from various other WordPress errors, such as the error establishing a database connection, internal server error, or the white screen of death.
With this understanding, let’s explore troubleshooting steps to address and resolve the WordPress login page redirect and refresh issue.
Method 1: Clear Cookies to Resolve Login Problems
When troubleshooting WordPress login issues, the initial and straightforward step involves clearing your browser cookies and cache, as WordPress utilizes cookies for login authentication.
For Google Chrome users, access the browser settings menu and navigate to More Tools » Clear Browsing Data.
Clicking on this option will open the Chrome Settings page, revealing a ‘Clear Browsing Data’ popup.
Within this popup, select ‘Clear cookies and other site data’ and ‘Cached images and files.’
Subsequently, click the ‘Clear data’ button to allow Google Chrome to clear the browser cache.
Ensure that your browser has cookies enabled, restart it, and attempt to log in again. This solution resolves the issue for the majority of users.
For detailed instructions, including screenshots, on clearing cache and cookies in various browsers, refer to our comprehensive guide.
Method 2: Update WordPress URL Settings
WordPress provides settings for both your website URL and the URL of your WordPress installation.
If you had access to the WordPress admin area, you could locate these options on the Settings » General page.
If the configured URLs are incorrect, WordPress may redirect you back to the login page.
Given that access to the WordPress admin area is currently unavailable, you must edit the wp-config.php file to rectify this matter.
The wp-config.php file is a crucial file in WordPress, containing essential settings. Access it using an FTP client or through the File Manager app in your WordPress hosting account dashboard.
Locate the wp-config.php file in your site’s root folder. Edit the file and insert the following lines of code just before the one stating, ‘That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing
define('WP_HOME','https://www.example.com');
define('WP_SITEURL','https://www.example.com');
Remember to substitute ‘example.com’ with your actual domain name.
Once you’ve made these changes, save the file and upload it back to your website.
Visit your WordPress website and attempt to log in. Ideally, this adjustment should have resolved the issue. If the problem persists, proceed to the following troubleshooting steps.
Method 3: Remove .htaccess File in WordPress
Occasionally, the .htaccess file may become corrupted, leading to internal server errors or the login page refreshing issue.
To address this, access your website using an FTP client or the File Manager app in your hosting provider’s dashboard.
Once connected, find the .htaccess file in the root directory of your website and download it to your computer as a backup.
If you cannot locate your .htaccess file, refer to this guide on why your .htaccess file may be missing for assistance.
Delete the .htaccess file from your website.
Additionally, navigate to the wp-admin directory, and if a .htaccess file is present, delete it as well.
Now, attempt to log in to your WordPress website. If successful, it indicates that your .htaccess file was preventing WordPress login.
Once logged in, go to the Settings » Permalinks page in the WordPress admin panel and click on the ‘Save’ button without making any changes. This action will generate a new .htaccess file for your website.
Method 4: Disable All WordPress Plugins
In some cases, WordPress plugins may be the culprit, particularly if there’s a conflict between two plugins.
To easily deactivate all your WordPress plugins, establish a connection to your website using an FTP client or the File Manager app in your web hosting account dashboard.
Once connected, navigate to the /wp-content/ directory. Within it, locate the ‘plugins’ folder, where WordPress installs all your plugins.
Rename the ‘plugins’ folder to ‘plugins_backup’. This action will deactivate all WordPress plugins installed on your website.
For a more detailed guide on deactivating all WordPress plugins when the WordPress admin is inaccessible, refer to our comprehensive tutorial.
After deactivating all plugins, attempt to log in to your WordPress site. If successful, it indicates that one of your plugins was causing the issue.
Method 5: Switch to the Default Theme
WordPress themes may introduce conflicts, especially after upgrading to a newer version of WordPress or the theme itself. To identify whether your theme is causing the problem, it’s necessary to deactivate it.
This process mirrors the deactivation of plugins. Connect to your website using an FTP client. Navigate to the /wp-content/themes/ directory and rename your current theme directory to ‘themes_backup’.
After completing this step, attempt to log in again. If successful, it indicates that your theme was the source of the issue.
To address the problem, reinstall a fresh copy of your theme and check if the issue persists. If it reoccurs, consider reaching out to your theme’s support or switch to a different WordPress theme.