There are few situations more alarming than existence locked out of your own WordPress admin dashboard. If yous've encountered a message reading "Sorry, you are non allowed to access this page" when trying to log in, you lot know the feeling first manus.

Fortunately, there are several solutions at your disposal for troubleshooting this error. With a footling patience, you tin can articulate upward the mistake and go back to managing your WordPress site in no time.

In this post, nosotros'll dig into the "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page" fault and what causes it to occur. So we'll walk you through the many potential solutions to assist yous find the 1 that addresses your specific situation.

Permit's spring right in!

Understanding the "Sorry, You Are Non Allowed to Admission This Folio" Error

Although we're referring to it every bit an "mistake" for the purposes of this post, the "Deplorable, you are not allowed to access this folio" message in WordPress is meant to exist a helpful security measure.

Ultimately, seeing this notification simply ways there's a permissions setting that's blocking you from a sure surface area.

This becomes a problem when you're locked out of a part of your site that you should have permission to enter which, as an Administrator, is anywhere on the backend. When this situation arises, it is ofttimes post-obit a recent update to a theme, plugin, or WordPress core.

You may see the "Sorry, you are non allowed to access this folio" message for a variety of reasons. It might be that WordPress doesn't recognize you lot as an Administrator. In other situations, the information independent in your site'due south core code or in a theme or plugin may not friction match what's in your database.

Additional causes include incorrect information in your wp-config.php file or a site that's running an outdated version of PHP. Whatever the source, this error may preclude you from accessing the entire admin area or just a portion of information technology.

Since it's likely that yous volition not be able to access key settings via the dashboard, you'll need to use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or phpMyAdmin to resolve this effect. Make sure to back up your site and brush upwardly on using these platforms earlier yous dive into the troubleshooting process.

The almost frustrating thing about encountering the "Pitiful, you are not allowed to access this page" notification is that information technology can exist hard to pivot down which of its causes are at play. Fortunately, there are many solutions you can exam out to find the root of the trouble.

How to Fix the "Sorry, You Are Not Allowed to Access This Folio" Mistake in WordPress (eleven Potential Solutions)

Due to its many possible causes, the "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page" error takes quite a fleck of patience to resolve. This long list of solutions may be intimidating only it also covers a diversity of situations to help yous find the right 1 for your site.

1. Restore a Previous Version of Your Site

The simplest and often the fastest way to become back into your WordPress dashboard is to restore your site to an earlier version. A recent change, such as an update, might be the cause of the error you're seeing. Undoing your latest modification should enable you to access your site over again.

Kinsta clients have it piece of cake in this regard. You can restore a WordPress fill-in in your hosting account with a single click:

Restoring a backup in MyKinsta
Restoring a backup in MyKinsta

The drawback to this solution is that y'all may lose your recent changes and will have to notice a style to accomplish your goals without causing the same error again.

For this reason, yous may want to restore your fill-in to a staging site instead. You can then test unlike modifications to make up one's mind what caused the problem. Subsequently uncovering the root of the issue, you can undo the troublesome change to regain access to your site.

2. Disable All of Your Plugins

A specific alter that may be causing the "Sorry, you are not immune to access this page" message on your site is the recent add-on or upgrade of a plugin. If y'all doubtable that this is the case, your best course of action is to disable your plugins one past one.

In the effect that you disable a plugin and the message goes away, you've establish the source of the problem. You lot can and so troubleshoot the issue with that plugin (or practice without it, if information technology'southward not crucial to your site'south functionality).

Of course, if you're locked out of your dashboard entirely, this process gets a picayune tricky. You'll need to access your site using SFTP via a client such equally FileZilla. Once you've done so, navigate to wp-content and detect the sub-directory labeled plugins:

Disable all plugins by renaming the folder
Disable all plugins by renaming the folder

Enter this folder, and and then rename your most recently-added plugin to something like "plugin-name_old". Go dorsum to your site and check to run into if the error is resolved. If not, change the plugin's proper name back and repeat the process with the next one.

3. Activate a Default Theme

Yet another potential cause of this error is that you've recently updated or installed a theme. Your best bet for resolving this problem is to activate a default WordPress theme such equally 20 Xx or Twenty Nineteen.

To do and then without access to your admin area, you'll need to utilize FTP again. Connect to your server with FileZilla and and so navigate to wp-content > themes:

Disable your current theme by renaming the folder
Disable your electric current theme past renaming the binder

The rest of the procedure is fairly similar to the one described above for disabling your plugins.

Rename the binder for your agile theme, and and so return to your site and log in. You should see a notification telling you that the active theme is broken, and a default theme has been reactivated.

Then y'all can troubleshoot the theme. Your site should at least be accessible, albeit with the wrong theme activated.

4. Make Certain You lot're an Ambassador

Some other possibility is that your user role has been inadvertently changed and y'all are no longer listed as an Administrator. This is a common problem with multisite installations. To determine if this is the case, yous'll need to admission phpMyAdmin and expect for the wp_users table:

The WP users table
The wp_users tabular array in phpMyAdmin

Find your username and note your ID. Then, navigate to the wp_usermeta table and notice the wp_capabilties row:

The wp_usermeta table in phpMyAdmin
The wp_usermeta table in phpMyAdmin

If you take Administrator privileges, the meta_value in this row will read:

a:i:{south:thirteen:"administrator";s:one:"1";}

If your wp_usermeta table says something else, you can click on the Edit link and change it. Alternatively, yous tin also create an entirely new Administrator business relationship from phpMyAdmin. To take this route, return to the wp_users table and click on the Insert tab at the superlative of the tabular array:

Change user information in wp_users table
Modify user information in wp_users table

Then, fill in the fields with your new user data. One time you're done, click on the Get button and your new user should appear in the table. Side by side, you'll need to make a note of the ID for this account and head back to the wp_usermeta table.

Click on Insert once more, and fill in the resulting fields with the following data:

  • Unmeta_id: Get out this field blank; it volition be filled in automatically for yous.
  • User_id: Employ the ID from the WP Users table.
  • Meta_key: Fix this value every bit "wp_capabilities".
  • Meta_value: Add the line mentioned above.

You should now exist able to use your new credentials to log in to your WordPress admin surface area. Delete your sometime account or change its user role dorsum to Administrator from the dashboard and delete the new one instead.

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5. Check Your Error Log to Pinpoint the Cause

A smart style to streamline troubleshooting whatsoever problem on your site is to check your server's error log. This may indicate plugin or theme compatibility issues, database errors, or bug with your site's files that are causing the "Deplorable, you are not immune to access this folio" bulletin to announced.

How you view your server's error log will vary depending on who your hosting provider is. For Kinsta customers, this process is as simple as logging into your MyKinsta dashboard. At that place, select the site that's experiencing problems and navigate to Logs:

MyKinsta logs tab
MyKinsta logs tab

Choose error.log from the drop-down bill of fare. If you see ane of the causes of the alarm in your log, then you tin go about fixing it. Otherwise, you'll need to try another solution on this list.

6. Ensure That Your Database Prefix Is Correct

Every MySQL database has a prefix. If this 1 listed in your website's files doesn't lucifer the i listed in phpMyAdmin, and then y'all may see the "Sad, yous are non allowed to access this page" message.

This can occur when migrating your site, including if yous've used a local staging site for development and are now moving to a live server. To check for discrepancies, you'll need to access your wp-config.php file.

Yous can do this via SFTP every bit we've described in previous solutions. Once you're in your wp-config.php file, you should wait for your database's prefix (the default is "wp_"):

Database prefix
Database prefix

And then, log in to phpMyAdmin and look at the prefixes for your database'southward tables. They should match the ones listed in your wp-config.php file, like in the paradigm below:

Prefixes should match those in your wp-config.php file
Prefixes should friction match those in your wp-config.php file

If they don't match the prefix in your wp-config.php file, then you'll need to edit it and so that they do.

vii. Look for Changes in Your wp-config.php File

On a similar note, you should also look for any changes to your WordPress configuration file. This is specially truthful if you were editing this file presently earlier you lot received the "Sorry, you are not allowed to admission this folio" message or if yous suspect that your WordPress site has been hacked.

Y'all tin access your wp-config.php file using SFTP and look for annihilation that seems amiss. Notwithstanding, this procedure is much easier if y'all take some kind of file integrity monitoring or change detection feature in place.

8. Upgrade to the Latest Version of PHP

If your WordPress site is running an outdated version of PHP, this could be the source of your troubles. With that said, even if upgrading PHP doesn't solve this consequence for you, it should improve your site's overall security and operation.

Earlier you commencement the upgrade process, create a backup of your site. You can practice this manually or from your MyKinsta dashboard, even if you're locked out of your admin expanse. One time you've saved your backup, yous'll desire to test to encounter whether your account is uniform with the latest version of PHP. One way to do this is with a WordPress staging site.

Assuming that all goes well, y'all can run the update. Kinsta customers can easily do so past logging into the MyKinsta dashboard and navigating to the relevant site. Then become to Tools > PHP Engine > Change, and select the newest version from the driblet-downwards carte du jour:

How to upgrade PHP version in MyKinsta
How to upgrade PHP version in MyKinsta

If y'all're with another provider, you may be able to follow a similar process via your own control panel. Information technology'southward recommended that you contact your web host for more data.

ix. Evaluate Your File Permissions

Information technology's also possible that your site's file permissions accept been tampered with. In this instance, WordPress may consider you unauthorized to view certain areas of your site, even if you're still listed as an Administrator.

To bank check your site'southward file permissions, yous'll need to apply SFTP to admission your server. In one case you're logged in, enter the public_html directory and bulk-select wp-admin, wp-content, and wp -includes. Right-click on these folders and choose File Permissions:

Checking file permissions
Checking file permissions

In the resulting window, make sure the post-obit options are selected:

  • The Numeric Value is prepare to 755.
  • Recurse into subdirectories is checked.
  • Utilise to directories simply is selected.

Click on OK when you're done. Then, highlight all the other files in public_html, right-click on them, and select File Permissions again:

Setting new file permissions
Setting new file permissions

This fourth dimension, set up the options in the permissions window to the following:

  • The Numeric Value should be 644.
  • Recurse into subdirectories should all the same be checked.
  • Use to files only should exist selected.

Then, return to your site to see if this solves the problem and the "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page" bulletin is gone.

10. Create a New .htaccess File

If none of the to a higher place strategies take worked, you may need to reset your .htaccess file. To exercise so, launch FTP and navigate to your public_html folder. Yous should see your .htaccess file at that place, just if you don't, follow instructions for showing hidden files in FileZilla.

Next, you'll need to rename your existing .htaccess file, like to how nosotros renamed plugin and theme files in earlier solutions. Something recognizable such every bit .htaccess_original or .htaccess_backup is ideal.

Then, correct-click on the file and select Download. Open the file in a text editor and supervene upon its contents with the following:

          #Brainstorm WordPress  RewriteEngine On  RewriteBase /  RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f  RewriteCOnd %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d  RewriteRule . /index.php [L]  #Terminate WordPress        

Rename this file .htaccess and upload information technology to your server. If this file was the source of the "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this folio" fault, then information technology should now be stock-still.

11. Reset Your WordPress Site

In the worst-instance scenario, there may be an installation consequence. To fix information technology, y'all'll have to reset your WordPress site. It's vital that you have a recent backup you tin can restore after this process is complete, as resetting your site will cause you to lose all posts, pages, and user comments.

In that location are several methods for doing this, including via your MyKinsta dashboard, using a WordPress plugin, and by using WP-CLI (the WordPress control line). Information technology's best to relieve this route as a last resort, and so you don't take chances losing your site'south content.

Are you getting the awfully alarming *Lamentable, Y'all Are Not Allowed to Access This Page* bulletin? Try 1 of these methods to get your access back! 🙅‍♂️🔑 Click to Tweet

Summary

Being locked out of your admin dashboard in WordPress is nervus-wracking, to say the least. Chop-chop finding the correct solution to the "Pitiful, yous are not immune to access this page" mistake is vital to both your site and your peace of listen.

In this mail service, we covered a broad range of possible causes and fixes for this issue. Let's recap them speedily:

  1. Restore a previous version of your site.
  2. Disable all of your plugins.
  3. Activate a default theme.
  4. Make sure y'all're an administrator.
  5. Check your error log to pinpoint the cause.
  6. Ensure that your database prefix is correct.
  7. Expect for changes in your wp-config.php file.
  8. Upgrade to the latest version of php.
  9. Evaluate your file permissions.
  10. Create a new .htaccess file.
  11. Reset your WordPress site.

Happy fixing!


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