If you cannot get into your website's admin, the message on the screen usually says why. This article explains each one and what to do next.
The two ways in
- Select Administration in the line at the bottom of a page on your website. Most layouts have it.
- Or type
/adminon the end of your website's address.
Either one opens the Sign into the Administration System screen. Sign In to Your Website's Admin, and Reset a Forgotten Password shows the steps.
Messages on the sign-in screen
| The screen says | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A password is required. | You typed an email address but no password. | Type your password, then select login again. |
| Password does not match supplied user email address. | Either the password or the email address is wrong. Passwords are case sensitive. | Check the capital letters, using Show to see what you typed. If it still fails, use Forgot your password? to choose a new one, and check that you are using the right email address (see below). |
| User does not have permission to sign in. | The password is right, but this person does not have Admin on the account. | Sign in as a person who has Admin, or ask one of them to give you Admin. See The People on Your Account. |
A person who has not confirmed their email address cannot sign in either. They confirm it by selecting the link in the email we send them, as The People on Your Account explains. If you cannot find that email, contact us.
Messages on the password reset screen
You reach this screen from Forgot your password?, next to the login button.
| The screen says | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Email address not valid for this website | Your website does not have that address on its list of people. | Try your other email addresses. If none works, see "Which email address is yours" below. |
| Email address does not have permission to log into this website | The address is on your account, but that person does not have Admin. | Use the address of a person who has Admin. |
When the address is right, an email with a link for choosing a new password arrives within a few minutes. If it does not, check your spam folder.
Which email address is yours
Your sign-in is the email address of a person with Admin on your account. Open the Users screen in the Settings menu, headed Website Users, to see every address on your account and who has Admin. If you cannot sign in at all, contact us and we will tell you which address your account has.
If you reset your password and sign-in still fails, the usual cause is that the reset email went to a different address from the one you typed into the sign-in screen. Use the address that received the reset email.
An email about resetting your password that you did not ask for
Nothing changes unless someone selects the link in that email. If you did not ask for it, ignore it. Your password stays as it is.
The sign-in page keeps coming back blank
The admin needs your browser to accept cookies. Allow cookies for your website in your browser's settings, or try another browser, then sign in again. If the page still comes back blank, contact us with your website's address and the browser you use, and we will look.