Lightsail: Unable to retrieve WordPress admin password after uploading files

Since then, unable to access WordPress admin dashboard.

What do you mean exactly by “unable to access WordPress admin dashboard”? Are you unable to access the login page? Is your password not working? Do you get a blank screen after entering the password? Please clarify.

Forgot password not of help (https://3.6.56.8/?attachment_id=41) as getting Page not found message.

The password reset page shouldn’t link to an attachment page. This should be the correct password reset link:

https://3.6.56.8/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword

Either Bitnami or your installed security plugin (iThemes Security Pro) is messing with the password reset link. You want to ask Bitnami or iThemes developer for help, or disable this plugin (temporarily) so we see how WordPress itself behaves.

Also, please note that AWS Lightsail has outbound emails from the server blocked by default. You need to open a ticket and ask to be allowed to send emails. So unless you’ve done this already or you’re using an SMTP plugin, you’re not going to receive any password reset emails.

Help appreciated on how to access password. I understand I need to login to connected MySql database of the instance but not sure how to proceed.

Kindly see the official documentation below for various ways to reset your admin password.

Resetting Your Password

@gappiah Thanks for the elaborate reply that is really helpful.

Could you please help me know anyway I can disable iThemes plugin (since unable to access WP Admin dashboard).

@gappiah Yes I can access the login page by typing https://3.6.56.8/admin.

Could you please help me know anyway I can disable iThemes plugin (since unable to access WP Admin dashboard).

Normally, you can disable any plugin by renaming or deleting the plugin’s folder (via FTP, SSH, web-based control panel, or however you access your server files). You can find the plugins folder at wp-content/plugins/.

@gappiah

I have got in touch with AWS customer support. They have confirmed that my block for sending emails removed.

I have also disabled plugin folder (by changing the name of folder).

Yet, nothing changed.

https://3.6.56.8/admin

I am unable to login using AWS credentials provided (username User, password acquired using cat bitnami_application_password). Forgot password option not working.

Is there a way to change password through FileZilla?

@gappiah I have changed the password using the FTP method.

I have changed the password using the FTP method.

I’m glad you managed to get that part sorted out. And I hope you’re able to login to your website now.

But you still need to fix the email issue.

Forgot password option not working.

It seems you don’t actually have a mail server software installed on your Lightsail VPS. WordPress needs a mail server to send out the emails.

If you’re using “shared” or “managed” hosting, your host manages the server and handles all these for you… so they’re never an issue. But if you’re running your own unmanaged (aka self-managed) VPS like Lightsail, you have to install and properly configure EVERYTHING you need yourself.

You have two options:

— Install and configure a LOCAL mail server on your Lightsail VPS. This can be super complicated especially if you’re not familiar configuring Linux servers via SSH.

— Use an EXTERNAL mail server (aka SMTP server). First, you’ll need to get an SMTP service provider (eg Google Gmail/GSuite, Microsoft Office365, Amazon AWS SES, Mailgun, SendGrid SendInBlue, Postmark, etc). Then you’ll need a WordPress SMTP plugin to connect WordPress with your chosen SMTP service provider.

Bitnami themselves recommend you use an EXTERNAL SMTP provider to send emails, as, apparently, their WordPress installer provided in AWS Lightsail does not install a local mail server. Here’s their documentation on this: https://docs.bitnami.com/aws/apps/wordpress/configuration/configure-smtp/

Good luck!

@gappiah Thanks once again for the useful suggestion. I will go ahead and follow. Will get in touch with the outcome.