How to Change Your WordPress Username

There have been so many bad things happening around the blogosphere the past few weeks. Entire sites being wiped out. Brute force attacks on WordPress users. I did some precautionary things like install Wordfence {more on that later} and made my password complex {so complex that I needed to write it down!}.

But there was one thing that I kept stalling on.

Changing my WordPress username from “admin” to something else.

I was worried that I would screw something up and delete all of my posts. But it literally took 3 minutes to do and I am so glad that I did it.

How to Change Your WordPress Username

1. Login into WordPress with your admin username.

2. Under “Users”, click “Add New.”

3.  Create a new user.

You will have to use a different email than what you are currently using for the admin username. Don’t worry! You can change it later. When choosing a new username, don’t use your name or the same thing you use for a social media handle. Get creative and make it harder for the hackers to crack! Also, make sure you set the new user with an administrator role. Click on “Add New User” when you are done.

4.  Log out of WordPress and log-in now with your new username.

5. Click on “Users” in the “Users” menu. Move your mouse cursor over the “admin” row. You will see links for “Edit” and “Delete”. Click on “Delete”.

6. This next step is the most important step. Select “Attribute all posts and links to” and then select your new username from the drop-down list.

7. Click on “Confirm Deletion.”

Now your administrator username has been changed and all your blog posts have been reassigned to the new user. It seriously took me longer to write this post than to actually do it. You will need to go in and recreate your user settings {links, bio, etc.}.

Looking for other ways to better your blog? Join our Facebook group or check out the posts below.

• How to Back Up Your Blog
• 10 Must Have WordPress Plugins
• 14 Ways to Better Your Blog in 2014: Part 1
• 14 Ways to Better Your Blog in 2014: Part 2