Are you a WordPress website owner who's suddenly facing the frustrating "Not Found: the requested URL /wp-admin/ was not found on this server" or a similar error message just like in the below screenshot?

You're not alone. This issue can occur for a variety of reasons, leaving you unable to access your website's login page and manage your content effectively. But don't worry, there are solutions!
In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the step-by-step process of restoring your WordPress login page and getting your website back up and running. So, keep reading to learn how to tackle this issue and prevent it from happening again in the future.
Possible Reasons for WP Admin URL is Not Found
- Incorrect or Different Custom URL: This error occurs when you've entered the wrong URL or have set up a custom URL that's different from the default one. This may happen due to manual changes or incorrect settings in your WordPress dashboard. For example, you might have changed the URL in the settings but didn't update it in your browser bookmarks. This can be easily fixed by checking the URL and updating it if necessary.
- Corrupted Website Files: Corrupted files can cause the WP Admin URL not found error. This could happen due to various reasons like a failed plugin or theme update, a malware infection, or a server malfunction. In such cases, you'll need to replace the corrupted files with fresh ones. You can do this by restoring a backup or reinstalling WordPress.
- Plugin or Theme Conflict: A conflict between two or more plugins or themes can also cause the WP Admin URL not found error. This can occur due to an outdated or incompatible plugin or theme or a faulty code snippet. In such cases, you'll need to troubleshoot the plugins and themes by deactivating them one by one until you find the culprit.
- Web Server Issues: Issues with the web server can also cause the WP Admin URL not found error. This can occur due to server downtime, server misconfiguration, or server overload. You can check the server logs or contact your hosting provider to resolve the issue.
- Website Got Hacked: A hacked website can also lead to the WP Admin URL not found error. Hackers can modify your website's files or settings, making it difficult for you to access your website's login page. In such cases, you'll need to clean up your website's files and database, reset passwords, and implement security measures to prevent future hacks.
Potential Solutions to Fix WP Admin URL is Not Found
- Finding the Correct or Custom URL: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to an incorrect or custom URL, you can fix it by finding the correct URL and updating it. You can do this by checking the settings in your WordPress dashboard or by looking for the plugins that allow you to set up custom URLs.
- Reinstalling WordPress Core Files: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to corrupted files, you can reinstall WordPress core files. This can be done by downloading the latest version of WordPress and replacing the corrupted files with fresh ones.
- Troubleshooting Plugins & Themes: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to a plugin or theme conflict, you can troubleshoot it by deactivating the plugins and themes one by one until you find the culprit. You can also update the plugins and themes or replace them with fresh ones.
- Checking Server Logs: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to web server issues, you can check the server logs to identify the problem. This can help you pinpoint the cause of the issue and take appropriate action.
- Renaming the Htaccess File: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to a faulty .htaccess file, you can rename it. This can be done by accessing your website's files through FTP and renaming the file to something like ".htaccess.bak". This will disable the file, and you can then try accessing your website to see if the error has been resolved.
- Changing the Site URL in the WP Config PHP: If the WP Admin URL not found error occurs due to an incorrect site URL in the WP Config PHP file, you can fix it by updating the URL. This can be done by accessing your website's files through FTP and editing the wp.config.php file to reflect the correct URL. Once done, you can save the file and check if the error has been resolved.
The Problem I Faced & The Implemented Solution
While troubleshooting another issue related to the unstyled and broken WordPress dashboard, I changed some settings from the various plugins, which caused the issue wp-admin URL not being found.
When I tried to access the WordPress admin page, I received an error message that the requested URL was not found. This prevented me from accessing the backend of my website, which is critical for managing my website site.
So after some digging, I found that I accidentally disabled a particular toggle called "Disable dashboard redirection" from the WP Cerber Security Plugin as suggested in the screenshot below.

So to resolve this issue, I changed back that setting to its previous state by turning off the toggle from WP Cerber Security Plugin.
Here are the steps that I followed:
- Go to WP Cerber Dashboard
- Select the Main Settings Tab
- Head over to the Proactive Security Rules
- Disable the "Disable dashboard redirection" which says "Disable automatic redirection to the login page when /wp-admin/ is requested by an unauthorized request"
- Save Changes
By disabling this option, the WP Cerber plugin again started automatically redirecting the user to the login page when accessing the /wp-admin/ URL. This resolved the WP Admin URL Not Found issue, and I was able to access the WordPress backend.
If you're facing a similar issue related to the WP Admin URL not being found, check other security or other plugins installed on the site that allows you to disable the admin page. Also, ensure that you have taken appropriate backups before making any changes to your website.
As mentioned earlier, about the broken WordPress dashboard issue, if you want to learn more then you must check our dedicated tutorial on this issue.
However, during the troubleshooting of the unstyled WordPress dashboard issue, two new problems arose - 1. WP Admin URL Not Found and 2. Failed to Load Resource issues.
If you are also experiencing the Failed to Load Resource issue causing your website homepage to load unstyled HTML, you can check out our separate tutorial that explains the problem and provides a step-by-step solution.
Similarly, if you are facing the WP Admin URL Not Found issue, you can follow the steps provided in this article to resolve the issue.
Preventing WP Admin URL/Page Not Found Error in the Future
If you're running a WordPress website, you may have experienced issues related to WP Admin URL/Page Not Found error, as I did. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to prevent this issue from happening in the future.
- Backing Up the WordPress: Backing up your website regularly can help you restore your website to a previous state if anything goes wrong. You can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus to automate backups and store them securely in the cloud.
- Keeping WordPress Up to Date: Keeping WordPress and its plugins up to date is essential for website security and performance. WordPress regularly releases new versions to fix bugs and improve security. So, make sure to update your WordPress version, themes, and plugins to the latest version available.
- Monitoring Website Security: Monitoring website security is vital to prevent unauthorized access or malware attacks. You can use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to scan your website regularly, detect and block security threats.
- Keep Tracking Website Changes: Keep tracking website changes like plugins and theme settings to find out any possible conflicts or issues. Keeping track of changes makes it easy to identify the problem and revert to previous settings if anything goes wrong.
- Choosing Reliable Plugins & Themes: Choosing reliable plugins and themes is crucial for website stability and security. You can check reviews, ratings, and support documentation before installing any new plugins or themes.
- Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can speed up your website and reduce the risk of server overload, which can cause website errors. You can use CDN services like Cloudflare or MaxCDN to optimize website performance and reliability.
By following these steps, you can prevent WP Admin URL/Page Not Found errors and ensure the stability, performance, and security of your WordPress website.
Conclusion
The wp-admin page not found error can be a frustrating problem to deal with, but with the right steps, it can be fixed quickly and easily. In this article, we discussed the problem and the solution to restore the WordPress admin page while also sharing how we fixed the same problem once we faced it.
We also mentioned two other common WordPress problems and provided links to check out our dedicated tutorials for fixing them.
To prevent the wp-admin URL not being found error from happening again in the future, we recommended several steps to take which you can find in the above section in this post.
Now it's your turn! Have you ever experienced the WP Admin URL Not Found error? What steps did you take to resolve it? Have you tried any of our prevention steps?
Let us know in the comments below! And if you found this article helpful, don't forget to share it with your friends and colleagues who might be facing the same problem.