How to Reset the PrestaShop Administrator Password

The following article tells you how to recover or reset the Prestashop administrator password in two ways. It is assumed that you have access to the cPanel and will be using the cPanel File editor to obtain necessary information.

We will also use phpMyAdmin to enter and edit the database in the process of resetting a lost admin password.

Using the Lost Password Function

PrestaShop provides a way to recover a lost password at the login screen for the PrestaShop backend. It’s simply a link that will send the password back to the email address that is the designated administrator email address.

In order to use this method of recovery, you will need to know your email address for the admin login in question.

1. Type in the URL for the PrestaShop dashboard into your internet browser.
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   Beneath the login blank for your password is a link labeled “Lost password?” Click on this link

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   You will then see a small window that will give you the option to type in the Admin address for the password you have forgotten. You will need to know the email address assigned to the administrator login in order to use this recovery method. Type in your email and then click on the SEND button.

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5. After you click on the SEND button you’ll see a small pop up Window confirming that the mail was sent. Check administrator email for the new password to login to the Administrator. The email message will come with a subject of “[Your Store Name] Your new password”. It will be sent from your store Name.

This method of recovering your password will require that you have access to the administrator email that is assigned to your admin login. If you are unable to receive email or do not know the email used for the administrator login, then the second method of password recovery will be the method you will need to use.

Resetting the Administrator password in the database

This method of password recovery will require that you be able to access both the files and the database of your PrestaShop login. The instructions will be using the cPanel File editor and phpMyAdmin in order to obtain the necessary information to reset the password that is stored in the database table.

1. Login to your cPanel, then go to the FILES section and click on File Manager.
2. We will need to edit the SETTINGS.INC.PHP file in order to obtain the COOKIE_KEY before we can change the password in the database. Find your PrestaShop installation files using the File Manager. When you are in the files, look for the CONFIG folder and click on it to see the list of files.
3. In the file list you should see a file labeled settings.inc.php. Right-click then select EDIT or CODE EDITOR to open this file.
4. When you are in the editor look for the line that begins like this: define('_COOKIE_KEY_'

Copy the string of numbers and letters that is between the single quotation marks. Don’t copy the quotation marks! In order to copy it, simply place your mouse pointer at the beginning of the text, left-click, hold the button down and drag to the end of the code.

This will highlight the key. Once all of the text is highlighted, release the left button and right-click (control click on a Mac touchpad or one-button mouse) on the highlight text. Select COPY. This will store the text. You can close the file once you have the key copied.

1. Go back into the cPanel and then select the phpMyAdmin icon in the DATABASES section.
   
2. Once you have phpMyAdmin open, select your PrestaShop database name from the menu on the left side of the page. When your database opens you will see a long list of tables listed on the lefthand side of the screen. Scroll down the list of table names until you find employee. Note that this prefix may vary if it was named differently during the installation. The suffix of “_employee” should still remain though. Left-click on the table to open it.
   
3. Once you have the table opened in the phpMyAdmin editor, you will need to click on EDIT for the Administrator login that you’re trying to reset.
   
4. When you are in the EDIT screen look for the line that starts with the label passwd. This is where the password is stored. You will see the existing value in the field to the right under VALUE. Click in the field, highlight all of the text and clear it with your backspace or delete key.
5. Next, right-click (or control-click on a Mac) in the same field and select PASTE to insert the COOKIE_KEY from the SETTINGS_INC.PHP file from earlier. If you do not see the code that you obtained earlier, please return to steps 1-4 to get the code.
6. When you have finished placing the code in there, the next step is to type in your new password. There should be NO SPACE in between your password and the COOKIE_KEY. Practice good security by making sure that your password is not something easily determined.
   
7. When you have your password typed in, click on the drop-down menu to the left of the value field where you inserted the COOKIE_KEY and typed your password. It will be under the columned labeled FUNCTION. Scroll down the list and look for and select md5.
   
8. When you have selected md5, double-check to make sure your password is correct in the value field and then click on GO in the bottom left corner of the screen in order to commit the change.