How to change the WordPress URL from phpMyAdmin in cPanel

After moving a site, enabling SSL or changing domains, the CMS can redirect to an old address or block access to the admin dashboard. In cPanel, you can correct it from phpMyAdmin by editing the siteurl and home values in the options table.

Make this change carefully: a mistyped URL can cause redirect loops. If you are not sure which database the site uses, first check wp-config.php from File Manager.

Before you start

• Have access to cPanel for the affected domain.
• Identify the folder where the site is installed, usually public_html or a subdomain folder.
• Export the database before editing values.
• Define the exact final URL, for example https://yourdomain.com without a trailing slash.

Steps

1. Log in to cPanel and open File Manager to locate the site’s wp-config.php file.
2. Open wp-config.php in read-only mode and copy the DB_NAME value; that is the database name you will review.
3. Go back to cPanel and open phpMyAdmin from the databases section.
4. In the left panel, select the database that matches DB_NAME.
5. Find the table that ends in _options. The prefix can vary, for example wp_options, nh_options or a custom one.
6. In that table, locate the siteurl and home rows. They usually appear on the first table pages.
7. Edit the option_value field for siteurl and enter the exact final site URL.
8. Edit the option_value field for home with the same URL, unless your installation uses a special structure.
9. Save the changes, open the site in a private window and also check access to the admin dashboard.

Values you need to change

Final verification

• The domain opens without redirecting to the old address.
• The admin dashboard loads with the correct final URL.
• In phpMyAdmin, siteurl and home show the same expected address.
• The browser no longer shows a repeated redirect chain.

Common errors

• The site redirects to the old URL → Only one of the two rows changed → check siteurl and home in the options table.
• You cannot find wp_options → The installation uses another table prefix → find the table that ends in _options inside the database shown in wp-config.php.
• A privacy or padlock error appears → The URL uses https:// but SSL is not ready yet → validate SSL in cPanel before testing again.

When to ask for help

Open a ticket if the database does not appear in phpMyAdmin, if the siteurl and home rows do not exist, if the change does not save or if the site belongs to an incomplete migration. Share the affected domain, the expected final URL and the approximate time of your tests.

Recommended reading

• How to export and import a database with phpMyAdmin in cPanel
• How to use File Manager in cPanel to edit files with a backup
• How to check and force SSL in cPanel SSL/TLS Status