how to fix WordPress keeps logging me out

Understanding the Issue: WordPress Keeps Logging Out

One of the most common issues faced by WordPress users is being unexpectedly logged out of their website’s admin area. This can arise due to several reasons, mainly revolving around cookie and cache issues, incorrect WordPress URL settings, and server configuration problems.

Step 1: Clear Your Browser’s Cookies and Cache

The first and easiest step is to clear your browser’s cookies and cache. WordPress uses cookies for login authentication, and sometimes, a mismatch or corruption in cookie data can cause the site to repeatedly log you out.

• Google Chrome: Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear browsing data. Check ‘Cookies and other site data’ and ‘Cached images and files.’
• Mozilla Firefox: Go to Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data.
• Safari: Go to Safari menu → Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data → Remove All.

After clearing the data, restart your browser and try logging in again.

Step 2: Confirm WordPress Address Settings

Misconfiguration in the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) settings can also lead to this issue. They must both be identical unless you have given WordPress its own directory.

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Settings → General.
3. Check the ‘WordPress Address (URL)’ and ‘Site Address (URL)’. Both should have the same URL. If your site is accessed with ‘www’, make sure it is present in both URLs, and vice versa.
4. Save changes if you alter anything.

Step 3: Increase Cookie Path

To increase the cookie path, follow these steps:

1. Connect to your site using an FTP client or through the cPanel file manager.
2. Locate your wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
3. Add the following lines just above the ‘/ That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. /’ line:

   define('COOKIEPATH', '/');
   define('SITECOOKIEPATH', '/');
   define('ADMIN_COOKIE_PATH', '/');

4. Save the changes and upload the file back if edited via FTP.

Step 4: Update WordPress Salt Keys

The security keys (salts) in WordPress are used to ensure better encryption of information stored in cookies. Refreshing these salts can force all users to log in again, resolving anomalies.

1. Open your WordPress wp-config.php file as described above.
2. Locate the section with the keys looking like define('AUTH_KEY', 'your_unique_phrase_here');
3. Visit the WordPress Salt Key Generator (https://api.WordPress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/) and copy the newly generated keys.
4. Replace old keys in wp-config.php with the new ones.
5. Save and upload the file.

Step 5: Check Plugins and Themes

A plugin or theme may interfere with the login process. To diagnose:

1. Deactivate all your plugins by renaming the plugins folder temporarily through FTP. Rename the folder back and activate plugins one by one to identify the offender.
2. Switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty to rule out any theme-specific issues.

Step 6: Configure WordPress Hosting Options

Some hosting configurations might end the session prematurely:

1. Connect to your hosting via cPanel or a similar control panel.
2. Look for session settings or contact support to ensure PHP sessions aren’t set to expire too quickly.
3. Ensure sufficient server resources; limited resources can unexpectedly drop sessions.

Step 7: Debugging Further

If all else fails, enable debugging in WordPress to find any underlying issues.

1. Again in wp-config.php, add the following line:

   define('WP_DEBUG', true);
   define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
   define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

   This will log errors to a debug.log file within the wp-content directory, which can provide insights into what might be wrong.

Prevent Future Issues

Maintaining regular updates of WordPress core, themes, and plugins, and using a stable hosting environment can reduce the risk of repetitive logouts and other issues.

By systematically following these steps, you can identify and fix the cause of frequent logouts in WordPress, thereby ensuring a smoother admin experience.