wpadmin isn't accessible when WPML is active

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
The client was unable to access the wp-admin folder after updating WPML.

Solution:
We resolved the issue on the client's staging site by correcting invalid entries in the .htaccess file. To fix this on the production site, we recommend the following steps:
1. Take a fresh backup of your site.
2. Deactivate WPML via FTP to regain access to wp-admin.
3. Log in to wp-admin and navigate to WordPress -> Settings -> Permalinks, but do not close this page.
4. Via FTP, download the .htaccess file from the root folder to your computer.
5. Open the .htaccess file with a text editor, empty its contents, and save.
6. Upload the empty .htaccess file back to the root folder of your site via FTP.
7. Return to the permalinks page in your browser and click 'Save' without making any changes to refresh the .htaccess file with the correct entries.
8. Reactivate WPML and check if you can access /wp-admin/ in another browser.

It's possible that a security, firewall, cache, or SEO plugin may have added the invalid entries to the .htaccess file. If the problem recurs, you can repeat these steps.

Please note that this solution might be outdated or not applicable to your case. If it doesn't resolve your issue, we highly recommend checking the related known issues, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If you still need assistance, please open a new support ticket.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.

Tagged: Documentation request, Exception

This topic contains 7 replies, has 2 voices.

Last updated by ka-hung-peterP 1 year, 4 months ago.

Assisted by: Waqas Bin Hasan.

Author	Posts
March 18, 2024 at 4:28 pm
ka-hung-peterP	I have update my wpml and cause not able to locate the wp-admin folder my website is hidden link.
March 18, 2024 at 5:52 pm
March 18, 2024 at 5:53 pm #15422954
Waqas Bin Hasan WPML Supporter since 05/2014 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Hi, Reference to our recent chat, I've enabled your next reply as private to share the information about the staging/test site. Please reply when you're ready, so we can move further with the investigation. Regards.
March 18, 2024 at 6:18 pm
March 18, 2024 at 10:23 pm #15423581
Waqas Bin Hasan WPML Supporter since 05/2014 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Thank you for the updates, I am trying to connect via FTP to deactivate WPML, so I can then access wp-admin. But looks like FTP credentials are not correct (i.e. Response: 530 Login incorrect). Please check on your side and let me know the correct credentials. I've enabled your next reply as private again, in case if you want to provide different/new credentials.
March 19, 2024 at 2:23 pm
March 19, 2024 at 8:10 pm #15428770
Waqas Bin Hasan WPML Supporter since 05/2014 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Thank you for the updates. I was able to deactivate WPML from FTP and could see the login screen. But unfortunately I am not able to get through, due to "enable cookies" problem on WP login screen. I've tried in 2 different browsers (Chrome and Firefox) with and without incognito mode. I also added the site in browser settings to allow the cookies. I then also deactivated a security plugin via FTP, but nothing works. Please see hidden link my screen recording for a reference. If you're able to login, please remove any security, firewall and/or caching in place. So I can then login and check for the reported problem.
March 20, 2024 at 3:41 pm #15432746
ka-hung-peterP	I just fix the wp-admin issue, can access the wp-admin now. Please continue to troubleshoot the wpml issue on my website. Thanks!
March 20, 2024 at 6:23 pm #15433396
Waqas Bin Hasan WPML Supporter since 05/2014 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Thank you for the updates, I'll check again soon and 'll get back to you accordingly.
March 20, 2024 at 8:07 pm #15433631
Waqas Bin Hasan WPML Supporter since 05/2014 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Thank you for your patience and cooperation. I was able to fix the problem on your staging site. Looks like the .htaccess file in the root of the site had some invalid entries. You can follow these steps to fix this on your production site: Take a fresh backup for the safe side. - Since you'll need to deactivate WPML via FTP in order to get to the wp-admin, please do this. - Then login to the wp-admin. - Go to WordPress -> Settings -> Permalinks and keep this page open for now. - Switch back to your FTP and from the root folder, download the .htaccess file to your computer. - Open it with notepad or a simple text editor. - Empty it and save. - Upload back to the root folder of your site (from where you downloaded), via FTP. - Switch back to your browser's open tab with that permalinks page. - Just hit Save without making any change. This 'll refresh and repopulate the .htaccess with correct entries. - Then feel free to activate WPML and check in another browser that if you can access the /wp-admin/ now. This should work fine. Perhaps a security, firewall, cache and/or SEO plugin added something in the past which wasn't removed properly after deactivating it. But we can't be sure which was it. So you can try the above mentioned steps if this happens again.
March 22, 2024 at 4:50 pm #15441903
ka-hung-peterP	Hi Could you please telling me how to disable wpml? I tried to disable the plugin by renaming wp-content/plugins/wp-seo-multilingual-bak wp-content/plugins/wpml-string-translation-bak wp-content/plugins/wpml-media-translation-bak After this and I still not able to login wordpress. Please help
March 22, 2024 at 5:38 pm #15442028
ka-hung-peterP	The issue was fixed just now. THanks