WordPress login problems tend to fall into a small number of categories. Working through them in order usually finds the fix within a few minutes.
1. Forgotten password
Use the "Lost your password?" link on the login screen. If the reset email never arrives, check spam first, then confirm your site can actually send email (a common issue on shared hosting without an SMTP plugin configured).
2. Reset your password via phpMyAdmin
If email resets aren't working, open phpMyAdmin from cPanel, find your user in the wp_users table, and update the user_pass field using the MD5 function option.
3. Login page keeps refreshing (redirect loop)
This is usually caused by incorrect Site Address or WordPress Address values. Fix them directly in the database's wp_options table if you can't access the dashboard to change them normally.
4. Locked out after too many failed attempts
A login-limiting security plugin may have blocked your IP address. Deactivate the plugin temporarily via File Manager by renaming its folder, then log in and adjust its settings.
5. "Error establishing a database connection"
This points to a database issue rather than a login issue specifically — double-check your database credentials in wp-config.php match what's in cPanel.
6. White screen after entering correct credentials
This is often a plugin conflict. Rename the plugins folder via File Manager to rule this out, then reactivate plugins one at a time.
Key takeaway: Before troubleshooting further, always confirm you're using the correct login URL — it's usually yoursite.com/wp-admin, though some security plugins change it deliberately.