Note: This article was originally published in 2013. Some steps, commands, or software versions may have changed. Check the current WordPress documentation for the latest information.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn delete default admin user in multisite. WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system (CMS), powering over 40% of all websites on the internet.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • WordPress installation (self-hosted)
  • Administrator access to WordPress dashboard
  • FTP/SFTP or file manager access to server files

How to: delete default admin user in Multisite

As a Multisite user I have struggled with removing the admin rights of the first admin/user created as well as to delete/remove that user. Unfortunately Wordpress does not allow you to change your username, and in case of the user Admin everyone trying to hack into your site is going to try that right off the bat. So then what are your options? One would be deleting that user so that your new super admin has a name no one knows of (word of advice, never publish something with that username… otherwise they will figure that out) or option two: Limit that user’s rights as much as possible so in case it is compromised they are simply a subscriber and can’t do any harm on your site.

So getting back on topic… How can you delete the default admin in a Multisite installation?

Well, for some people seems that option two is their only real choice, but sometimes it actually allows you to delete this user but you need to follow a set of steps to ensure it will allow you and you won’t lock yourself out of WordPress:

  1. Create a backup! Db and Filesystem, but mostly the database. You are sort of about to mess with Wordpress and you know it doesn’t like it.

  2. Create your new SuperAdmin. Make sure you assign Super Admin rights to it.

  3. Change the network email account to your new SuperAdmin email. If for some reason you want to keep that email address just do this temporarily.

  4. For your old admin transfer the posts it owns to another user. Or leave the user with Contributor rights so you can transfer them when you delete the user.

  5. Log out (really important)

  6. Log back in with your NEW super admin account

  7. Remove the rights for each site for your old admin account

  8. Remove the super admin rights on the network site for your old super admin. You can’t do this for the account you are currently logged in.

  9. Once you’ve done that then proceed back to the Network Admin users page and proceed to delete your old admin account.

    1. If clicking Delete won’t work, then select the checkbox and then on bulk actions select delete and proceed. It should ask you to transfer the posts to another user.

  10. You’re done! Hopefully we didn’t break anything. If you did hopefully you did your backup as I mentioned on step 1.

Let me know if this works or if you get stuck. Good luck!  

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Summary

You’ve successfully learned delete default admin user in multisite. If you run into any issues, double-check the prerequisites and ensure your WordPress environment is properly configured.