Finding your WordPress user ID number is essential for troubleshooting, custom development, or managing user roles. This guide walks you through five reliable methods to locate your user ID—no coding experience required.
Key Takeaways
- User ID is a unique number assigned to every WordPress user upon registration, used internally for permissions and content ownership.
- You can find your user ID directly in the WordPress admin dashboard without touching any code.
- Database access via phpMyAdmin reveals user IDs in the wp_users table—ideal for advanced users.
- URL inspection works too: edit your profile and check the URL for “user_id=” followed by your number.
- Adding a small code snippet to your theme’s functions.php file displays user IDs on the Users page.
- Plugins aren’t always needed, but tools like “User Role Editor” can help visualize IDs if preferred.
- Always back up your site before making database or code changes to avoid accidental damage.
Why Would You Need Your WordPress User ID Number?
Every time you create an account on a WordPress site—whether as an admin, editor, author, or subscriber—WordPress assigns you a unique numeric identifier called a User ID. This number isn’t visible by default in most interfaces, but it plays a crucial role behind the scenes.
You might need your user ID when:
– A plugin or theme developer asks for it during support.
– You’re setting up custom capabilities using code.
– You want to assign content ownership or troubleshoot permission issues.
– You’re working with WP-CLI or importing/exporting users.
The good news? You don’t need to be a developer to find it. Below are five straightforward methods—from beginner-friendly to advanced—to help you locate your WordPress user ID number quickly and safely.
Method 1: Find Your User ID via the WordPress Admin Dashboard
Visual guide about How Can I Find My WordPress User Id Number
Image source: webplover.com
This is the easiest and safest method for most users. No coding or database access required!
Step 1: Log in to Your WordPress Admin
Go to yoursite.com/wp-admin and sign in with your administrator or editor credentials.
Step 2: Navigate to Your Profile
In the left-hand menu, click on Users, then select Your Profile (or All Users if you’re an admin looking for another user’s ID).
Step 3: Check the Browser Address Bar
Once you’re on your profile edit page, look at the URL in your browser. It will look something like this:
https://yoursite.com/wp-admin/profile.php?user_id=5
The number after user_id= is your WordPress user ID. In this example, it’s 5.
Tip: If you’re viewing another user’s profile (as an admin), the same rule applies—just make sure you’re on their edit screen.
Method 2: Use the Database (phpMyAdmin)
For users comfortable with databases, this method gives you full visibility into all user IDs at once.
Step 1: Access Your Hosting Control Panel
Log in to your hosting provider (e.g., Bluehost, SiteGround, or cPanel). Look for a section labeled Databases or phpMyAdmin.
Step 2: Open phpMyAdmin and Select Your WordPress Database
Click into phpMyAdmin, then choose the database associated with your WordPress site (usually named something like wp_yoursite or yourprefix_wp).
Step 3: Locate the wp_users Table
Scroll through the list of tables and click on wp_users (the prefix may vary—e.g., wp123_users if you changed it during installation).
Step 4: Find Your User ID
Inside the table, you’ll see columns like ID, user_login, user_email, etc. The ID column contains the user ID numbers. Match your username or email to find your corresponding ID.
Important: Never edit or delete rows in this table unless you know exactly what you’re doing. A mistake can break user access or content links.
Method 3: Display User IDs in the WordPress Users List
By default, the Users page in WordPress doesn’t show ID numbers. But with a tiny bit of code, you can add them.
Step 1: Access Your Theme’s functions.php File
Go to Appearance > Theme File Editor in your WordPress dashboard. On the right, find and click functions.php.
Alternative: Use an FTP client or file manager in your hosting panel to navigate to /wp-content/themes/your-theme/functions.php.
Step 2: Add the Code Snippet
Paste the following code at the bottom of the file (before the closing ?> tag, if present):
// Display user ID in WordPress admin user list
add_filter('manage_users_columns', 'add_user_id_column');
function add_user_id_column($columns) {
$columns['user_id'] = 'User ID';
return $columns;
}add_action('manage_users_custom_column', 'show_user_id_column_content', 10, 3);
function show_user_id_column_content($value, $column_name, $user_id) {
if ($column_name