How do you open a WordPress database in phpMyAdmin?

Open phpMyAdmin from the hosting control panel. The left sidebar lists the databases available to your account. Select the database used by the WordPress installation, then inspect its tables. Standard table names include entries such as wp_posts and wp_options, although the prefix can be changed.

If several databases look similar, check the DB_NAME value in the site’s wp-config.php file. Match the complete value, including any hosting account prefix. Do not choose a database based only on its table names because multiple WordPress sites can use the same default prefix.

Export a backup before running a query, editing a value, importing data, or dropping a table. phpMyAdmin changes are immediate and bypass WordPress validation, permissions, and revision tools. A small typing error in serialized data or a site URL can make the dashboard or frontend unusable.

Use the Browse and Search tabs for read-only inspection when possible. For large operations, a command-line database client or a migration tool may be more reliable than a browser session. Close phpMyAdmin when finished, protect the hosting account with two-factor authentication, and never expose the tool through an unprotected public URL.