How to Build a WordPress Custom Login Page

Want to create a custom WordPress login page? In this tutorial, we'll show you how to build a WordPress custom login page. It's easier than you expect!

A custom WordPress login page allows you to carry your branding through every stage of the user experience. Even during login, your WordPress site doesn't have to show that it's WordPress.

A lot of users want to customize their login pages - and why not? With a custom login page, you could add the following:

• Whatever background colors you choose
• A background image
• Different font sizes and styles
• Custom login forms

This might seem like a daunting task. In fact, many tutorials teach that you need to pry into the wp-login.php page to customize your login page! That sounds difficult, especially if you are not a coding whiz.

Today's solution will show you how the right WordPress plugin can make this task super easy. You'll be able to create a custom WordPress login page from your admin dashboard! If you can download a plugin and login to your WP admin, you can do this.

Do you need a custom WordPress login page?

Before you get started with this solution, let's make sure you actually need a custom login page for your WordPress site. If you have customers and/or users logging into your site, you might need one. If not... you don't!

Branding the user login area can make for a great experience for your customers and users. You can customize every aspect of the page to fit your branding. You can even match the username and password form to your site.

Let's take a look at some of the benefits of a custom login page before we show you how to make one.

Four BIG Benefits of a custom login page

Seamless branding

Which is best? Showing users the boring, generic WordPress login page or a custom page that matches your site’s colors, fonts, and logos/branding? It's not hard to answer, is it? If you’re building WordPress sites for clients, they will definitely appreciate the extra branding a custom login page offers.

Better user experience

Customization isn't only about design and aesthetics. It also includes functionality like automatic redirection after login. This gives better user direction and helps move visitors to pages that should have primary focus.

Custom navigation

Add elements to your custom login page that offer additional value to users. Maybe navigation links, social icons or feeds, or whatever else fits your unique requirements.

Improved security

A custom WordPress login page may help improve your site’s security. By moving the page to a custom URL, you make it harder for automatic scripts and hackers to find.

Generic VS WP Custom Login Pages

The WordPress User Registration plugin for Formidable Forms is a WordPress login plugin designed to publish a login form anywhere on your site. Place your login form on a custom-built page that is perfectly styled for this purpose.

Get a WP custom login page in 4 simple steps

Step 1 - Install WordPress plugins for creating login forms

If you haven't already, install the Formidable Forms Pro form builder plugin. Then go to the Formidable → Add-Ons page and click the 'Install' button for the WordPress User Registration plugin.

Step 2 - Create a WordPress login page

Add a new page to your site that will be used as your custom login page. Add some content and styling to the page so it matches your company branding. Then, add a WordPress login form on the page with the shortcode [frm-login]. You can even set the login page as your home page.

Step 3 - Create a WordPress user registration form

Create an online registration form and publish it on a page. This will replace the default WordPress registration page, so your visitors always see your branding rather than WordPress.

Step 4 - Replace the WordPress login and registration pages

Now, you can let WordPress know to redirect to your custom login and registration pages rather than using the defaults. Go to the Formidable → Global Settings → Registration page and select your custom Login and Registration pages.

That's it! Just a few minutes and you've moved your WordPress login form away from the generic WordPress login page. You now have a fully customized page that reflects the brand identity you work so hard to build.

Add a WordPress reset password form

After replacing the WordPress login and registration pages, there is still a page your users may see that includes the WordPress branding. Your login form may include a 'forgot password' link. If so, users will be taken the the default WordPress reset password page. This too can be remedied, since is incredibly easy to set up your custom reset password page.

1. Create a new page and title it 'Reset Password'. Insert the following shortcode on the page:

   [frm-reset-password]

2. Then, update the shortcode for your login form to include the lost password link:

   [frm-login show_lost_password="1"]

3. Finally, go to Formidable → Global Settings → Registration. In the Global Pages section, select your new Reset Password page as the 'Reset Password Page'.

Create a frontend WordPress profile page

Do you want a way for users to edit their email address, name, or other details without seeing the WordPress admin area? Allow users to edit their profiles on a custom page in two ways.

• Use the original signup form that you designed to create user accounts on your WordPress site.
• Create a separate User Profile form with extra fields. Your signup form shouldn't have a ton of fields, and you'll likely want users to build a more detailed profile.

Both methods are covered in our user registration documentation.

Enjoy your new WordPress login form, free from WordPress logos

Once you have replaced the WordPress pages for the WP login form, registration form, profile form, and forgot password form, your users won't see the WordPress logo. Their experience will be smooth and consistent with all the account related forms on pages that match the rest of your site.

Not already using Formidable Forms? We’d love to share with you all the fantastic features that make this plugin the best form builder around.