Can I get access to this site or make it private?
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Hello! I have this website here whose recovery email address is no longer accessible. I also have no proof of ownership except for its previous password.
If I can no longer access this website I worked on, could I request it to be private?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi there,
If you need to recover access to the account, and you are familiar with the email/username used, you can try to reset the password: https://wordpress.com/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword
If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your WordPress.com account and can’t log in, the next best step is to complete the Account Recovery Form: Account Recovery Form
Provide as much information as possible, such as transaction IDs, activation links, backup codes, or anything else that could help prove ownership. Check this guide for reference: Account Recovery Guide.
Please let me know if that method worked for you.
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I no longer have access to the email address, or any of the provided information (transaction IDs, activation links, backup codes)
I only have the previous password. This account is used by a school and has only been exchanged to different classes by username and password.
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That’s a tough spot to be in, especially with a hand-me-down school account.
To be direct: WordPress.com will not grant access or change a site to private based on a previous password alone. Because passwords can be shared or stolen, they require more concrete proof (like access to the email or financial records) to protect user privacy.
Since you’ve already ruled out the recovery form and the email, here are your only remaining options:
- Try to recover the email account itself: Since this is for a school, reach out to your school’s IT department. If the recovery email was a school-issued address (e.g., @school.edu), they may be able to temporarily reactivate it so you can trigger a password reset.
- Check for “Remembered” passwords: If the account was used on a specific school lab computer, check the browser’s saved passwords. You might find the current password there.
- The “Abandon and Replace” approach: If you can’t get in, the site will stay as it is. Your best bet is to create a new site and start fresh. You can’t force the old one to be private, but you can post a “We’ve moved” notice on the new site to direct people away from the old one.
Unfortunately, without the email or a transaction ID, WordPress Support’s hands are tied for security reasons.
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I tagged this with modlook to get assistance from a Staff member who can solve this problem.
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Hi @alexisc102499! Thanks for letting us know about this.
I understand you’d like to regain access to your site, but you no longer have access to the email address linked to that account, is that right?I also understand that you may not have the information required to verify ownership. If you’ve ever made a purchase for this site, you can share the transaction ID with us as proof of ownership. You can find it on your card statement by following this guide:
https://wordpress.com/support/billing-history/#on-your-credit-card-statementIf you don’t have that information, the only remaining option would be to request that the site be made private, as explained here:
https://wordpress.com/support/account-recovery/#if-ownership-cannot-be-establishedIf you’d like to request that the site be made private or share a transaction ID, please email us directly at help@wordpress.com, and we’ll be happy to continue assisting you privately from there.
Looking forward to hearing back from you!
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