Error message with no access to super admin account

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  staylor487679b2b1 · Member · Jun 23, 2026 at 9:22 am

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  I’m in a really unique situation and need to know if there is anything anyone can help with to recover my account. When I try to access WordPress I get an error with a message stating to check my email as a recovery link has been sent. My website was unfortunately set up by a Developer who has unexpectantly passed away and therefore cant get access to WordPress nor recover anything to regain access. We have also looked to recover the site through WordPress however we cant get proof of ownership as we paid the developer who dealt with the payments side and he is the super admin so cant get any recovery keys / 2 factor authentication.

  Is there anything that can be done?

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  charlotteshousesv · Member · Jun 24, 2026 at 6:57 pm

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  Hi @staylor487679b2b1, so sorry to hear about the loss of your developer. What a tough situation!

  WordPress has a specific process for this. Reach out directly to passwordhelp@wordpress.com with your site URL and a brief explanation, and they’ll guide you through the ownership transfer. Full details on what to include here: wordpress.com/support/deceased-user/

  Wishing you all the best.

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  staylor487679b2b1 · Member · Jun 25, 2026 at 7:36 am

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  Thank you I will give this a whirl!

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  lailagmelo · Staff · Jun 25, 2026 at 6:35 pm

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  Hi there, I’m so sorry to hear about your developer’s passing.

  The guidance shared above is exactly right. Emailing passwordhelp@wordpress.com is the way to go here, and our team there is experienced with exactly this kind of situation. When you reach out, just include your site’s URL and a brief explanation of what happened, and they’ll walk you through the next steps.

  One thing I wanted to mention since you noted that you don’t have access to payment records: that’s completely okay. For a deceased site owner situation, the verification process doesn’t rely on transaction IDs the way a standard account recovery would. You can find all the details on what to include here: https://wordpress.com/support/deceased-user/

  I know it can feel like a lot of steps when you’re already dealing with so much, but our team is here to help make this as smooth as possible for you. Wishing you all the best.