If the WordPress admin dashboard breaks after changing the wp-admin path in WP Ghost (pages not loading, settings not saving, blank screens, or redirect loops), the custom admin path isn’t fully supported by your server or a plugin depends on the default path.
Revert to default wp-admin and hide it instead
The safest fix is to keep the default wp-admin path but hide it from non-logged-in users. Go to WP Ghost > Change Paths > Admin Security, set the admin path back to wp-admin, and enable Hide “wp-admin”. This gives you the security benefit (bots can’t access /wp-admin/) without the compatibility issues that custom paths can cause.
Managed Nginx hosting (WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel, etc.)
Managed WordPress hosts that run Nginx handle custom wp-admin paths using path redirection instead of rewrite mapping. This difference prevents WP Ghost from identifying requests to the custom admin path, causing dashboard features to break. On these hosts, use the default wp-admin path with the Hide option enabled. The custom login path and all other WP Ghost path changes work normally on these hosts.
Identify conflicting plugins
Some plugins hardcode references to /wp-admin/ in their AJAX calls, redirects, or settings pages. With a custom admin path, those calls fail. Deactivate plugins one at a time and test the dashboard after each. Common conflicts include plugins that add admin pages with custom AJAX handlers, page builders that use admin-level API calls, and caching plugins that cache admin responses. For the conflicting plugin, try adding its specific admin paths to WP Ghost > Change Paths > Whitelist Paths.
Log out and log back in
After changing the admin path, session cookies are tied to the old path. Log out completely and log back in through your custom login URL so WP Ghost creates fresh session cookies on the new admin path.
If you’ve lost access to the admin dashboard entirely, use the Safe URL parameter or the emergency disable guide.