User Documentation
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1.1 Administrator Login

Joomla has two login areas, the site or frontend and the administrator area, or backend which is the area that controls all aspects of a Joomla website. Site owners and administrators use the backend to configure and maintain the website and its users. Other advanced users may use the backend to create and manage content, such as creating, editing, or approving articles. This tutorial describes how users log in to the backend administrator area.

Prerequisites

  • You must have an administrator account with a username and password to a Joomla site configured for default login (sites configured for advanced login options such as Single Sign-On or Passkeys are beyond the scope of this tutorial).

Steps

Login

  1. Open a browser and navigate to the backend of your site by appending /administrator to your site's URL. For example, if your site URL is https://www.mysite.com use https://www.mysite.com/administrator.
  2. Enter your username and password, then click Log In. Result: The administrator dashboard appears.
    Screenshot of the administrator login screen showing username, password, and login button
    Administrator login screen

Explore the Layout

  1. Locate the main administrative menu on the left side of the screen.
  2. Click Toggle Menu. Result: The menu minimises. Click it again to expand the menu.
  3. Click one of the administrative menu headings. Result: The heading expands into a submenu of hierarchical items.
  4. Click one of those submenu items. Result: The main content area, to the right of the administrative menu, displays messages and commonly-used controls related to the selected item.
  5. Locate the header at the top of the screen. It contains the Joomla version number, additional messages and information, a link to the site homepage, and the user menu.

Logout

  1. To log out, select Log Out from the User Menu in the header. Result: You are logged out.
    Screenshot of the administrator dashboard with the user menu extended and the log out link being clicked
    Administrator logout screen

Concepts

The administrative area allows advanced users access to the backend to configure the site and manage users and content.

Backend users may have different permissions, allowing them to see and access different areas.

Frontend and backend logins are different. Some users can only log in to the frontend. Backend users can log in to both the backend and frontend.