Symptoms

It's not unusual to type in an incorrect username or password when logging into phpMyAdmin.

However, a failed login can sometimes lead to a frustrating experience: When you immediately attempt another login with the correct username/password, it will fail. It will continue to fail, no matter how many times you enter the correct user/pass combo.

Figure 1. Login errors even with proper credentials.

Cause

This happens because of session-handling inconsistencies between phpMyAdmin and your browser.

Solution

If you ever encounter this issue, here is an easy solution:

Right after a failed login attempt using correct credentials:

1. Hold down the shift key on your keyboard.
2. Click the "reload" button on your browser.

This will refresh the session and re-send your login credentials. If the credentials are correct, your phpMyAdmin dashboard should appear. For more information on clearing your browser's cache, please read: Clearing your browser's cache.