How to Log In to Plesk: A Comprehensive Guide

Plesk is a popular web hosting control panel that simplifies website and server management. Whether you're a web administrator or a site owner, accessing the Plesk interface is essential for managing your domains, mailboxes, databases, and more. This guide will walk you through the various methods to log in to Plesk, ensuring you can access your control panel smoothly and securely.

Applicable Systems

These login methods are relevant for both:

• Plesk for Linux
• Plesk for Windows

Methods to Log In to Plesk

You have several secure options to log in to the Plesk web interface, depending on your credentials and access level. These include using your Plesk account credentials, your server's root or administrator password, or by generating a one-time login link via SSH.

Important Note: To ensure successful access to Plesk over HTTPS, it is crucial that the default port 8443 (or any custom port you may be using) is opened in your firewall. This is a fundamental step for secure communication with the Plesk interface.

Logging In with Plesk Account Credentials

This is the most common method for accessing your Plesk panel. Follow these steps to log in using your specific Plesk account username and password:

1. Open your web browser and in the address bar, type in the Plesk login page link. The standard format is: https://<Server hostname or IP address>:8443.

   Note: You might encounter an SSL warning in your browser. This typically indicates that a proper, trusted SSL certificate has not yet been installed for your Plesk server. For initial access, it is generally safe to proceed past this warning.

2. On the Plesk login page, enter your assigned Plesk account username and password. For example, if your username is admin, input it accordingly.

   

3. Click the Log In button to proceed.

Upon successful authentication, you will be redirected to the Plesk web interface, ready to manage your services.

Important: If access to Plesk has been intentionally disabled for the root or administrator user, you will not be able to log in using those credentials. Always ensure your user account has the necessary permissions.

Logging In with Linux/Windows Server Root/Administrator Password

If you have direct access to the server's root (for Linux) or administrator (for Windows) credentials, you can also use them to log in to Plesk:

1. Navigate to the Plesk login page in your web browser by entering the following format in the address bar: https://<Server hostname or IP address>:8443.

   Note: As with the previous method, an SSL warning may appear if a trusted SSL certificate is not yet configured. It is safe to temporarily bypass this warning for initial access.

2. On the login screen, enter either root (for Linux servers) or administrator (for Windows servers) as the username, along with the corresponding password you use for server access.

   

3. Click Log In to gain access to the Plesk web interface.

This method provides full administrative access to Plesk, reflecting your server-level permissions.

Accessing Plesk via SSH

For users who prefer command-line access or need a one-time login link, connecting via SSH is a robust option. This involves accessing your Plesk server first and then generating a unique login URL.

1. Connect to your Plesk server using an SSH client. The specific client you use will depend on your operating system:

   • For Linux and macOS users: You can utilize any standard SSH client available. Remember to configure the correct permissions for your SSH key and place it in the designated folder for secure connection.

   • For Windows users: We highly recommend PuTTY, a widely used and free SSH client. If you are using PuTTY, you will typically need to convert your SSH key into the PuTTY-specific format (PPK) for it to function correctly.

2. Generate a one-time login link. Once you have successfully connected to your Plesk server via SSH, execute the following command in the terminal:

   # plesk login

   The command will output two distinct login links. These links are valid for a single use and are formatted as follows:

   • https://<Server hostname>/login?secret=<session_token>
   • https://<Server IP address>/login?secret=<session_token>

3. Open the login link in your browser. Copy one of the generated links and paste it into your web browser's address bar:

   • Initially, try using the link that includes your server's hostname: https://<Server hostname>/login?secret=<session_token>.

   • If the hostname link does not work for any reason, use the link containing the server's IP address: https://<Server IP address>/login?secret=<session_token>.

     Important Considerations: If your Plesk server is located behind a Network Address Translation (NAT) setup, the system might generate a link with a private IP address. In such cases, you will need to manually replace the private IP address with the public IP address of your server before pasting the link into your browser.

   Note: Similar to direct logins, an SSL warning may appear due to the absence of a proper SSL certificate. It is safe to ignore this warning for the purpose of a one-time login.

Important Considerations and Additional Resources

If you encounter issues or forget your login details, here are some helpful resources:

• I Forgot my Plesk User Account Password
• How to log in to Plesk on Amazon Lightsail/DigitalOcean using SSH keys

Need Help with Credentials? If you are a Plesk administrator and you've forgotten your credentials, please contact your server hosting provider for assistance. If you are any other type of user, reach out to your Plesk administrator to help you recover or reset your login information.