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If your browser downloads wp-login.php instead of displaying the WordPress login screen, the server is sending PHP source as a file rather than executing it. This is a PHP handler or web-server configuration failure, not normally a wrong-password problem. Restore PHP execution first; only then investigate cookies, caching, firewalls, or WordPress URL settings.
When several PHP files—including the home page’s index.php—download, contact your hosting provider or server administrator immediately. On a Plesk-managed domain, the documented first fix is to enable PHP Support under Domains > your-domain > PHP Settings, then save the change.
What the download tells you
wp-login.php is the WordPress login script in the site’s root directory. A normal request passes that file to a configured PHP runtime, which generates HTML and sends the rendered login page to the browser. A download means that hand-off is not happening: the web server is treating the file as ordinary text or as an unknown downloadable type.
A WordPress.org Support moderator summarized the condition this way: “Your site is not configured to interpret PHP files, it is transmitting PHP files instead. Speak your host provider. Once they correct that and install PHP, then your web server should work and you can proceed.” That diagnosis applies whether the change was caused by a disabled domain setting, a broken PHP-FPM service, an incorrect Apache or IIS mapping, or a wider account configuration failure.
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Do not open the downloaded file in an editor, upload it elsewhere, or leave the download publicly available. PHP source can contain database credentials, authentication salts, API keys, and other private configuration. Until execution is restored, treat the site as a potential information-exposure incident and ask the host to restrict access or place the site in maintenance mode.
First determine how broad the failure is
Use a private browser window and request the public home page, then (if the site is safe to test) one other known PHP endpoint. Do not create a public diagnostic script merely to test this. Record whether each request renders normally, downloads PHP, returns a server error, or redirects.
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| Observed behavior | Most likely scope | Correct next move |
|---|---|---|
Only wp-login.php downloads; the front page and another PHP page render normally |
A login-specific rewrite, firewall, cache, plugin, or file problem is possible | Confirm PHP execution on a known-good endpoint, then investigate login-specific causes |
wp-login.php, index.php, and other PHP files download |
PHP execution or the server’s handler mapping is disabled or broken | Escalate to hosting support or the server administrator; inspect handler settings and logs |
| Only one domain on a multi-domain account is affected | That domain’s PHP-support or virtual-host configuration | Check the domain-level PHP setting and virtual-host mapping |
| Every domain on the account is affected | Account-wide PHP service, package, or web-server configuration | Ask the host to check the shared PHP runtime, service status, and recent configuration changes |
| The browser shows a server error instead of a download | PHP may be selected but failing to start or communicate with the web server | Have the host inspect PHP-FPM/CGI status and the web-server error log |
This scope check prevents a common mistake: changing WordPress passwords or editing plugins while the server is still incapable of executing any PHP.
Restore PHP execution in the hosting panel
Plesk: enable PHP Support for the domain
Plesk documents the exact symptom—“The wp-login.php file is being downloaded instead of opening”—when PHP support is disabled for a domain. If you administer the subscription:
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- Sign in to Plesk with an account that can manage the affected subscription.
- Open Domains and select the affected domain.
- Choose PHP Settings.
- Enable or select PHP Support. If the page also asks for a PHP version or handler, select an installed, supported option supplied by your host rather than entering an arbitrary version.
- Save or apply the change.
- Open a new private-window request for the home page and
/wp-login.php. A working PHP handler should produce HTML and the WordPress login form, not a file download.
The Plesk vendor article was updated January 13, 2026. Its control-panel path and the setting name above are therefore current for the documented Plesk interface, although labels can vary with administrator permissions and installed Plesk components.
Plesk command-line remediation
A Plesk administrator can enable PHP support for a subscription with:
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11plesk bin subscription -u example.com -php trueReplace example.com with the actual subscription name. Run this only with the privileges and change controls appropriate to your server. If the command succeeds but PHP files still download, the domain setting was not the only fault; continue with handler and log checks instead of repeatedly toggling the option.
Other hosting panels
Panel names differ, but look for a domain-level setting labelled PHP, PHP Support, PHP handler, PHP-FPM, or Application runtime. Confirm that the domain points to an installed runtime and that the selected handler is enabled. Do not disable and re-enable unrelated extensions as a trial: that can create a second outage and makes the original cause harder to identify.
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What the host or server administrator must check
If more than one PHP endpoint downloads, the repair belongs at the server layer. Send support the affected domain, approximate start time, URLs that download, and whether other domains on the account behave the same way. Ask for the following checks rather than asking them to reset your WordPress password.
PHP handler and runtime
- Confirm that PHP is installed and that the selected version is available to the domain.
- Verify the domain’s mapping from the web server to the PHP handler. A missing or incorrect mapping causes PHP source to be served as a static file.
- For PHP-FPM deployments, verify that the FPM pool exists, is running, has permission to read the site files, and is reachable through its configured socket or TCP address.
- For CGI or FastCGI deployments, confirm that the handler executable and wrapper are present and that the virtual host references them correctly.
- Check whether a recent package update, migration, certificate change, or panel configuration change removed the handler.
Web-server differences
| Stack | Configuration target | Typical evidence to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Apache with a PHP module or proxy | Virtual-host directives and the PHP module/proxy mapping | Apache error log, loaded-module state, and the affected virtual host’s generated configuration |
| Nginx with PHP-FPM | The location block that forwards .php requests and the FPM socket or address |
Nginx error log, FPM service and pool log, and socket ownership/permissions |
| IIS with FastCGI | Handler mappings and the FastCGI application registration | IIS failed-request or event logs and FastCGI process status |
The exact file names and service commands depend on the operating system and hosting provider, so the administrator should use the platform’s supported tools. The important distinction is that the request must be handed to PHP; merely changing a WordPress file or MIME label does not execute it.
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Have the host inspect the web-server error log at the time of a fresh request. The log can distinguish a missing handler from a stopped FPM service, permission denial, a malformed virtual-host configuration, or a resource limit. Ask for the relevant error and the corrective action, not for a copy of a log containing unrelated customers’ data. If the host cannot identify a server-side cause, request escalation to the team that manages the PHP runtime or web-server configuration.
Do not use a public phpinfo page as a permanent test
A temporary phpinfo() endpoint can disclose PHP version, loaded modules, filesystem paths, environment variables, and server details. It is not necessary for most customers and should never be left accessible after testing. If the host needs runtime information, let the host run an authenticated diagnostic or check it directly on the server. Remove any test file immediately and clear any cache that might have stored its output.
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Verify the repair before touching WordPress settings
After the host changes the handler, test from a private window and from a second network if a proxy or security service is involved. Verify all of the following once:
- The public home page renders rather than downloading
index.php. /wp-login.phpdisplays the login form and its response has the expected web-page content.- Another ordinary PHP request on the same domain renders normally.
- No PHP source is visible in the browser or in a downloaded file.
- The web-server error log no longer records handler or FPM failures for fresh requests.
If these checks fail, stop WordPress-level troubleshooting and return the case to the host. A login plugin cannot fix a server that is still returning source code.
Only after PHP works: fix login-specific problems
When PHP renders correctly but the login page still loops, redirects, or refuses a session, work through these causes. They matter only after the execution test above passes.
Clear stale cookies and caches
Sign out of other WordPress tabs, clear cookies for the site, and retry in a private window. Clear the site’s page cache and any reverse-proxy cache for the login request. Do not cache authenticated pages or cookie-dependent responses. Exclude wp-login.php, the login URL, and requests carrying WordPress authentication cookies from page caching. A cache that serves an old redirect or a static response can make a healthy PHP handler appear broken.
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Check firewall and security rules
Web-application firewalls, security plugins, and hosting rules can block or challenge login requests. Review their event logs for the time of a failed attempt and temporarily disable only the suspected rule through an approved, reversible change. Do not permanently weaken protection or allow unrestricted administrative requests. If the firewall sits in front of the server, have its administrator confirm that it forwards cookies and POST requests to the origin.
Confirm the WordPress URL and proxy arrangement
Incorrect “WordPress Address” or “Site Address” values can create redirect loops or send the form to the wrong host. A reverse proxy or TLS-terminating load balancer must also pass the original host and scheme consistently so WordPress knows whether the request is HTTPS. Correct the URL at the documented WordPress configuration layer or with the site administrator; do not edit database values casually while the site is live.
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Interpret header warnings correctly
If the error mentions “headers already sent,” wp-login.php may only be the file that exposes an earlier output problem. WordPress documentation advises inspecting the file named earlier in the warning, commonly wp-config.php, for stray whitespace before the opening PHP tag, after the closing tag, or for a UTF-8 byte-order mark (BOM). Remove the unintended bytes using a code editor that preserves the file’s encoding, then retest. Do not delete a legitimate warning without identifying the earlier output source.
Review recent plugin, theme, and core changes
If the server executes PHP and only the login path fails, review changes made immediately before the symptom appeared. Use the host’s backup or staging copy to disable a suspected extension safely rather than deleting files on the live site. Keep a record of each change so it can be reversed, and update the affected component only after confirming compatibility with the site’s PHP runtime.
When to escalate immediately
Contact hosting support or the server administrator without further WordPress edits when:
- Multiple PHP files download or show their source.
- The problem affects more than one domain.
- The panel shows PHP enabled but requests still download.
- The host changed the PHP version, handler, web server, or account configuration shortly before the outage.
- You find credentials or salts in a file that was publicly downloadable.
Use the phrase “PHP files are being served instead of executed” and provide the scope test results. Ask the provider to verify the PHP handler configuration and inspect the web-server error log. Managed WordPress hosting can be a practical option when you do not control these server settings, because the provider owns the runtime and handler repair.
Preventing a repeat outage
- Keep a documented record of the domain’s PHP version, handler type, and panel settings.
- Test the home page and login form after planned PHP or web-server changes.
- Maintain backups that include both the database and site files, and test restoration.
- Exclude login and authenticated-cookie requests from full-page caching.
- Restrict access to administrative panels and server logs.
- Remove temporary diagnostic scripts immediately after use.
The key boundary is simple: downloading PHP source is a server-execution failure. Restore and verify the handler first; then, and only then, troubleshoot WordPress’s cookies, cache, firewall, URL, proxy, or file-level behavior.
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