How to Add Logo to WordPress Login Page

A branded login screen gives your WordPress site an immediate sense of identity. When clients or team members sign in, they should see your logo — not the default WordPress emblem. Learning how to add logo to WordPress login page takes only a few minutes and can be done without plugins or heavy code. It also enhances user experience and builds consistent visual trust.

Why Customize Your WordPress Login Page?

By default, every WordPress installation displays the standard logo that links to WordPress.org. Replacing that with your brand’s mark reinforces credibility and helps users identify they are signing into the right portal.

A custom login screen can:

• Strengthen your brand identity
• Create a polished, professional first impression
• Provide better user confidence for clients or employees
• Eliminate the generic look that often confuses team members managing multiple sites

When you understand how to add logo to WordPress login page, you gain a small but powerful control over brand consistency across the entire site.

If you’re still setting up your website hosting, consider using Serverfellows.com for reliable WordPress performance and fast support — ideal when editing themes or uploading assets.

Step 1 – Prepare Your Logo and File Access

Before you begin, confirm you have:

• Administrator access to your WordPress dashboard
• FTP or cPanel credentials for theme file editing
• A backup of your active theme

Create Organized Folders

Navigate to:

/wp-content/themes/your-active-theme/

Inside, create:

assets/images/

Place your logo file in this path. Example:

/wp-content/themes/your-active-theme/assets/images/logo.png

Use a web-friendly filename (lowercase, no spaces) and confirm the file’s permission is 0644. This ensures it’s publicly accessible but secure.

If you prefer an easier environment for such edits, you can deploy your site on Serverfellows.com, where secure file access and quick backups are already integrated.

Recommended Logo Specifications

• Format: PNG or SVG
• Dimensions: around 320×80 px
• File size: under 150 KB for fast loading
• Transparent background preferred for flexibility

A correctly prepared logo ensures smooth display during CSS scaling later.

Step 2 – Open the Theme File Editor

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. From the sidebar, go to Appearance > Theme File Editor.
3. Confirm your active theme is selected at the top.
4. In the right-hand file list, locate functions.php.

Opening the correct functions file is crucial. Editing the wrong theme can cause confusion if you use child themes or staging environments. Double-check that the path reflects your current active theme.

Avoid editing the style.css directly for this task — the correct method is to insert a CSS block through PHP using the login_head hook.

Step 3 – Add the Login Logo Code Snippet

Scroll to the bottom of functions.php and add this code snippet (indented for copy-paste safety):

function custom_login_logo() {
    echo '<style type="text/css">
        .login h1 a {
            background-image: url("' . get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/assets/images/logo.png");
            background-size: contain;
            width: 320px;
            height: 80px;
            background-repeat: no-repeat;
            display: block;
            margin: 0 auto 20px;
        }
    </style>';
}
add_action("login_head", "custom_login_logo");

Explanation

• get_stylesheet_directory_uri() dynamically loads your theme path, avoiding hardcoded URLs.
• background-size: contain keeps the logo proportionate regardless of resolution.
• Width and height define how much space the logo occupies above the login form.
• The hook login_head ensures your CSS executes only on the login screen.

Save the file. Then open a new private window and visit:

yourdomain.com/wp-login.php

Your custom logo should appear at the top of the login box.

If you host your website with Serverfellows.com, caching layers automatically clear after PHP edits — so your new login design shows instantly.

Step 4 – Adjust the Logo Path and Permissions

Sometimes the logo doesn’t display because of a broken path or incorrect file permissions. Confirm the exact path in your snippet matches where the image lives.

Example for a child theme (swap to SVG if needed):

background-image: url("' . get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/assets/images/logo.svg");

Key checks:

• File name and extension are correct (.png, .jpg, or .svg)
• Directory matches your theme or child theme
• File permission is 0644
• Folder permission is 0755

If the logo still fails to appear, clear your browser cache or any caching plugin you use. Serverfellows’ WordPress-optimized hosting makes this step easier by providing built-in cache purging tools.

Step 5 – Style and Scale the Logo for All Devices

Use responsive CSS to maintain proportions on smaller screens. Expand the code snippet to include media queries (add inside the same style block if you prefer):

@media (max-width: 480px) {
    .login h1 a {
        width: 240px !important;
        height: 60px !important;
    }
}

Tips for Better Presentation

• Center alignment: WordPress centers logos by default, but adjust margin-bottom or padding for better spacing.
• High-DPI displays: Use a 2× logo or SVG for retina screens.
• Contrast: Ensure your logo stands out against the background color.

Step 6 – Change the Login Background (Optional)

After learning how to add logo to WordPress login page, you can further personalize the environment.

Append another style block inside your function (the PHP wrapper remains the same; only CSS shown here):

body.login {
    background-color: #f9f9f9;
    background-image: url("' . get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/assets/images/bg.jpg");
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: center;
    background-size: cover;
}

This replaces the plain white backdrop with your chosen texture or brand color. Keep file sizes small for faster load time. On high-traffic sites, compress images using TinyPNG or ImageOptim before uploading.

If you’re migrating your site or testing backgrounds across staging servers, Serverfellows.com offers automatic SSL and staging-to-production sync that prevents mixed-content issues.

Step 7 – Test and Troubleshoot

Even a single misplaced quote in PHP or CSS can break styling. If your logo doesn’t appear, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Check for 404 Errors

Open the browser developer console (F12 > Network tab). Reload the login page and confirm the image request returns 200 OK. A 404 means your file path is incorrect.

2. Verify HTTPS

If your site uses SSL but the image path begins with http://, the browser may block it as mixed content. Using the dynamic PHP function instead of a fixed URL avoids this problem.

3. Clear Caches

Clear:

• Browser cache
• WordPress caching plugin
• CDN cache (if any)
• Server cache (available in Serverfellows control panel)

4. Check Function Names

Ensure the function name custom_login_logo is unique. Duplicated function names may override or conflict with another snippet.

5. Disable Plugins Temporarily

Some plugins (especially login customizers or security suites) enqueue their own login CSS. Disable them temporarily to test.

6. Confirm Permissions

Folders must have 755, files 644. Anything stricter can block visibility.

7. Validate Syntax

If your site goes blank after saving, a missing bracket or semicolon in functions.php may be the cause. Restore the backup or use an FTP editor to revert the change.

Step 8 – Optional: Change the Login URL Link

The default login logo links to https://wordpress.org. You can change it to your homepage:

function custom_login_url() {
    return home_url();
}
add_filter("login_headerurl", "custom_login_url");

You can also change the title text (the tooltip shown when hovering over the logo):

function custom_login_title() {
    return get_bloginfo("name");
}
add_filter("login_headertitle", "custom_login_title");

Both snippets preserve the clean branding you’ve created. Together, they complete the process of how to add logo to WordPress login page with professional polish.

Step 9 – Make Your Changes Update-Proof

When you edit a parent theme’s functions.php, updates can overwrite your code. To keep customizations safe:

1. Create a child theme
2. Copy the same folder structure (assets/images)
3. Add your snippet to the child theme’s functions.php
4. Activate the child theme from Appearance > Themes

Alternatively, use a lightweight code-snippet plugin to store the function separately from your theme. This ensures the login logo remains intact after updates.

For users hosting through Serverfellows.com, automatic daily backups ensure you can recover from theme update mishaps instantly.

Step 10 – Add Accessibility and Alt Text (Optional)

Although CSS background images don’t support alt text, accessibility-minded designers can print HTML instead of background-image CSS.

Example:

function accessible_login_logo() {
    echo '<div style="text-align:center;">
        <img src="' . get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/assets/images/logo.png" 
             alt="Company Name logo" 
             width="320" height="80" 
             style="margin-bottom:20px;" />
    </div>';
}
add_action("login_head", "accessible_login_logo");

This method improves screen-reader accessibility. However, it replaces the default link element, so test thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Add a Retina-Ready or High-DPI Logo?

Upload a version twice as large as the displayed size, e.g., 640×160 px if you display at 320×80 px. Keep background-size: contain; to scale it correctly. SVG logos scale best without pixelation.

Can I Change the Login Page Background Color?

Yes. Add CSS for body.login { background-color: #hexcode; } inside the same function. You can also use gradient backgrounds or pattern images for more depth.

How Do I Adjust the Logo Size?

Modify the width and height in the CSS rule. If you use background-size: contain, the logo adjusts automatically to fit the dimensions you specify.

Will Updates Erase My Customization?

Yes, unless you use a child theme or a snippets plugin. Always test changes on a staging site — Serverfellows.com hosting plans include one-click staging to make this process simple.

Can I Add Animation or Hover Effects?

Yes. Add CSS transitions such as:

.login h1 a:hover {
    transform: scale(1.05);
    transition: 0.3s ease-in-out;
}

It’s a small enhancement that adds an interactive touch without bloating your site.

Step 11 – Verify Performance and Load Speed

Once the new login logo appears, check site performance:

• Use PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to confirm minimal delay.
• If the login page loads slowly, optimize the logo image.
• Ensure your server uses HTTP/2 for faster asset delivery.

Fast hosting environments like Serverfellows.com serve media files efficiently through built-in CDN integration, ensuring quick access to your logo even under load.

Step 12 – Extend the Design Further

After mastering how to add logo to WordPress login page, you can expand the branding:

• Replace the WordPress blue button with your brand color using .login form .button-primary.
• Add your favicon or theme accent colors.
• Use custom fonts loaded through wp_enqueue_style() for the login screen only.

Every additional visual cue enhances recognition and strengthens identity for users logging in daily.

Final Checklist

Before calling it done, confirm:

1. The logo displays correctly on both desktop and mobile.
2. Clicking it redirects to your homepage.
3. File permissions and HTTPS paths are correct.
4. CSS doesn’t conflict with security plugins or themes.
5. Caches are cleared site-wide.

When all boxes are ticked, your login screen is complete — clean, branded, and optimized.

Conclusion

Adding a logo to your WordPress login page is one of the simplest yet most effective branding tweaks. With minimal PHP and CSS, you can transform a plain interface into a professional entry point that reflects your organization’s identity.

By organizing files, editing functions.php safely, and testing your CSS path, your login experience feels seamless and branded from the first click. Whether you’re managing multiple client dashboards or a private membership site, a custom logo helps users trust where they log in.

If you ever rebuild or migrate your WordPress installation, hosting it on Serverfellows.com gives you built-in backups, security layers, and instant cache clearing — so your custom login screen always stays visible and secure.

That’s everything you need to know about how to add logo to WordPress login page — a simple change with a lasting impact on your website’s identity.