Filter Hook since 2.8.0

login_url

Filters the login page URL

Description

login_url is how membership and white-label sites hide wp-login.php. Return a full URL, not a path fragment.

When it runs

Whenever wp_login_url() is built — login links, auth redirects, some REST responses.

Signature

apply_filters( 'login_url', string $login_url, string $redirect, bool $force_reauth );

Parameters

$login_url string — Login URL.
$redirect string — Redirect destination after login.
$force_reauth bool — Whether to force re-authentication.

Examples

Basic

add_filter( 'login_url', function( $url ) {
    return home_url( '/my-login/' );
} );

Send login links to a custom page instead of wp-login.php.

Real case

add_filter( 'login_url', function( $login_url, $redirect ) {
    $url = home_url( '/my-login/' );
    if ( $redirect ) {
        $url = add_query_arg( 'redirect_to', urlencode( $redirect ), $url );
    }
    return $url;
}, 10, 2 );

Preserve the redirect_to parameter when rewriting the login URL.

Common Use Cases

Custom login page URL
Hide wp-login.php from bots
Membership site login flow
White-label WordPress projects

Common mistakes

Filtering the URL without actually creating the custom login route — users hit 404

Related hooks

Works with admin_init

FAQ

Do I still need wp-login.php to exist after filtering login_url?

Only if something still links to it directly. This filter changes what wp_login_url() outputs; it doesn't disable the real wp-login.php endpoint.

Source: wp-includes/general-template.php

Group wizard

One session: this hook, then each related_hooks entry. Walk it and tell us what to change.

login_url → admin_init

functions.php — login_url

functions.php

<?php
/**
 * Practice: hook into login_url
 */
add_filter( 'login_url', function( $login_url, $redirect, $force_reauth ) {
	// Write your callback here. Always return the value.

	return $login_url;
} );

Group tour

login_url · Hook 1 of 2 · Step 1 of 7

Meet login_url

Filters the login page URL

login_url is how membership and white-label sites hide wp-login.php. Return a full URL, not a path fragment.

type filterphase templatesince 2.8.0source wp-includes/general-template.php

apply_filters( 'login_url', string $login_url, string $redirect, bool $force_reauth );

add_filter( 'login_url', function( $url ) {
    return home_url( '/my-login/' );
} );

PHP login_url · Hook 1 of 2 · Step 1 of 7

Practice the login_url WordPress filter hook in our interactive sandbox — a VS Code-style editor with a step-by-step login_url tutorial, add_filter exercises, and instant feedback. No local WordPress install required.