How to fix "cannot log in to PrestaShop" issue?

[GlennaJAllen]

Hello everyone,  

I recently encountered a strange problem with my PrestaShop store:  
- The back office login page loads fine,  
- but after entering the correct username and password, it just reloads without logging me in.  

I have already tried:  
- Clearing cookies and cache,  
- Using different browsers,  
- Checking PHP version and server error logs.  

Has anyone faced the same issue before? Is this usually caused by session/cookie settings, or something else with hosting configuration?  

I found a detailed guide that tries to explain multiple scenarios of this problem (quite long and technical), so I put it here in case anyone wants to look deeper see more

Edited August 21, 2025 by GlennaJAllen (see edit history)

[Mehdi Bourechka]

11 hours ago, GlennaJAllen said:

Hello everyone,  

I recently encountered a strange problem with my PrestaShop store:  
- The back office login page loads fine,  
- but after entering the correct username and password, it just reloads without logging me in.  

I have already tried:  
- Clearing cookies and cache,  
- Using different browsers,  
- Checking PHP version and server error logs.  

Has anyone faced the same issue before? Is this usually caused by session/cookie settings, or something else with hosting configuration?  

Clear var/cache/*, delete browser cookies, and try in private mode. Check that PS_SHOP_DOMAIN and PS_SHOP_DOMAIN_SSL match your exact URL. In database set PS_COOKIE_CHECKIP to 0 to avoid IP conflicts. If it still fails, switch to Classic theme and disable non-native modules to test.

[WebCommercify]

Hello, what is the PS version? When this problem started?

[Mehdi Bourechka]

16 hours ago, GlennaJAllen said:

Hello everyone,  

I recently encountered a strange problem with my PrestaShop store:  
- The back office login page loads fine,  
- but after entering the correct username and password, it just reloads without logging me in.  

I have already tried:  
- Clearing cookies and cache,  
- Using different browsers,  
- Checking PHP version and server error logs.  

Has anyone faced the same issue before? Is this usually caused by session/cookie settings, or something else with hosting configuration?  

You will never believe it

When we had the same problem, the last resort working solution was to restart the Wifi box… and it worked somehow

[stevejr1]

This usually happens when PrestaShop can’t properly create or keep a session, so even though your login details are correct, it just refreshes the page instead of logging you in. Since you’ve already cleared browser cache and checked logs, I’d focus on server-side issues. First, manually clear the PrestaShop cache from the server (not just the browser). Delete the contents inside the var/cache/prod and var/cache/dev folders, then try again. Next, check your shop URL settings in Shop Parameters → Traffic & SEO. Make sure the domain is exactly correct — no mismatch between www and non-www, and no conflict between HTTP and HTTPS. Even a small mismatch can cause a login loop. Also make sure:

The PHP session path is writable. File permissions are correct. If you’re using Cloudflare or a proxy, it’s not blocking or altering cookies.

If this started after migrating the site or changing SSL, it’s very likely a domain or cookie configuration issue.

Edited yesterday at 04:09 PM by stevejr1 (see edit history)