How to Enable or Disable phpMyAdmin in Ubuntu

phpMyAdmin is a widely used web interface for managing MySQL or MariaDB databases. While it's very convenient for developers and administrators, keeping it enabled all the time can be a security risk—especially on public servers. This guide will walk you through enabling or disabling phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu.

✅ Prerequisites

• Ubuntu system (20.04, 22.04, or similar)

• Apache web server

• phpMyAdmin installed

• Root or sudo access

🔧 How to Disable phpMyAdmin in Ubuntu

If you're not actively using phpMyAdmin or want to secure your server, you can permanently disable it.

Step 1: Disable phpMyAdmin Apache Configuration

sudo a2disconf phpmyadmin

This disables the phpMyAdmin configuration in Apache.

Step 2: reload Apache

sudo systemctl reload apache2

phpMyAdmin will now be inaccessible via the browser.

✅ How to Enable phpMyAdmin in Ubuntu

When you need phpMyAdmin again, you can easily re-enable it.

Step 1: Enable phpMyAdmin Apache Configuration

sudo a2enconf phpmyadmin

Step 2: Reload Apache

sudo systemctl reload apache2

Now you can access phpMyAdmin in your browser at:

http://your-server-ip/phpmyadmin

🔐 Extra Security Tips

• Use a firewall to restrict access to phpMyAdmin.

• Enable HTTPS and avoid accessing it over plain HTTP.

• Consider setting up HTTP authentication to add an extra layer of protection.

• Always keep your system and phpMyAdmin updated.