Fix XAMPP phpMyAdmin Not Opening or Showing Forbidden Error

Facing phpMyAdmin not opening or “Access Forbidden” error in XAMPP? Learn how to fix it step-by-step for Windows, macOS, and Linux/Ubuntu systems.

🧩 Introduction

Trying to open http://localhost/phpmyadmin but getting a 403 Forbidden or blank page? phpMyAdmin often fails to load due to Apache config restrictions, incorrect aliases, or permission issues on non-Windows platforms.

This post will walk you through exact steps to fix it across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

❗ Common Causes

• Apache denying access via httpd-xampp.conf
• Missing or wrong phpMyAdmin alias
• Directory permission issues
• config.inc.php misconfiguration
• Antivirus or firewall blocking local access

🖥️ Fix on Windows

✅ Step-by-Step:

1. Edit Apache config file:
   • Open C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-xampp.conf
2. Find this block: <Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin"> AllowOverride AuthConfig Require local </Directory>
3. Change Require local to: Require all granted This allows access from any browser or device (use carefully if on public network).
4. Restart Apache via XAMPP control panel.
5. Now access: http://localhost/phpmyadmin

🍏 Fix on macOS

✅ Step-by-Step:

1. Open Apache config file: sudo nano /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/etc/extra/httpd-xampp.conf
2. Locate phpMyAdmin Directory block: <Directory "/Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/phpmyadmin"> AllowOverride AuthConfig Require local </Directory>
3. Change Require local to: Require all granted
4. Check Permissions (optional): sudo chmod -R 755 /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/phpmyadmin
5. Restart Apache: sudo /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/xampp restartapache
6. Try accessing: http://localhost/phpmyadmin

🐧 Fix on Linux/Ubuntu

✅ Step-by-Step:

1. Edit the Apache XAMPP file: sudo nano /opt/lampp/etc/extra/httpd-xampp.conf
2. Modify this block: <Directory "/opt/lampp/phpmyadmin"> AllowOverride AuthConfig Require local </Directory> Replace with: Require all granted
3. Fix folder permissions: sudo chmod -R 755 /opt/lampp/phpmyadmin
4. Restart XAMPP: sudo /opt/lampp/lampp restart
5. Open: http://localhost/phpmyadmin

⚠️ Bonus: Login Errors or Blank Page?

• Open config.inc.php file (inside phpMyAdmin folder)
• Ensure $cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] is: $cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = 'localhost';
• Check PHP error logs: C:/xampp/php/logs/php_error_log

📌 Conclusion

phpMyAdmin is an essential tool for MySQL management in XAMPP. Whether it’s a 403 error, blank page, or access denied, it usually comes down to Apache config. This guide helps you solve the issue on any OS.

💬 Still Can’t Access?

Drop your httpd-xampp.conf block or a screenshot in the comments and I’ll personally walk you through the fix.