Recently, I encountered an issue while using XAMPP on my Windows 11 PC. A day before, everything was working fine, I was able to setup a blog in WordPress and happily making changes across different sections of my blog. The next day, I wanted to make some final tweaks and publish my website to the server but all of a sudden I was unable to start MySQL server on XAMPP. The apache server was running without any issue but starting MySQL was causing failure. I tried multiple times but failed. This blog will help you to fix port conflict and blocked port MySQL XAMPP issues.
I thought may be because of some firewall configurations, MySQL is unable to work on 3306 port so I tried changing MySQL ports through the MySQL my.ini config file and the XAMPP config file from 3306 to 3307 and 3308 but nothing worked. I googled and after spending sometime, I came across a solution that finally resolved the issue for good.
Table of Contents
In this blog, we will discuss how to fix MySQL port conflict issue on XAMPP. Lets see, How I was able to fix MySQL port conflict issue or XAMPP.
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What is a MySQL Port Conflict Issue?
A MySQL port conflict issue occurs when another application or process is using the same port that MySQL is trying to use. This can result in errors when attempting to start the MySQL server on XAMPP.
The default port for MySQL is 3306, so if another application or process is already using that port, MySQL will fail to start.
Why Does a MySQL Port Conflict Occur?
There are several reasons why a MySQL port conflict issue can occur. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Another instance of MySQL is already running on the same port.
- Another application or service is already using the same port as MySQL.
- The port used by MySQL has been changed in the configuration file but has not been updated in XAMPP.
MySQL is a popular open-source database management system used by developers and businesses worldwide. It is widely used with XAMPP, a free and open-source web server solution stack that includes the Apache HTTP server, MySQL database server, and PHP scripting language. However, sometimes MySQL port conflict issues can occur, which can prevent XAMPP from running properly.
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How to Fix MySQL Port Conflict Issues on XAMPP
Here are some methods to fix MySQL port conflict issues on XAMPP:
Method 1: Change the Port Used by MySQL
The first method is to change the port used by MySQL in the configuration file. This is done by editing the my.ini file, which is located in the XAMPP installation directory.
Follow these steps to change the port:
- Open the my.ini file in a text editor.
- Find the line that says “port=3306” and change the number to a different value, such as 3307.
- Save the file and exit the text editor.
- Start XAMPP and try to start the MySQL server again.
Method 2: Stop Other Applications or Services Using the Same Port
The second method is to stop any other applications or services that are using the same port as MySQL.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Click on the “Processes” tab and sort the list by “PID” by clicking on the column header.
- Look for any processes that are using port 3306 (or the port you have specified in the my.ini file) and note down their PID numbers.
- Open the command prompt and type “taskkill /PID [PID number] /F” for each process that is using the port, replacing “[PID number]” with the actual PID number.
- Start XAMPP and try to start the MySQL server again.
Method 3: Use a Different Port for XAMPP
The third method is to change the port used by XAMPP.
This can be done by following these steps:
- Open the XAMPP Control Panel and click on the “Config” button for Apache.
- Select “Apache (httpd.conf)” from the drop-down menu.
- Find the line that says “Listen 80” and change the number to a different value, such as 81.
- Save the file and exit the text editor.
- Start XAMPP and try to start the MySQL server again.
Method 4: Uninstall Conflicting Applications or Services
The fourth method is to uninstall any conflicting applications or services that are using the same port as MySQL.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Windows Control Panel and select “Programs and Features.”
- Find any applications or services that are using port 3306 (or the port you have specified in the my.ini file) and select them.
- Click on the “Uninstall” button and follow the instructions to uninstall the application or service.
- Start XAMPP and try to start the MySQL server again.
Method 5: Use the XAMPP Shell
The fifth method is to use the XAMPP Shell to stop any processes that are using the same port as MySQL.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the XAMPP Control Panel and click on the “Shell” button for Apache.
- Type “netstat -ano | findstr :3306” (or the port you have specified in the my.ini file) and press Enter. This will show a list of processes that are using the port.
- Note down the PID number of each process that is using the port.
- Type “taskkill /F /PID [PID number]” for each process that is using the port, replacing “[PID number]” with the actual PID number.
- Start XAMPP and try to start the MySQL server again.
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Second Approach to Fix MySQL Port Conflict or Start Issue on XAMPP
1. Go to your XAMPP installation directory.
2. Now, browse to xampp/mysql/data.
3. Rename “data” folder to “data_old”.

4. Create a new folder “data”.
5. Now, copy all files and folders from xampp/mysql/backup to the new xampp/mysql/data.
6. Also, copy all your database folders from data_old to data except mysql, performance_schema, and phpmyadmin folders and any files.
7. Now, copy the “ibdata1” file from xampp/mysql/data_old and replace it inside xampp/mysql/data.

8. Restart your MySQL+XAMPP server and you’re done.

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What is Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP Issue?
Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue occurs when the default port of MySQL in XAMPP, which is usually 3306, is being used by another application or service, preventing XAMPP from accessing it. This issue can occur on Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems.
XAMPP is a popular web server software package that includes Apache, MySQL, and PHP, among other components, and is often used for web development and testing purposes. MySQL is a database management system that is used by many web applications, and XAMPP provides an easy way to set up and use MySQL in a local development environment.
When the port used by MySQL is blocked, XAMPP cannot start the MySQL service, preventing any web applications from accessing the MySQL database. To fix the issue, the user needs to identify which application is using the port and stop it, or change the MySQL port used by XAMPP to a different number that is not being used by any other application.
To change the MySQL port used by XAMPP, the user needs to open the XAMPP control panel, click on the “Config” button next to the MySQL module, and select “my.ini” from the drop-down menu. Then, they need to find the line that says “port=3306” and change the number to a different port, such as 3307 or 3308. After making this change, the user should save the file, restart the MySQL module in XAMPP, and check if the issue has been resolved.
How to Fix Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP Issue?
Here are the steps to fix the Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue:
1. Identify which application is using the port
The first step is to identify which application is using the port that MySQL is trying to use. You can do this by running the following command in the command prompt:
netstat -ano | findstr :3306
This command will show you the process ID of the application using the port. Note down the process ID.
2. Stop the application using the port
Next, you need to stop the application that is using the port. To do this, open the Task Manager, go to the “Processes” tab, and find the process ID you noted down in the previous step. Right-click on the process and select “End Task” to stop the application.
3. Change the MySQL port in XAMPP
If you are unable to stop the application using the port, you can change the port used by MySQL in XAMPP. To do this, open the XAMPP control panel, click on the “Config” button next to the MySQL module, and select “my.ini” from the drop-down menu. Find the line that says “port=3306” and change the number to a different port, such as 3307 or 3308. Save the file and restart the MySQL module in XAMPP.
4. Check if the issue has been resolved
After making the above changes, restart XAMPP and check if the issue has been resolved. If MySQL is still unable to start, try changing the port again to a different number and repeat the process until you find a port that is not being used by any other application.
By following the above steps, you should be able to fix the Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue and start using MySQL in XAMPP again.
If Changing Port Number Does Not Solve Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP Issue
Yes, there are a few other things you can try if changing the port number does not solve the Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue:
1. Check your firewall settings
Sometimes, your firewall may be blocking the MySQL port used by XAMPP. You can try disabling your firewall temporarily and see if you resolve this. If that works, you can create a new rule in your firewall to allow traffic on the MySQL port.
2. Check your antivirus settings
Some antivirus programs may interfere with XAMPP’s ability to use the MySQL port. You can try disabling your antivirus temporarily and see if you fix this. If that works, you can add an exception in your antivirus settings to allow XAMPP to use the MySQL port.
3. Check if another instance of MySQL is running
If another instance of MySQL is running on your system, it may be using the same port as XAMPP. You can check if this is the case by running the following command in the command prompt:
tasklist /fi “imagename eq mysqld.exe”
This command will show you if another instance of MySQL is running. If it is, you can try stopping it and see if you’re able to resolve.
4. Reinstall XAMPP
If none of the above steps work, you can try reinstalling XAMPP. Sometimes, there may be an issue with the XAMPP installation that is causing the Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue.
By trying these additional steps, you may be able to resolve the Blocked Port MySQL XAMPP issue and get XAMPP working properly again.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to fix port conflict and blocked port MySQL XAMPP issues. A MySQL port conflict issue can occur due to several reasons, including another instance of MySQL running on the same port, another application or service using the same port, or a port change in the configuration file that you don’t update in XAMPP.
We have discussed five methods to fix this issue, including changing the port used by MySQL, stopping other applications or services using the same port, using a different port for XAMPP, uninstalling conflicting applications or services, and using the XAMPP Shell. By following these methods, you can easily fix the MySQL port conflict issue on XAMPP and ensure that your web server is running smoothly.