A staggering statistic about WordPress is that damn near half of all websites currently in existence are powered by WordPress. Close to 474 million websites!
It’s safe to say that it is THE CMS of choice for anyone looking to build a website.
Forget just blogs and portfolios. Web developers, designers, and even tech startups are harnessing the power of WordPress to build some incredible things.
From creating sleek landing pages for their latest app to crafting dynamic company websites, WordPress offers the flexibility and ease of use the tech world craves.
But You know this already, that’s why you’re here. You’ve seen the potential, the countless possibilities WordPress unlocks. Everyone who has built something on WordPress was exactly where you are at some point in their journey. But let’s be honest, that admin panel at first glance… Well, it can be a bit daunting.
That’s where we come in. You’ve typed in “WP admin panel guide” into the Google search bar for a reason, and we’re here to walk you through it step-by-step.
We’ll break down that UI, show you the power hidden behind each button, and get you building your website on WordPress in no time. Let’s dive in and explore what you can achieve together!
The WordPress Admin is the cockpit of your website, where you have full control over everything. From creating content to tweaking settings, it’s all done here. When you log in, you land on the Dashboard, which gives you a quick overview of your site’s status and recent activity.
Here are the key components you’ll see:
Now what you’re seeing could vary because depending on the hosting service you’re using, the dashboard options might defer. Many hosting companies pre install certain plugins. Depending on the kind of plugins they pre install your dashboard option might look different. Here’s what it could look like in reality:
Here you can see WP Adminify in the menu which is a dashboard customizer plugin. Plugins like this can come pre-installed in your dashboard. It’s nothing to fret about however. For the most part except a plugin here and there the dashboard shouldn’t look too different.
Getting to your WordPress admin panel is simple. You’ll need your login credentials, which are usually set up during the installation process. If you’re not sure how to log in, here’s a step-by-step guide:
If you ever forget your password, don’t panic. On the login page, there’s a “Lost your password?” link. Click it, and follow the instructions to reset your password via email.
However, you have to understand that the login page URL is changeable. The default one might be yoursite.com/wp-admin but administrators often change the login page URL for security reasons.
So if you’re trying to locate the login page of a WordPress website and running into errors then more than likely the login URL has been redirected. Don’t sweat it though. This is a discussion for another day.
Okay now that you’re in, you should be face to face with the beast now: The Almighty WordPress Admin.
It should look something like this:
Let’s tame the beast! First, we look into the dashboard menu.
The Dashboard is your home base. This is where you can get a quick overview of your site. On the left-hand side is the dashboard main menu. Let’s go through the main menu options sequentially to understand what each does.
Now it may seem like a lot of settings and they will not seem intuitive at first but there’s a way to alleviate this headache.
Just rearrange the menu in whatever order you like. How can you do this? You can use a plugin like WP Adminify
WP Adminifies menu item editor allows you to:
Now let’s say you build a website. Initially, it’s just you so you don’t really have to worry about other users. However, your team will eventually grow and more people will need access to work on your site.
This is where user management will be crucial. Managing users is a key part of administering a WordPress site, especially if you have a team who’ll all work on different parts of your website, all with different user permissions.
In this section, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about adding and managing users in a straightforward, beginner-friendly way.
If you want to allow other people to access your WordPress site, you’ll need to create user accounts for them.
Here’s how to do it:
Navigate to the Users Section: On the left-hand menu, click on Users, then select Add New. Then, Fill Out the User Details:
Select a User Role: User roles define what a user can and cannot do on your site. Here are the default roles:
Add New User: Once you’ve filled out all the details and selected a role, click the Add New User button. The new user will now appear in the user list and receive an email notification if you checked that option.
Managing users is straightforward. Here’s how you can edit or delete existing users:
Navigate to All Users: Click on Users in the left-hand menu, then select All Users. You’ll see a list of all the users on your site.
Edit User Profiles:
Change User Roles:
Delete Users:
To delete a user, hover over their name and click on Delete. You’ll be asked what you want to do with their content. You can either delete all content created by this user or attribute it to another user.
Keeping your site secure is crucial, especially when you have multiple users. Here are some best practices for user account security:
Strong Passwords: Ensure all users have strong passwords. A strong password includes a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters.
Limit User Roles: Only give users the permissions they need. For example, if someone only needs to write posts, don’t make them an Administrator.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
Regularly Review User Access: Periodically check your list of users to ensure that everyone who has access to your site still needs it and has the appropriate role. You can do this quite easily using the RoleMaster Suite plugin.
RoleMaster Suite equips you with the tools to precisely control user access and capabilities. Create custom user roles, assign specific permissions, and easily manage them all from a user-friendly interface.Here’s what RoleMaster Suite can do for you:
Now your website will need content on it, right? You aren’t just going to put up a static site and hope for the best that’s for sure. So it’s safe to say content is the heart of your WordPress site.
Whether you’re writing blog posts, creating pages, or managing media files, WordPress makes it easy to handle all types of content. Let’s check out how you can create and manage content in a way that’s simple and easy to understand.
Posts are the primary content type in WordPress, typically used for blog entries. Here’s how to create and manage them:
Navigate to Posts: Click on Posts in the left-hand menu to see all your blog posts.
Creating a New Post:
Managing Posts:
Pages are similar to posts but are used for static content like your About or Contact pages.
Navigate to Pages: Click on Pages in the left-hand menu to see all your pages.
Creating a New Page:
Managing Pages:
Your media library is where all your uploaded images, videos, and other files are stored. Here’s how to manage your media files:
Navigate to Media: Click on Media in the left-hand menu to access the media library.
Adding Media:
Managing Media Files:
Best Practices for Media Optimization:
Making your WordPress site look exactly how you want is one of the most exciting parts of using WordPress.
Earlier we gave you a small taster into how you can customize your menu editor using WP Adminify but now it’s time for the full-course meal!
In this section we’ll guide you through themes, menus, and widgets, and how WP Adminify can make these customizations a walk in the park.
Themes control the overall design and layout of your WordPress site. Here’s how to manage them:
Navigate to Themes: Click on Appearance in the left-hand menu, then select Themes.
If you’re not sure which theme to choose, consider popular themes like Astra, OceanWP, or GeneratePress. These themes are highly customizable and have good support and documentation.
You can disable the Theme update notice and hide the theme nags using the WP Adminify plugin. If you run an agency, you may not want your clients to see the update notice. Just navigate to the Productivity section of WP Adminify plugin and tick the “Hide the theme update notice” box.
Menus are essential for site navigation. Here’s how to create and manage them:
Navigate to Menus: Click on Appearance in the left-hand menu, then select Menus.
Creating a New Menu:
Managing Menu Items:
Use the WP Adminify menu duplicator system, to easily clone your entire menu or specific menu items. Just navigate to Appearance > Menus.
Assigning Menus to Locations:
You will be taken to the full-site editor.
Important Note: This section focuses on the Full Site Editing experience if you are using a perfect Block Theme or Default WordPress Theme. If you’re using a different theme that is not compatible with FSE, then you will not get this Editor option.
Full Site Editing provides a visual interface for directly editing your website’s content and layout, offering a more user-friendly approach compared to traditional theme file editing. Here are the options you’ll see:
The Customize option provides access to the default WordPress customizer, allowing you to make visual changes to your website without directly editing code. This feature includes several key customization areas:
In the Site Identity section, you can modify core elements of your website’s branding:
Site Title: Edit the name of your website.
Tagline: Modify the short descriptive phrase for your site.
Site Icon (Favicon): Upload or change the small icon that appears in browser tabs and bookmarks.
Logo: Add or update your website’s logo.
The Homepage Settings allow you to control what content appears on your site’s main page. This option is also available in WordPress Settings> General option too.
Your homepage displays: Choose between showing your latest posts or a static page.
The Additional CSS section provides a space to add custom CSS code to further customize your site’s appearance:
This is useful for making minor visual adjustments without editing theme files.
NOTE: The options available in the Customize section may vary depending on your active theme and installed plugins. Some themes and plugins may add their own customization options to this area.
You can’t build a house without tools. Similarly you can’t build a good WordPress website without plugins.
Plugins are powerful tools that extend the functionality of your WordPress site. With plugins, you can add new features, enhance security, improve performance, and much more.
In this section, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about using plugins.
Plugins are pieces of software that add specific features to your WordPress site. Think of them as apps for your website. Whether you need a page builder, contact form, SEO tools, or a social media feed, there’s likely a plugin that can do it.
Here’s how to find and install plugins on your site:
Navigate to Plugins: Click on Plugins in the left-hand menu, then select Add New.
Searching for Plugins:
Installing a Plugin:
Once installed, you can manage your plugins from the Plugins page:
View Installed Plugins: Click on Plugins > Installed Plugins to see a list of all the plugins currently installed on your site.
Activating and Deactivating Plugins:
Updating Plugins:
Deleting Plugins:
Here are some essential plugins that many WordPress users find helpful:
When selecting plugins, keep these tips in mind:
Regular maintenance is crucial for keeping your WordPress site running smoothly, securely, and efficiently. In this section, we’ll cover the essential tasks you need to perform to maintain your site, including updates, backups, security, and performance optimization.
Keeping WordPress updated is vital for security and performance. Here’s how to handle updates:
Backing up your site regularly is essential to protect your content and data. Here’s how to do it:
Importance of Backups:
Recommended Backup Plugins:
Performing and Restoring Backups:
Protecting your site from security threats is critical. Here are some best practices:
Common Security Threats:
Recommended Security Plugins:
Best Practices for Securing Your Site:
A fast site improves user experience and search engine rankings. Here’s how to optimize your site’s performance:
Importance of Site Speed:
Caching and Optimization Plugins:
Tips for Improving Site Performance:
You’ve done it! The beast is tamed! You know all the basics of the WordPress admin and what it can do. But what if you want to freestyle a bit?
Create your own page with combinations of different elements or perhaps run more than one website from a single dashboard.
We’ve got you covered.
Following are tools and techniques that can help you further extend the functionality of your site, improve user experience, and manage your content more effectively.
Custom Post Types (CPTs) allow you to create different types of content beyond the standard posts and pages.
Here’s how to create and manage them:
CPTs are used for content that doesn’t fit into posts or pages. Examples include portfolios, testimonials, and products.
Post Type order: Using WP Adminfy you can rearrange post type order. This helps you during editing. If you want your high-priority posts to be easily accessible you can drag and drop them to the top of the list.
The easiest way to create CPTs is by using a plugin like Custom Post Type UI.
After installing and activating the plugin, navigate to CPT UI > Add/Edit Post Types.
Fill in the necessary information such as post type slug, labels, and settings, then click Add Post Type.
Once created, you’ll see a new menu item in the WordPress dashboard for your CPT.
You can add, edit, and manage items just like you would with regular posts and pages.
Custom Fields allow you to add additional metadata to your posts, pages, and custom post types. This is useful for adding extra information such as prices, dates, or custom content.
Custom Fields add extra information to your content, helping you display more detailed data.
You can enable custom fields by going to Screen Options at the top of the post editor and checking Custom Fields.
Add a new custom field by entering a name and value, then click Add Custom Field.
Shortcodes are small pieces of code that allow you to add dynamic content to your posts, pages, and widgets without writing complex code.
Shortcodes are enclosed in square brackets (e.g., [shortcode]) and are replaced with content or functionality when viewed on the site.
[shortcode]
[ gallery ]
[ audio ]
[ video ]
functions.php
function custom_greeting_shortcode($atts) { return "Hello, welcome to my site!"; } add_shortcode('greeting', 'custom_greeting_shortcode');
[greeting]
WordPress Multisite allows you to run multiple sites from a single WordPress installation. This is useful for networks of sites, such as a main site with sub-sites for different departments or locations.
Multisite enables you to create a network of sites, each with its own settings, themes, and plugins.
To enable Multisite, add the following line to your wp-config.php file above the line /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:
wp-config.php
/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
Save the file, then go to Tools > Network Setup in your WordPress dashboard to configure your network.
The WordPress REST API allows developers to interact with your site’s data using JSON. This is useful for building custom themes, plugins, and integrations with other applications.
The REST API provides a way to access and manipulate WordPress content programmatically.
Access your site’s data via endpoints such as /wp-json/wp/v2/posts for posts, /wp-json/wp/v2/pages for pages, etc.
You can fetch data with a GET request, create new content with a POST request, update content with a PUT request, and delete content with a DELETE request.
For write operations (POST, PUT, DELETE), you’ll need to authenticate. This can be done using basic authentication, cookies, or OAuth.
Use default WordPress features like Application Passwords (Available from WordPress 5.6) to handle authentication securely.
As you continue to explore and manage your WordPress site, you may have some common questions about the admin panel and how to customize it. This section addresses some of the most frequently asked questions to help you make the most of your WordPress admin experience.
The admin panel, also known as the WordPress dashboard, is where you manage your site. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use it effectively:
Go to yourdomain.com/wp-admin and log in with your username and password.
After logging in, you’ll be directed to the dashboard, where you can control all aspects of your site.
The left-hand menu contains all major sections like Posts, Pages, Media, Comments, Appearance, Plugins, Users, Tools, and Settings.
Click on any menu item to expand it and view the available options.
Create new posts or pages by clicking Posts > Add New or Pages > Add New.
Manage your media library by clicking Media > Library.
Customize your site’s appearance under Appearance and manage plugins under Plugins.
Organizing the admin menu can make navigation easier and improve your workflow. Here’s how to do it, especially using WP Adminify:Using WP Adminify to Organize the Menu:
Install and activate the WP Adminify plugin.
Go to WP Adminify > Admin Columns in the left-hand menu.
Here, you can drag and drop menu items to reorder them, rename items, and even hide menu items you don’t frequently use.
Creating Custom Menus:
Some advanced themes and plugins offer built-in options to create custom admin menus, allowing you to tailor the admin experience to your needs.
You can use a plugin like WP Adminify to enhance usability that will reflect on your personal or brand style. WP Adminify offers robust tools for customization:
After installing and activating WP Adminify, navigate to WP Adminify in the left-hand menu.
You can customize the admin panel’s look and feel, including the color scheme, layout, and menu items.
Go to Users > Profile and scroll down to the Admin Color Scheme section.
Choose from the available color schemes or create a custom scheme using WP Adminify’s options.
Replace the WordPress logo on the login page with your own logo using WP Adminify’s customization options.
Go to WP Adminify > Login Customizer and upload your logo.
Create custom widgets for the dashboard to display helpful information using WP Adminify.
Go to WP Adminify > Dashboard Widgets to add and manage custom widgets.
To save time, bookmark the yourdomain.com/wp-admin URL in your browser for easy access.
When logging in, check the Remember Me box to stay logged in longer, reducing the need to re-enter your credentials frequently.
Tools like LastPass or 1Password can securely store your login credentials and autofill them, making it easier to access your admin panel.
Congratulations on making it through our comprehensive guide to the WordPress admin panel!
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your understanding, we hope this guide has provided you with the knowledge and confidence to manage your site effectively.
Remember, tools like WP Adminify can greatly enhance your admin experience, making customization and organization a breeze. Keep exploring, stay curious, and happy WordPress management!
Jemee is a dedicated content creator, video producer, and Support specialist for WP Adminify plugin users. With a passion for keeping the community informed, Jemee shares valuable insights through blog posts and engaging videos. Need assistance? Jemee is here to help you solve any WP Adminify plugin related challenges! Just join in the live chat or drop an email from the contact page.