The WordPress dashboard, also known as WP Admin or WP admin panel, serves as the control center for your entire WordPress website. It is the hub where you can create and manage content, add functionality through plugins, modify the appearance using themes, and much more. As a primary tool for managing your site, it is crucial to understand the WordPress dashboard, its features, and how to navigate it efficiently. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the ins and outs of the WordPress dashboard, helping you unlock its full potential.
By default, you can access the WordPress admin dashboard by appending /wp-admin to the URL of your WordPress installation. In most cases, you can find the WordPress admin at:
https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin
If you are not already logged in and you try to access your admin dashboard by appending /wp-admin, WordPress will automatically redirect you to the WordPress admin login page without any further action required on your part. You can also manually go straight to the WordPress admin login page URL by visiting:
https://yourdomain.com/wp-login.php
It is recommended to change the default login URL to protect your site from bots, hackers, and scripts that scan for common URLs. Changing the login URL is a simple but effective way to decrease the number of bad login attempts and improve security. You can reset your WordPress password by clicking the “Lost your password?” button.
For more information on how to use the WordPress Dashboard effectively, visit Go4them, which offers comprehensive guidance on making the most of your WordPress experience.
When you first log into the WordPress dashboard, you will see a default screen with various widgets, as well as a sidebar on the left-hand side of the screen that provides access to all the options and features for your site. The dashboard can be both simple and complex, offering a wide range of tools and settings for managing your website. By exploring the dashboard, you can gain a better understanding of its various components and how they can help you manage your site effectively.
Upon logging in, you will see the default WordPress dashboard with several informational widgets. These widgets provide a quick overview of your website, its health status, recent activity, upcoming WordPress events and news, and the ability to create quick drafts for new posts. Each widget serves a specific purpose and can offer valuable insights to help you manage your site efficiently.
The Site Health Status widget is arguably the most important part of the dashboard. It provides an overview of your site’s health, including security updates, PHP issues, and server-side problems that may need your attention. By monitoring this widget regularly, you can ensure that your site remains secure and up to date.
The At a Glance widget offers a snapshot of your entire site, displaying the total number of posts, comments, and pages, as well as the current WordPress version, theme, and other useful information.
The Recent Activity widget displays the most recently published posts and the most recently written comments on your site. This widget allows you to monitor your site’s activity and ensure that everything is running smoothly.
The Quick Draft widget serves as a notepad for jotting down ideas for new posts. You can save drafts but not publish them directly from this widget. It is convenient for quickly outlining ideas and coming back to them later for further development.
The WordPress Events and News widget keeps you connected to the larger WordPress community by displaying the latest news from various sources, including the official WordPress.org blog and other popular sites like WP Tavern. It also shows upcoming WordPress events, such as WordCamps and Meetups, based on your location.
You can customize your WordPress dashboard with additional widgets, depending on the plugins you use. Many plugins add new menu items and widgets to the dashboard, providing additional functionality and information.
For instance, the Jetpack plugin can add a summary of your latest site stats to a widget, while the Google Site Kit plugin can display your Analytics and Search Console stats in a dashboard widget.
You can further personalize your dashboard by hiding or rearranging widgets, changing color schemes, and even creating entirely custom menu items. Various plugins, such as Ultimate Dashboard, allow you to take full control of your dashboard, tailoring it to your specific needs and preferences.
The WordPress dashboard is the central hub for creating and managing your site’s content, including posts and pages. By exploring the various menu options and submenus in the sidebar, you can create new posts or pages, edit existing ones, manage categories and tags, and even schedule posts for future publication.
Although posts and pages in WordPress may look similar, they serve different purposes and have different functionalities. Posts are dynamic content that is displayed in reverse chronological order on your site, making them ideal for timely updates and news articles. Pages, on the other hand, are static content that remains consistent over time, such as an About page or a Contact page.
To create a new post, hover over the Posts menu item and click Add New. This will open the Add New Post screen, where you can enter a title, write your content, upload images, assign categories, and more. When you are satisfied with your post, you can either save it as a draft, schedule it for future publication, or publish it immediately.
Managing pages in WordPress is similar to managing posts. By exploring the Pages menu item and its submenus, you can create new pages, edit existing ones, and organize your site’s structure. Additionally, you can customize each page’s appearance and functionality using various plugins, themes, and settings.
The WordPress dashboard also allows you to modify your site’s appearance by choosing and customizing themes. By navigating to the Appearance menu item and its submenus, you can access tools for changing your site’s theme, customizing its design, adding widgets, and more.
A theme in WordPress determines the overall look and layout of your site. You can browse, install, and activate new themes by visiting the Themes submenu under the Appearance menu item. Additionally, you can customize your current theme’s settings and design elements using the Customize submenu.
Widgets are small blocks of content that can be added to various areas of your site, such as sidebars, footers, and headers. You can manage your site’s widgets by visiting the Widgets submenu under the Appearance menu item. Here, you can add, remove, and rearrange widgets to customize your site’s layout and functionality.
Plugins are essential tools for extending the functionality of your WordPress site. By exploring the Plugins menu item and its submenus, you can install, activate, and manage various plugins to enhance your site’s features and capabilities.
To install a new plugin, visit the Add New submenu under the Plugins menu item. From there, you can search for specific plugins, browse featured and recommended plugins, or upload a plugin file directly. Once you have found the plugin you wish to install, simply click the Install Now button and then Activate the plugin.
Many plugins add new menu items to the WordPress dashboard, providing settings and options for managing the plugin’s functionality. To access a plugin’s settings, locate the plugin’s menu item in the sidebar and explore its submenus.
The WordPress dashboard enables you to manage users and comments on your site. By navigating to the Users and Comments menu items, you can add new users, edit user profiles, moderate comments, and more.
You can manage users on your site by visiting the Users submenu. From there, you can add new users, edit existing user profiles, and assign user roles and permissions. Additionally, you can customize your own user profile, including your display name, email address, and password.
The Comments submenu allows you to moderate and manage comments on your site. You can approve or unapprove comments, reply to comments, edit comments, and mark comments as spam or trash. Additionally, you can filter comments by status, date, and author to easily locate and manage specific comments.
The WordPress Toolbar, formerly known as Admin Bar, is a small bar at the top of your screen that appears when you are logged into WordPress. It provides quick access to various menu options and features, allowing you to perform actions efficiently, no matter where you are on your site.
If desired, you can hide the WordPress Toolbar by going to Users -> Your Profile and unchecking the box for Show Toolbar when viewing site.
There are numerous plugins available that can help you further customize your WordPress dashboard and admin area. These plugins can add new menu items, change the appearance of the dashboard, and even create custom user roles with specific permissions.
Some popular plugins for customizing the WordPress dashboard include Ultimate Dashboard, Divi Admin Dashboard Layouts, Jetpack, and Google Site Kit.
Understanding and mastering the WordPress dashboard is essential for managing your website effectively. By familiarizing yourself with its various features and functions, you can unlock the full potential of the WordPress platform. Whether you’re creating new content, customizing your site’s appearance, managing users and comments, or exploring plugins and settings, the WordPress dashboard offers a comprehensive and powerful tool for all your website management needs.
Go4Them 2020 is provided by Machine Mind Ltd - Company registered in United Kingdom - All rights reserved
Recent Comments