Table of Contents
The WordPress Dashboard, Explained
Where to Log In to the WordPress Dashboard
Using the WordPress Dashboard
Key Features Accessible via the WordPress Dashboard
The other day, I spoke with a web design client of ours and mentioned that they needed to log in to their WordPress dashboard (also known as the WordPress Admin Dashboard or WP Admin Dashboard). The client replied by asking me what the WordPress Dashboard was. That, my friends, became the genesis of this article.
The WordPress Dashboard, Explained
In a nutshell, the WordPress Dashboard is the “control panel” area of a WordPress website, to which a person with a user account is redirected, after that person has successfully logged in. That said, the user account with the “Administrator” role permissions, will have the ability to control all aspects of the website, from writing blog posts to managing plugins, modifying WordPress theme files and creating/editing/deleting, user accounts.
As an administrator of a WordPress website, when you learn how to use it well, your website can become easier to update, customize and keep secure.
Where to Log In to the WordPress Dashboard
WordPress websites are accessed by going to your website address and adding /wp-admin/ to the end of it. For example: https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/. Once logged in, using a valid username and password, you will be redirected to the WordPress “dashboard”.
Using the WordPress Dashboard
After you log in, the dashboard greets you with a familiar layout designed for easy navigation.
Dashboard Home
This is the first page you see after logging in. By default, it shows quick snapshots of information such as:
- Site Health Status
- Welcome to WordPress
- At a Glance
- Activity
- WordPress News and Events
- Quick Drafts
- Upcoming Tasks
Admin Toolbar
Located along the top edge of the Dashboard pages you will find a black bar (going left to right) that stays visible as you navigate your website or dashboard. This top bar acts like a shortcut menu for common actions. For example, you can quickly create a new post, view your site, or access your profile from here.
Sidebar Menu
On the left side of the Dashboard page, a vertical menu column (with a black background) gives access to all major sections. You should see links for Posts, Media, Pages, Appearance, Plugins, Users and Settings, among other things. Each link redirects you to detailed options for managing that aspect of your website.
Screen Options
You can use the “Screen Options” link in the upper right part of the page to show or hide any of these screen elements. Some plugins, such as Yoast SEO or Limited Login Attempts Reloaded, enables you to add screen elements to your Dashboard home as well.
Key Features Accessible via the WordPress Dashboard
The dashboard is packed with tools to manage just about every aspect of your site.
Posts and Pages
These two links located in the sidebar menu, enable you to easily create content for blog posts and pages. From the dashboard, click “Add New” under Posts or Pages. You can write, format and publish your content right there.
Media Library
Uploading images, videos and documents, such as PDFs, takes seconds. The media library organizes these files, so they can be easily found later.
Plugins
The sidebar menu also has links to quickly access your plugins and themes.
You can use the plugins page to install and activate new plugins that will add new features to your website. To do this, simply click on “Plugins”, then click on “Add New”, search and install the new plugin. You can also activate, deactivate, or update them from here.
Themes
Themes control your website’s look. Switching themes is just a click away. You can access themes by clicking on the “Appearance” link in the sidebar menu, which redirects you to the Theme’s page, displaying current themes installed and which theme is “Active”.
Users
Perhaps among the most important of your website functions, is user management. In the sidebar menu, you should find a link for “Users”. It is here, once you click the link, that you will see all active user profiles listed. Here, you can create, edit or delete profiles, as long as you are logged in as a user with an Administrator level role.
Settings and Configuration
Basic website information, such as your “Site Title”, “Tagline”, and “Site Address (URL)”, are set here. You can also find options for permalinks, reading settings and discussion controls.
Getting familiar with the WordPress dashboard is one of the best ways to run your website more efficiently.
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