The back end of your WordPress site is where you can access your Wordpress dashboard, navigate through all of its tabs and pages, and make any kind of customization to your site. The backend site is not visible to your site's visitors, and can only be accessed by logging in with your unique username and password.
To log in:
- Using your preferred browser, visit your website or type your site's URL directly into the search text box at the top of your screen. Then, click into your site's URL at the top of the screen and add either "/login" or "/wp-admin" to the end of the URL. For example:
- www.example.com/login
- www.example.com/wp-admin
- If you can't or don't want to remember this, the easiest way to return to the login screen is to bookmark one of these URLs in your browser.
- Once you have reached the login screen, enter your username and password to access your WordPress dashboard.
Navigating Your Dashboard
The WordPress dashboard is the primary interface for the backend of your website and gives you the tools to make any customizations you need and to monitor essential functions, like sales. The dashboard is made up of two parts: the main work area and the menu bar on the left side of the screen.
- The main work area is filled with widgets, content boxes that display the most important information about your website and allow you to perform various functions. Some of these boxes are standard with any WordPress site, like the "Quick Draft" box that allows you to easily write a draft of a new blog post. Other boxes are sourced from any plugins you have installed on your site. For example, if your site is integrated with WooCommerce, you will see a WooCommerce box displaying your main sales figures.
- These boxes can be minimized or rearranged any way you want; just click-and-drag to move them.
- The menu bar on the left side of the screen is filled with many tabs taking you to specific sections on the backend of your site where you can customize, maintain, or monitor various functions and features. The most commonly used tabs include:
- Dashboard: This tab will return you to the dashboard from any page you visit.
- Posts: Hover over the posts tab to view all your blog posts, add a new post, or customize the categories and tags.
- Media: This important page displays your media library where you can add photos and other files to be added to your site. Hover over the media tab to view your media library or add new files.
- Pages: Hover over the pages tab to view all the pages of your site or add new ones.
- WooCommerce: If your site is integrated with WooCommerce, use this tab to view your sales figures and perform important functions for your online store.
- Products: Hover over the products tab to view all your products, add new ones, or customize your categories and tags.
- Appearance: The appearance tab is used to alter the visual display of your website by changing the site themes, header and footer menus, and many other features.