Playing around with custom menus for a WordPress website can feel a bit confusing. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. So how do I edit a drop-down menu in WordPress?
You can edit a drop-down menu by navigating to Appearance > Menus, selecting the menu you wish to edit, and then clicking on the drop-down menu item to expand it.
From there, you can modify the navigation label, and the title attribute, or rearrange the order by dragging and dropping it to your desired location.
Today, we’ll delve into the art of crafting custom and navigation menus in WordPress.
This tutorial is part of one of the lessons covered through the Online Entrepreneurship Certification course, which goes over how to add custom menus.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned developer looking for a refresher, this guide has got you covered.
UPDATED: JUNE 4, 2023
Note: We may include products or services that will be helpful to our readers. This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please review the affiliate disclosure page.
- Understanding The Concept Of WordPress Menus
- How To Edit A Navigation Menu In WordPress
- Accessing The WordPress Dashboard
- Creating A New Menu In WordPress: A Wealthy Affiliate Guide
- Adding Pages To Your Menu: A Wealthy Affiliate Approach
You can edit a dropdown menu by navigating to Appearance > Menus, selecting the menu you wish to edit, and then clicking on the dropdown menu item to expand it. Here, you can modify the Navigation Label, and the Title Attribute, or rearrange the order by dragging and dropping it to your desired location.
Before we dive into creating menus, let’s familiarize ourselves with what WordPress menus are.
Simply put, these are navigation tools that guide your visitors around your website. They can be customized to include categories, pages, and custom links.
A well-structured menu can greatly enhance the user navigation experience, making your website intuitive and easy to navigate.
To get the full breakdown, be sure to check out my extensive review of Wealthy Affiliate. If you want to learn more and are interested in this platform, read “Is Wealthy Affiliate A Good Program? Wealthy Affiliate Review” to get all of the details. This review is well worth your time as you make your best decision.
Accessing the WordPress dashboard
All the magic happens in the WordPress Dashboard.
To access it, you need to log in to your WordPress account and find the Menu Management Section, which is located under Appearance > Menus.
This area is your command center for creating and managing your website’s menus.
With the WordPress dashboard open, it’s time to create a new menu. Start by giving your menu a name. This can be anything that helps you identify the menu’s purpose.
Next, let’s delve into the menu structure. Think of it as a tree, where each branch represents a menu item.
You can add items to your menu by selecting them from the left-hand side and clicking on ‘Add to Menu’.
Once added, you can organize these items by simply dragging and dropping them in the order you prefer.
Customizing your menu items allows you to provide a more personalized user experience.
You can change the navigation label, which is the name displayed on your menu, and the title attribute, which is the text that appears when a user hovers over a menu item.
Rearranging items is a breeze – just drag and drop to order them as you see fit. If you want to create a dropdown menu, place the items underneath and slightly to the right of the parent item.
Menu locations are the areas within your theme where menus can be displayed. Typical locations include a header, footer, and sidebar, but these can vary depending on your theme.
You can assign your newly created menu to a location under ‘Menu Settings’. If your website demands multiple menus, you can manage them all from this central location.
Get On Track With The Right Training- If You Take Action
- No Scammy Gurus, Flashy Cars, Fake Earnings, or Upsells- NO BS!
- Simple, Self-Paced Training Lessons
- Straightforward, Actionable Tasks Per Lesson
- Ask Questions & Receive Help At Any Time
- Get Me As Your Direct Support Coach
What Are You Waiting For? TRY RISK-FREE- NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED
To customize the WordPress admin menu, you can use plugins like “Admin Menu Editor” or “Adminimize”.
These plugins allow you to rearrange, rename, hide, or create new menu items in the WordPress backend dashboard.
Adding custom links to your menu provides additional navigation options for your visitors.
To do this, click on ‘Custom Links’, input the URL, and add a navigation label. Click ‘Add to Menu’, and voila, your custom link is ready!
Categories are a great way to group related posts together. To add categories to your menu, simply select the desired categories from the left-hand side and add them to your menu.
This organizes your content and makes it more accessible to your visitors.
A relevant article from notimekillers.com
Read next on “How Long Does It Take To Set Up A WordPress Website?“, to learn how long it takes for a beginner to set up a brand new WordPress site.
Just like categories, you can add pages to your menu. These could be essential pages such as ‘About Us’, ‘Services’, ‘Contact’, etc.
Select the pages you want to include and add them to your menu.
Widgets are tools that perform specific functions on your site. You can add your custom menu to a widget, usually found in sidebars or footers, further enhancing your site’s navigation.
Good menu design is all about user experience. Keep your menus simple and clear, making sure to include essential links.
A well-structured and intuitive menu can greatly enhance your visitors’ browsing experience.
Check out more from this Wealthy Affiliate lesson
While this guide gives you a great start, there’s so much more to learn about customizing WordPress for your unique needs.
If you’re serious about mastering WordPress and building a successful website, I highly recommend checking out the Wealthy Affiliate training.
It’s a comprehensive program filled with valuable insights, step-by-step tutorials, and a supportive community.
The best part? You can sign up for a free starter account to access a wealth of knowledge that will take your WordPress skills to the next level.
Don’t just take my word for it – give it a try, and I’m confident you’ll see the value it brings.
Start your journey with Wealthy Affiliate today!
Watching this lesson requires you to upgrade to at least a Wealthy Affiliate premium membership.
If you’re not ready, I strongly recommend you set up a free starter account (FSA) and go through the first level of the OEC course.
If you’ve already upgraded, log into your account and proceed from there.
Final Words
Creating custom navigation menus in WordPress is an essential skill for anyone managing a website.
By following this guide, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to enhance your website’s user experience. Remember, practice makes perfect.
So, go ahead and start experimenting with different menu structures and customizations.
Don’t forget to have fun along the way. After all, building your website should be a rewarding and creative experience. Happy menu crafting!
I would like to get your thoughts on this topic. What types of menu structures have you found to be most effective for your WordPress website?
Can you share a time when customizing your WordPress menu enhances your site’s user experience? What changes did you make?
Are there any challenges you’ve faced while creating or managing your WordPress menus?
If so, how did you overcome them?
Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.
If you got value from this article, please bookmark this website to visit later for new posts every week. Spread the word to others. Sharing is caring! To get more of this type of content, you won't want to miss out my daily email letters. These are worth some golden nuggets and best tips to help you in your business. Sign up today! Count me in on the daily letters via email! For the latest videos that come out every week, subscribe to the YouTube channel. Also, be sure to check out our new space on Twitter X! YouTube Twitter (X) Medium Profile
Eric is the owner and chief editor of notimekillers.com. He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. Eric is a firm believer in financial and time freedom, as he believes in financial independence and taking ownership of your time. “Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. You can also connect with Eric via LinkedIn.
WP is definitely confusing, whether you’re experienced online or not. Thank goodness I came across your site because it clarified WP a great deal.
The instructions (setting up a menu) are very concise, clear, and easy to follow. The visuals are well-placed on the site and add clarity.
When I first set up my website, I had a challenge in understanding WP. Your website clears things up quite a bit.
There’s a lot that goes into building a website. Your instruction helps me better understand the process. I do have limited experience in website construction, but your instruction is very helpful.
Thank you.
Hello Bob,
It’s completely understandable- WordPress can be a learning curve for some people.
But once you practice and get the hang of it, you’ll improve over time. Anyone at any level can learn how to use WordPress effectively.
I’m glad you found this post helpful- it can help anyone who’s getting started in building a WordPress website.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts- I greatly appreciate what you had to say.