What's in the WordPress dashboard, and what do I need?
The WordPress dashboard is the admin area you reach by logging in. Its left menu holds Posts, Media and Pages for everyday content, plus Comments, Users and Tools for occasional jobs. Appearance, Plugins and Settings control how the whole site works, so most owners leave them to whoever maintains the site.
The short version
- Posts, Media and Pages are where you’ll spend nearly all your time.
- Comments, Users and Tools are for now-and-then jobs.
- Appearance, Plugins and Settings change the whole site. Leave them to your web team unless you know exactly what a change does.
- Your menu depends on your role and your plugins, so it may not match anyone else’s.
- Press Ctrl+K (Command+K on a Mac) to search the admin by typing.
What’s on the screen when I log in?
You land on Dashboard, then Home. WordPress’s Dashboard Screen page lists the default boxes, called widgets: At a Glance, Activity, Quick Draft, WordPress Events and News and Welcome. Plugins often add more, such as form entries or SEO notices.
Across the top is the toolbar. On the left, the site name has a Visit Site link. On the right, Howdy and your name opens your profile and Log Out. Just under the toolbar on many screens are two tabs: Screen Options, which hides or shows boxes and columns, and Help.
You can tidy the Dashboard with Screen Options. Untick boxes you never read. It only changes your view, not anyone else’s.
What does each menu item do?
This follows WordPress’s Administration Screens page, which describes the full menu an Administrator sees.
| Menu | What’s inside | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | Home, Updates | Glance at it when you log in |
| Posts | All Posts, Add Post, Categories, Tags | Yes, for news and blog posts |
| Media | Library, Add New Media | Yes, for photos and PDFs |
| Pages | All Pages, Add Page | Yes, for your main pages |
| Comments | Comments waiting for approval | Only if your site allows comments |
| Appearance | Themes, Customize or Editor, Widgets, Menus | Menus only, and only with care |
| Plugins | Installed plugins, Add New, Plugin File Editor | Leave to your web team |
| Users | All Users, Add User, Profile | When staff join or leave |
| Tools | Import, Export, Site Health | Site Health, monthly |
| Settings | General, Writing, Reading, Discussion, Media, Permalinks | Leave to your web team |
Block themes show Editor under Appearance instead of Customize, Widgets and Menus. That editor changes templates used across the whole site, so treat it like a setting, not a page.
Why doesn’t my menu look like this?
Two reasons:
- Your role. WordPress’s roles page explains that an Editor can manage everyone’s posts and pages but not plugins, themes or settings. An Author sees even less. If you can’t see Plugins, you aren’t an Administrator, and that’s usually how it should be.
- Your plugins. Forms, calendars, stores and SEO tools add their own menu items, often between Comments and Appearance or at the bottom. Their names are the plugin’s, not WordPress’s.
What’s new in the admin?
WordPress 7.0, released May 20, 2026, refreshed the admin colors and added a command palette, per the 7.0 release post. Press Ctrl+K or Command+K anywhere in the admin, type “add new page” or a page name, and jump straight there. It’s the quickest way around for people who don’t use the dashboard every day.
What are the common mistakes and edge cases?
- Logging in as a shared admin. If three people use one Administrator login, you can’t tell who changed what or remove one person. See which role to give staff.
- Treating dashboard notices as instructions. Plugins show banners asking you to upgrade, rate them or “fix” something. Many are sales prompts. If one looks urgent, forward a screenshot to whoever maintains the site.
- Clicking “Update Now” on Dashboard, then Updates without a backup. Updates are good, but they need a backup first and a check afterwards. See WordPress releases and the update cycle.
- Hunting for a page in Posts. Pages are permanent pages like About or Services. Posts are dated news items. If you can’t find it in one, check the other.
- Editing in Appearance, then Editor to change one page. That screen edits templates, so a change can appear on every page.
What if I can’t find something?
- Use the command palette or the search box at the top of All Pages or All Posts.
- If an item is missing from your menu, your role may not allow it. Ask an Administrator.
- If you can’t log in at all, see how to log in if you forgot your password. If the login page shows a 404, see why your login page is blocked.
How long does it take to learn?
About half an hour of clicking around covers it. Open each menu item, read the screen, and don’t save anything. Most owners only ever need four or five screens.
How does E-3 handle this?
On sites we look after through website care, accounts are set up in the client’s name, with E-3 added as a user. We give each person their own login at the lowest role that fits, and we look after the Appearance, Plugins and Settings side.
Related questions
Next step
- Next: How does the WordPress block editor work?The next guide in WordPress for owners.
- Website careUptime monitoring, tested updates, daily backups and security alerts.
Still stuck? Ask E-3 for an answer from our help guides.
Rather we handled wordpress for owners for you?
It’s part of what we do every week for small businesses, as part of website care. Start with a free check of your site and profile, or call and ask.