Getting Started with the WordPress Dashboard Layout and Screen Options

Learn how to navigate your WordPress Dashboard, customize what you see with Screen Options, and create a clean, focused workspace you’ll actually enjoy using.

Why Your WordPress Dashboard Layout Matters

When you log in to WordPress, the Dashboard is your control center. A cluttered or confusing layout makes everything feel harder. A clean, customized Dashboard helps you:

• Find key tools (Pages, Posts, Forms, etc.) quickly
• Hide distractions you don’t use
• Spot important alerts about updates, health, or security

This guide walks you through the basic Dashboard layout and shows you how to use Screen Options to tailor what you see.

Understanding the Main Dashboard Layout

After logging in, you’ll see the WordPress Administration Screen, which is divided into four main areas: toolbar, navigation menu, work area, and footer.Source

1. The Toolbar (Top Bar)

The dark bar across the top of the screen is the Toolbar. It usually includes:

• The WordPress logo (links to About, Documentation, and Support)
• Your site name (hover to visit the front end)
• Quick links like + New (to add a post, page, or user)
• Your user profile menu (log out, edit profile)

2. The Left Navigation Menu

On the left, you’ll see the main navigation menu. Common items include:

• Dashboard – Home screen and Site Health
• Posts – Blog posts and categories
• Media – Library of images and files
• Pages – Static pages like Home, About, Contact
• Comments – Manage visitor comments
• Appearance – Themes, menus, widgets, and sometimes the Site Editor
• Plugins – Installed plugins and Add New
• Users – User accounts and profiles
• Tools – Import/Export and Site Health
• Settings – Core site settings

Each menu item can expand to show sub-items when you hover or click.

3. The Work Area (Main Content)

The large panel in the middle is the work area. It changes based on what you’re doing:

• On Dashboard ? Home, you’ll see widgets like At a Glance, Activity, and Site Health Status.
• On Pages ? Add New, you’ll see the block editor for creating a page.
• On Plugins ? Installed Plugins, you’ll see a list of all plugins.

4. The Footer

At the very bottom is a light gray footer showing a thank-you message and the current WordPress version.Source

How to Log In and Reach the Dashboard

1. Open your browser and go to your site’s login URL, usually /wp-admin or /wp-login.php.
2. Enter your username and password, then click Log In.
3. You’ll land on Dashboard ? Home by default.

What You Should See

• A dark top Toolbar with your site name and user profile.
• A dark left sidebar with menu items like Dashboard, Posts, Media, Pages, and so on.
• A main area titled Dashboard with several boxes (widgets) such as At a Glance and Activity.

Using Screen Options to Customize What You See

Most admin screens in WordPress include a small Screen Options tab at the top right. This lets you turn specific panels on or off and sometimes change layout columns.Source

Step-by-Step: Adjust Screen Options on the Dashboard

1. In the left menu, click Dashboard ? Home.
2. Look to the top right of the screen, just under the Toolbar, for the Screen Options tab.
3. Click the tab to expand a panel.
4. You’ll see checkboxes for each available widget, such as:
   • At a Glance
   • Activity
   • Quick Draft
   • Site Health Status
   • Any extra widgets added by plugins or your host
5. Uncheck items you don’t need to see. Check items you do want visible.
6. Close the panel by clicking Screen Options again.

What You Should See

• The Dashboard widgets you unchecked will disappear from the main area.
• The remaining widgets can be dragged and dropped to reorder them.
• Your choices are saved per user, so other admins can keep their own layouts.

Using Screen Options on List Screens (Posts, Pages, etc.)

You can also customize the columns on list screens like Posts ? All Posts and Pages ? All Pages.

1. Go to Dashboard ? Posts ? All Posts (or Pages ? All Pages).
2. Click Screen Options in the top right.
3. Check or uncheck columns such as Author, Categories, Tags, Comments, or any plugin-added columns.
4. Adjust the Number of items per page if available (for example, show 50 posts per page instead of 20).
5. Click the tab again to close it.

What You Should See

• The table of posts or pages will update to show only the columns you selected.
• If you changed the number of items per page, the list will show more or fewer rows accordingly.

Finding Key Tools from the Dashboard

As a new site owner, you’ll mostly use a few core areas. Here’s how to reach them quickly from the Dashboard.

Create or Edit Pages

1. In the left menu, click Pages ? Add New to create a new page.
2. To edit an existing page, click Pages ? All Pages, then click the title of the page you want to edit.

You’ll be taken to the block editor, where you can add and arrange content blocks.Source

Create or Edit Posts

1. Click Posts ? Add New to write a new blog post.
2. Or go to Posts ? All Posts to edit an existing one.

The editor works the same way as for pages, but posts can also use categories and tags.

Check Site Health from the Dashboard

WordPress includes a built-in Site Health tool that checks for common configuration and security issues.Source

1. In the left menu, go to Tools ? Site Health.
2. On the Status tab, review any Critical issues or Recommended improvements.
3. Click each item to see details and follow the suggested steps.

What You Should See

• A colored status indicator (Good, Recommended improvements, or Critical issues).
• A list of checks with expandable details and guidance.

Dashboard Tips for Different User Roles

What you see in the Dashboard depends on your user role. Administrators see everything; Editors, Authors, and other roles see fewer menu items and options.Source

• Administrator – Full access to settings, plugins, themes, and users.
• Editor – Manages content (posts, pages, comments) but not site-wide settings.
• Author – Writes and publishes their own posts.
• Contributor – Writes posts but cannot publish them.
• Subscriber – Manages only their profile.

If you’re missing a menu item mentioned in this guide, your account may not have the required role or capability. Ask your site administrator to confirm your role.

Optional: Using Elementor from the Dashboard

If your site uses Elementor for page layouts, you’ll access it from the same Dashboard menus:

1. Go to Pages ? All Pages.
2. Hover over the page you want to edit and click Edit with Elementor.

What You Should See

• The standard WordPress top Toolbar and left menu will be replaced by the Elementor interface.
• A left panel with widgets (Headings, Images, Buttons, etc.).
• A live preview of your page on the right.

When you’re done, click Update in Elementor, then use the top-left menu to return to the Dashboard.

Simple Checklist: Make Your Dashboard Work for You

• Log in and identify the four main areas: Toolbar, left menu, work area, footer.
• Use Screen Options on Dashboard ? Home to hide widgets you don’t need.
• Use Screen Options on Posts and Pages lists to simplify columns.
• Pin your most-used items in your mind: Pages, Posts, Media, Appearance, Tools ? Site Health.
• If something seems missing, confirm your user role and permissions.

Once you’ve customized your Dashboard layout and Screen Options, you’ll spend less time hunting for controls and more time actually working on your content.