Menus are how visitors navigate your site, so getting them right matters. WordPress lets you build custom menus from your pages, posts, categories, and custom links, and place them in the locations your theme provides. This guide explains how.
Where menus live #
You manage menus under Appearance > Menus (some block themes use the Site Editor instead). Your theme defines menu locations, such as a primary header menu and a footer menu, and you assign a menu to each location.
Creating a menu #
- Go to Appearance > Menus.
- Click create a new menu and give it a name.
- Select pages, posts, categories, or custom links and click Add to Menu.
- Assign the menu to a location (for example, Primary).
- Click Save Menu.
Arranging your menu items #
- Drag items up or down to reorder them.
- Drag an item slightly right to make it a sub-item, creating a dropdown.
- Click an item to rename its label or remove it.
Adding custom links #
Custom links let you point a menu item anywhere, including external sites or a specific section. Enter the URL and link text, then add it to the menu.
Menu tips #
- Keep your main menu short, ideally under seven items.
- Use clear, familiar labels.
- Put the most important items first.
- Consider a simpler footer menu for secondary links.
Troubleshooting #
- Menu not showing: confirm it is assigned to a theme location.
- New page missing: add it to the menu manually.
- Dropdowns not working: check your theme supports sub-items and clear your cache.
Need help? #
If your menu is not behaving, our support team can help you set it up over live chat.
