Logging In and Finding Your Way Around the Dashboard

When you first log into WordPress, the screen can feel busy. This guide walks through the main areas so you know where to look for what you need.

Logging in

You’ll normally log in at your site’s web address followed by /wp-admin (for example yoursite.org/wp-admin). Enter the username or email and password you were given. If you’ve forgotten your password, see the separate guide on resetting it.

The dashboard layout

Once logged in you’ll land on the Dashboard. The key areas are:

• The black admin bar along the top – quick links, and a way to jump between the admin area and viewing the live site.
• The left-hand menu – this is your main navigation: Posts, Pages, Media, Comments, and any custom sections specific to this site.
• The main content area – changes depending what you’ve clicked on in the left menu.

Getting back to the dashboard

You can always get back to this screen by clicking the site logo/name in the top-left of the admin bar, or by clicking “Dashboard” in the left-hand menu.