WordPress is packed with features that often go unnoticed but can significantly enhance your website management and user experience. Here’s a closer look at some hidden gems:
1. Screen Options Panel
Located at the top of most WordPress admin screens, the Screen Options button allows you to customize the interface. You can toggle visibility for elements like comments, categories, and custom fields.
To use it, simply click on the Screen Options tab located at the top right of most admin screens, such as the Posts, Pages, or Dashboard pages. This will open a dropdown menu where you can toggle the visibility of various sections, such as categories, tags, date columns, or author info. You can also adjust the number of items displayed per page, making it easier to navigate large amounts of content.
The Screen Options panel helps streamline your workflow by letting you tailor the dashboard to your preferences, providing a more efficient and personalized WordPress experience.
2. Quick Edit
The Quick Edit feature lets you make fast changes to posts or pages, such as updating titles, slugs, or categories, or custom post types without having to open the full editor.
To use Quick Edit, simply go to the Posts or Pages section in the WordPress dashboard and hover over the title of the content you want to edit. Click on the Quick Edit link that appears beneath the title. This opens a simplified interface where you can easily update basic information, such as the title, slug, categories, tags, date, and post status (e.g., draft or published).
Quick Edit is ideal for making minor adjustments or bulk updates to multiple posts without leaving the main content overview.
3. Distraction-Free Writing Mode
Activate this mode in the post editor to hide distractions and focus on content creation. It’s ideal for writers who want a clutter-free environment.
Distraction-Free Writing Mode in WordPress provides a focused, minimalistic writing environment by hiding all unnecessary elements of the WordPress dashboard, allowing writers to concentrate solely on their content.
To enable this mode, simply open the post editor and click on the Distraction-Free Writing Mode button located at the top right of the screen (often represented by a small icon or “fullscreen” option). This mode expands the editor to full-screen, removing sidebars, menus, and other distractions, giving you a clean and uninterrupted space for writing. It’s especially useful for long-form content creation, ensuring that your attention remains solely on the text without the temptation to interact with other elements of the WordPress interface.
4. Revisions History
WordPress automatically saves revisions of your posts. You can compare versions and restore older drafts using the Revisions section in the editor.
WordPress’s Revisions History feature allows you to track and restore previous versions of your posts or pages, making it easy to recover content or revert to earlier drafts if needed. As you work on a post, WordPress automatically saves revisions, and you can access them by scrolling down to the Revisions section in the post editor.
By clicking on the Browse link, you’ll be able to compare different versions, viewing changes made over time, such as text edits or formatting adjustments. You can restore any version by selecting it and clicking Restore This Revision, ensuring you never lose valuable content. This feature is especially helpful for collaboration, troubleshooting, or undoing mistakes without starting over.
5. Built-In Markdown Support
For those who prefer writing in Markdown, WordPress supports it in the block editor for faster formatting of text content.
WordPress’s built-in Markdown support allows you to write and format content using simple, plain text syntax, making it faster and easier for those familiar with Markdown to create posts and pages without needing to manually apply formatting. To use Markdown, simply switch to the Text editor (instead of the default Visual editor) while writing your post. You can use
Markdown to apply basic formatting like headings, bold, italics, lists, and links by typing specific characters, such as # for headings or * for bullet points. WordPress will automatically convert the Markdown syntax into proper HTML when the post is published. This feature streamlines the writing process, especially for users who prefer the speed and simplicity of Markdown over traditional WYSIWYG editors.
6. Scheduled Publishing
WordPress allows you to schedule posts for future publication, making it easy to maintain a consistent posting schedule.
Scheduled publishing in WordPress allows you to plan and automate the release of your content, making it easier to maintain a consistent posting schedule. To use this feature, create or edit a post in the WordPress editor, and in the Publish section, click on Immediately next to Publish. This will reveal a calendar where you can select the date and time you want the post to go live. After setting the desired schedule, click OK and then Schedule.
WordPress will automatically publish the post at the designated time, saving you time and ensuring your content is shared at the most optimal moments, even if you’re not online. This feature is particularly useful for planning posts ahead of time or managing content for multiple time zones.
7. Password-Protected Posts
You can restrict access to specific posts or pages by setting a password in the Visibility settings of the editor.
To enable this feature, open the post editor and navigate to the Visibility section under the Publish or Post Settings panel. Select Password Protected, then enter a strong password of your choice. Once published, visitors will see a prompt asking for the password before accessing the post’s content.
This feature is ideal for sharing exclusive information, such as premium resources, client-specific updates, or personal content, while maintaining privacy. Remember to securely share the password with intended users to ensure seamless access.
8. Custom Permalinks
Modify the URL structure of individual posts or pages to make them more user-friendly and SEO-optimized. This can be done from the right sidebar under ‘Post’ tab.
A permalink is the permanent URL for your post, and customizing it ensures it is concise, descriptive, and includes relevant keywords. While creating a new post, you can edit the permalink directly below the post title in the editor by clicking the “Edit” button.
Removing unnecessary words, such as stop words, and structuring the URL to reflect the content of the post makes it easier for search engines to index and users to remember. Consistently optimized permalinks not only improve your site’s search visibility but also contribute to a cleaner and more professional appearance of your website.
9. Media Attachment Pages
When you upload media, WordPress creates an attachment page for each file. These pages can be customized to improve SEO.
WordPress Media Attachment Pages are automatically generated web pages for each media file you upload, such as images, videos, or PDFs. These pages display the media file along with its metadata, such as title, description, and captions, in a structured format.
While often overlooked, attachment pages can be optimized to enhance SEO by adding descriptive titles, alt text, and relevant keywords to make them search-engine friendly. However, if these pages are not managed properly, they may lead to duplicate content issues. To make the most of Media Attachment Pages, consider redirecting them to their parent posts or customizing them with plugins or themes to provide value to your visitors and improve site navigation.
10. Embed Previews
Simply paste a URL from platforms like YouTube, Twitter, or Instagram into the editor, and WordPress automatically embeds the content beautifully.
11. Post Formats
Post formats in WordPress are a way to style and display different types of content in unique ways, depending on the format selected. They allow you to present your content in various styles, such as a standard blog post, image gallery, video, quote, or audio, each with its own layout and presentation.
To use a post format, simply open the post editor, and in the Post Format section (usually found in the right sidebar), select the desired format from options like Standard, Gallery, Video, Quote, Audio, or others provided by your theme. Once selected, WordPress adjusts the post’s presentation accordingly, and depending on the format, you may be prompted to add additional content, such as an image or video link. This feature enhances the visual appeal and functionality of your site, offering a more diverse and engaging way to showcase your content.
By exploring these lesser-known features, you can take full advantage of WordPress’s powerful capabilities, streamlining your workflow and elevating your site’s performance.