Navigating through a website can be quite a journey and a well-structured navigation menu acts as your trusty map guiding visitors effortlessly through the content.

WordPress with its user-friendly interface makes menu creation a breeze.

However when you want to go beyond the basics and create a truly remarkable menu that enhances the user experience the journey gets exciting!

Today we’re going to dive deep into the world of WordPress navigation menus exploring both the classic menu editor for those using traditional themes and the Navigation block a powerful tool for block-based themes.

Think of this as your comprehensive guide to menu mastery packed with tips and tricks that I’ve learned over years of building and designing websites.

Let’s embark on this adventure!

Table of Contents

Unveiling the Classic WordPress Menu Editor

Remember when we used to navigate websites with simple horizontal lists of links? That’s where the classic WordPress menu editor shines.

It’s a familiar tool that provides all the essentials for creating menus from adding links to pages and posts to organizing them into nested dropdown menus.

It’s like having a trusty toolbox for creating a beautiful and functional menu.

Creating Your First Menu: A Simple Yet Powerful Start

The journey begins in your WordPress dashboard. Head over to Appearance → Menus – that’s your gateway to menu creation. You might see an existing menu but we’ll start fresh. Click Create a New Menu and give it a descriptive name – something like “Main Menu” or “Footer Menu.” Next you need to choose where this menu will shine on your website. This is your menu’s stage and the options will depend on your theme. Select the location where it fits best.

Adding Menu Items: Filling Your Menu with Content

Imagine your menu as a restaurant with empty tables – it needs content to attract visitors.

The menu editor provides tabs to add various types of items:

Pages: These are the backbone of your website. Select Pages and choose from your recent pages or use the search to find specific ones. Add these to your menu by clicking Add to Menu.
Posts: Want your latest blog posts to be easily accessible? The Posts tab is your guide. Similar to pages you can choose from the most recent posts or search for specific ones. Click Add to Menu to include them in your menu.
Categories: Organize your blog posts into thematic categories. The Categories tab gives you access to your most used categories or you can search for specific ones. Add these to your menu to create a well-structured navigation for your blog.
Custom Links: Need to link to an external website or a specific section within a page? The Custom Links tab is your friend. Just paste the URL set the menu text and click Add to Menu.

Menu Customization: Shaping Your Menu to Perfection

Now comes the fun part: adding those extra touches to make your menu truly unique.

Removing Menu Items: No need to hold on to items you don’t need. Simply hover over the item click the dropdown arrow and select Remove. You can also bulk remove items by ticking the Bulk Select checkbox and choosing Remove selected items.
Renaming Menu Items: Want a shorter title for your menu items to save space? Simply hover over the item click the dropdown arrow and change the Navigation Label.
Creating Dropdown Menus: Transform your menu into a multi-level navigation system. Drag and drop a menu item to the right until you see dotted lines shift to the right nesting it under another item.
Adding Descriptions: Want to give your menu items some context? Turn on Description from the Screen Options and add a description for each item. This provides a brief overview of the content behind each link.
Open Links in New Tabs: Keep your visitors on your website! Turn on Link Target from Screen Options and check the Open link in a new tab box for specific menu items.
Linking to Specific Sections: Want to take visitors directly to a specific section within a page? Use Custom Links and create an anchor in the block editor. Add the anchor to the end of your site URL with a “#” symbol (e.g. https://example.com/#about-us).
Adding a Search Bar: If your theme has a header widget simply drag the Search widget into the header area. If not you may need to switch themes or use a search plugin.

Saving Your Menu: Sharing Your Creation with the World

Once your menu is polished and ready for primetime choose the Display location. This tells WordPress where to show your menu on your website. Remember a menu without a display location is like a hidden treasure – nobody will see it.

Managing Menu Locations: Putting Your Menu in the Right Place

If you’re not happy with your menu’s location or want to add it to multiple areas of your website the Manage Locations tab comes in handy. This tab lets you assign each menu to specific locations – like the header footer or sidebar – giving you complete control over where your menu appears.

Creating Multiple Menus: A Symphony of Navigation

Remember you’re not limited to just one menu.

Create as many menus as you need each with its own purpose and display location.

It’s like composing a symphony of navigation creating a seamless user experience across your entire website.

Enhancing Menu Appearance with CSS: Adding Style to Your Navigation

The classic menu editor gives you the structure but to truly make your menu shine you need to add some style.

Enter CSS the language of web design that lets you tweak fonts colors backgrounds and more.

Understanding CSS: The Power of Styling

Don’t worry if CSS seems daunting.

You don’t need to be an expert to make basic changes.

We’ll focus on simple tricks to elevate your menu’s appearance.

Finding Your Menu’s Class: The Key to Targeting the Right Elements

First you need to locate your menu’s class. This is like finding the right address to send your styling instructions. Right-click your menu and use the Inspect Element tool in your browser’s developer console. The class will usually be something like “.primary-menu” or “.site-nav”.

Basic CSS Techniques: A Guide to Menu Enhancement

Here are some common CSS tweaks to enhance your menu’s style:

Changing Font Size: Make your menu text easier to read:

  .primary-menu a {
      font-size: 18px; /* Adjust the size as needed */
  }

Changing Font Color: Give your menu links a pop of color:

  .primary-menu a {
      color: #007bff; /* Replace with your desired color hex code */
  }

Adding Background Color: Give your menu a visually appealing background:

  .primary-menu a {
      background-color: #f2f2f2; /* Replace with your desired color hex code */
  }

Hover Effects: Add a subtle animation when visitors hover over menu items:

  .primary-menu a:hover {
      color: #ff6347; /* Replace with your desired hover color hex code */
  }

Creating Sticky Menus: Make your menu follow visitors as they scroll down the page:

  .primary-menu {
      position: fixed;
      top: 0;
      left: 0;
      width: 100%;
      z-index: 100; /* Ensure it stays on top */
  }

Adding Buttons: Create a button element within your menu:

  .button-menu a {
      display: inline-block;
      padding: 10px 20px;
      background-color: #007bff;
      color: white;
      text-decoration: none;
      border-radius: 5px; /* Optional: Round the button's corners */
  }

Adding CSS to Your Website: Applying the Style

You can add CSS to your website in a couple of ways:

Additional CSS in the Customizer: Go to Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS and paste your CSS code.
Custom CSS in Jetpack: If you have Jetpack installed go to Jetpack → Settings → Custom CSS and paste your code.

The Art of Overriding Styles: Taking Control of Your Menu

Sometimes your theme might impose its own styling limiting your ability to customize the menu. You can override these styles using the !important tag in your CSS:

.primary-menu a {
    font-size: 18px !important;
}

This ensures that your CSS rules take precedence over the theme’s default styles.

However use this sparingly as it can lead to conflicts with theme updates.

The Navigation Block: Menu Creation in the Block Editor Era

The world of web design has embraced the block editor and WordPress themes have followed suit.

Block themes built entirely with blocks offer a more visual and intuitive way to design your website and the Navigation block is at the forefront of this revolution.

Understanding Block Themes: A New Way to Design

Block themes are a must for building websites.

They give you the freedom to create stunning layouts and customize your website’s appearance without relying on external plugins.

Imagine building your website with blocks just like assembling a LEGO masterpiece.

Accessing the Navigation Block: Your Gateway to Block-Based Menus

If you’re using a block theme the Navigation block is your new best friend.

You can access it in a couple of ways:

Appearance → Editor: The Site Editor is your control panel for block-based themes. Select Navigation to access the Navigation block.
Theme Settings: Some block themes offer their own settings panels. Look for an option like Theme Settings or Add Menus.

Creating a Menu with the Navigation Block: A Visual and Intuitive Approach

Building a menu with the Navigation block is like playing with building blocks.

It’s visual and easy to understand:

Adding the Navigation Block: Open the Site Editor and select the Navigation block. Drag and drop it into the desired location on your website.
Adding Menu Items: Click the + icon within the Navigation block to add new items. Search for existing pages or enter a custom URL.
Creating Submenus: Select a menu item and click the Add submenu icon. Add new links to your submenu.
Reordering Menu Items: Drag and drop menu items to rearrange their order. Click the arrows in the toolbar to move items up or down.
Adding Blocks to Your Menu: The Navigation block isn’t limited to just links. You can add a variety of blocks like Social Icons Buttons Images and even Search bars. Click the + icon in the Navigation block to explore the options.

Customizing Your Navigation Block: Styling with the Block Editor

The Navigation block offers an array of styling options within the block editor:

Changing Colors: Select the Navigation block and go to Styles to choose the text and background colors for your menu items.
Adjusting Typography: Change font family size weight and letter spacing to match your website’s branding.
Mobile Menu Settings: Configure the appearance and behavior of your menu on mobile devices.
Orientation: Set the menu’s orientation to vertical or horizontal depending on where it’s displayed.
Spacing: Control the space between your menu items.

Menu Management in Block Themes: Keeping Your Navigation Organized

With block themes you can manage your menus directly within the Site Editor:

Deleting Menus: Open the Navigation block and select the Rename or Delete option.
Duplicating Menus: Choose Duplicate to create a copy of your menu.

Frequently Asked Questions: Unraveling the Mysteries of WordPress Menus

Here are some common questions about WordPress menus:

Can I delete a menu? Absolutely! In classic themes use the Delete Menu option in the menu editor. In block themes select Delete from the Navigation block settings.
Can I rename a menu? Yes! In classic themes change the Menu Name and save the menu. In block themes select Rename from the Navigation block settings.
Can I add tags to my menu? In classic themes turn on Tags from Screen Options. In block themes search for tags when adding new links to the Navigation block.
Can I add an image to my menu? You can use a plugin like Menu Image to add images to your menu items.
What about mega menus? WordPress doesn’t have built-in support for mega menus but you can use a plugin like Max Mega Menu to create them.
Can I add JavaScript to my menu? You can add JavaScript to your menu by editing theme files or using a plugin.
What happens when I switch themes? Switching themes won’t affect your menus. You’ll need to assign them to display locations again if they were unassigned.

Final Thoughts: Navigating the WordPress Menu World with Confidence

Creating and customizing menus in WordPress is a journey of discovery.

Whether you’re using a classic theme or a block theme the tools are there to empower you to build menus that are both beautiful and functional.

Remember your menu is a critical part of your website’s user experience.

Take the time to create a navigation that’s intuitive easy to use and visually appealing.

Your visitors will thank you for it!

How to Create, Add, & Edit a WordPress Navigation Menu ⚠️