How To Create A Sub Menu In WordPress

Imagine navigating the bustling streets of a new city—the twists, the turns, the multiple layers of landscapes. Now picture your website as that city, inviting visitors to explore.

Crafting a clear path through your content is akin to drawing a map; this is where submenus in your WordPress site become invaluable. Submenus organize your content efficiently, turning a potential maze into a structured, user-friendly experience.

In the realm of digital expression, your website’s menu is not just a list but a pivotal guidepost. Harnessing the power of WordPress navigation menu abilities is paramount.

This article will illuminate the steps to add a dropdown menu—a nifty tool enhancing the journey through your digital domain.

By the conclusion, expect fluency in menu settings, submenu plugin integration, and a polished skill in presenting child pages with elegance.

Dive through this text to uncover user-friendly structuring secrets—each paragraph a stepping stone towards mastering that multilayered wonder: the WordPress submenu.

How To Create A Sub Menu In WordPress: Quick Workflow

To create a submenu in WordPress, you can follow these steps depending on whether you’re using the Full Site Editing (FSE) feature or the classic menu structure. Here’s a detailed guide for both methods.

Creating a Submenu in WordPress FSE

1. Access the Dashboard: Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Open the Site Editor: Navigate to Appearance → Editor to access the Site Editor.
3. Select the Navigation Block: In the editor, locate the Navigation block. You may need to open the List View to find it if it’s nested within other blocks.
4. Choose the Parent Menu Item: Click on the menu item that you want to serve as the parent for your submenu.
5. Add Submenu Items:
   • Click on the Add submenu option that appears in the menu bar.
   • A + sign will appear; click it to add new items to your submenu. You can select existing pages or enter custom links.
   • Repeat this process to add all desired submenu items.
6. Save Changes: Once you have added all submenu items, click Save to apply the changes.

Creating a Submenu in Classic WordPress Menu

1. Access the Dashboard: Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Menus: Go to Appearance → Menus.
3. Select Your Menu: From the dropdown, choose the menu you wish to edit.
4. Add Menu Items: In the Add menu items section, check the items you want to add and click Add to Menu.
5. Create Submenu Items:
   • Drag and drop the newly added items slightly to the right under the parent item. This indentation indicates that they are submenu items.
   • Ensure the parent item is positioned above the submenu items.
6. Save Menu: Click the Save Menu button to finalize your changes.

Additional Tips

• Non-clickable Parent Items: If you want a parent menu item that does not link anywhere, use a custom link with a # in the URL field. This will make it non-clickable while still allowing it to serve as a parent for submenus.
• Using the Submenu Block: For advanced users, you can also use the Submenu block within the Navigation block to create and manage your submenus more effectively, especially in block themes.

Understanding WordPress Menus

Overview of WordPress Menu System

The WordPress menu system, oh it’s a charm! It’s like a personal concierge for your visitors, directing them where they need to go. With WordPress, you have total control over what’s on your menus, where they’re located, and what they contain.

The menu system lets you add pages, posts, custom links, categories, tags, and even formats to your menu. You can organize these items any way you like, create as many menus as your theme allows, and even create submenus. Yes, you heard it right! Submenus, the topic of the day.

Types of Menu Items Available

With WordPress, your menu is not just a dull list. It can be a dynamic, content-rich navigation tool with a variety of items. Let’s run through them quickly:

• Pages: Got a page you want your visitors to see? Add it to the menu.
• Posts: Yes, your blog posts can be on your menu too.
• Custom links: Have a specific URL you want to share? Make it a menu item.
• Categories: Got content grouped by category? Add the category to your menu.
• Tags: Similarly, you can add tags to your menu, grouping related posts together.
• Formats: With WordPress, you can even add different post formats to your menu.

With this array of options, you can see how the WordPress menu system is more than just a static list. It’s a dynamic, content-rich tool that plays a crucial role in how visitors navigate your site.

Learning how to create a sub menu in WordPress becomes pretty straightforward once you get a hang of this system. And trust me, it’s easier than it sounds. We’ll get to that shortly.

Creating a Basic Menu in WordPress

Accessing the WordPress Menu System

So, you’re excited to create your first menu, and I’m just as excited to guide you through it! Now, where to start? Easy peasy, you need to access the WordPress menu system. This is where all the magic happens.

After logging into your WordPress dashboard, find the ‘Appearance’ tab on the left-hand side. Mouse over it and a dropdown will appear, select ‘Menus’. And boom, welcome to the WordPress menu system.

Creating a New Menu

You’re now in the playground where menus come to life. Notice the ‘create a new menu’ link? Click on it. A screen will appear, prompting you to name your menu. Give it a name that represents what it’s all about. Could be ‘Main Menu’, ‘Footer Links’, or ‘Blog Categories’, you name it. After that, click the ‘Create Menu’ button and voila, you’ve got yourself a brand new menu.

Assigning Menu to Its Location

Creating a menu is one thing, but assigning it to a location is where the rubber meets the road. Your theme determines where you can display menus. Most themes will have at least a primary menu, often located at the top of the site.

Just below where you named your menu, there’s a section titled ‘Menu Settings’. Here you can assign your menu to a location. Once you’ve picked a spot for your menu, don’t forget to hit ‘Save Menu’.

Adding Items to the Menu

Adding Pages to the Menu

Now let’s add some meat to the bones. Got some pages you want to feature? Easy. On the left of the menu editor, you’ll see a list of pages. Check the ones you want, then click ‘Add to Menu’. They’ll appear on the right, under the menu you just created.

Adding Posts to the Menu

Just like pages, you can add posts to your menu. It’s the same process, but instead of choosing from ‘Pages’, you choose from ‘Posts’. Pick your posts, hit ‘Add to Menu’, and watch them line up in your menu.

Adding Custom Links to the Menu

What about those external links or specific URLs you’d like to share? Custom links got you covered. Click on ‘Custom Links’, add your URL, give it a label (that’s how it will appear on the menu), and click ‘Add to Menu’.

Adding Categories to the Menu

Now, let’s say you want to organize your content by categories. No problem! Under ‘Categories’, select the ones you want to add, and just like before, click ‘Add to Menu’.

Adding Tags to the Menu

Tags work the same way as categories. Select the ones you want from ‘Tags’, add them to the menu, and they’ll show up under the menu name on the right.

Adding Formats to the Menu

If you’re using different post formats, guess what, you can add them too! Just select your format under ‘Formats’, add to menu, and you’re good to go.

Creating Submenus in WordPress

Selecting Parent Menu Items

Alright, here’s where the magic really happens: turning your menu items into a sleek, structured, drop-down wonder! First, you need to decide which items will be the parent items. These are the items that will appear on the main menu bar, and when hovered over, reveal the sub-items.

Adding Submenu Items

How do you turn an item into a submenu item? Well, on the menu editor, under your menu name, you see your list of items, right? To make an item a submenu, you just need to click on it and drag it slightly to the right under the parent item. It’ll indent to show it’s a sub-item. Easy, right?

Organizing Submenu Items

The beauty of this system is you can organize your submenu items however you like. Want to move an item to a different parent? Just drag and drop it there. Want to change the order of sub-items? Drag and drop to arrange them as you like. The flexibility here is awesome.

Creating Multilevel / Hierarchical Menus

Adding Second Level Submenu Items

Here’s where things get even more interesting. What if you want to create a submenu within a submenu? A second level, or hierarchical menu? You can totally do that.

Just like you created the first submenu, pick a submenu item that you want to be the parent of the second level. Drag another item underneath it and to the right. That’s it, you’ve created a hierarchical menu.

Organizing Multilevel Menu Items

Just as before, you can organize these multilevel items however you want. Just remember, the order in which they appear in the menu editor is the order in which they’ll appear on your site.

Using the WordPress Customizer for Menu Setup

Accessing the Customizer

So far, we’ve been working in the menu editor, but did you know you can also create menus using the WordPress Customizer? It’s true! And it has the advantage of showing you a live preview as you work.

To access the Customizer, go to your WordPress dashboard. On the left-hand side, under ‘Appearance’, select ‘Customize’. From there, you’ll go to ‘Menus’, and you’re ready to rock.

Creating a Menu in the Customizer

Once you’re in ‘Menus’, click on ‘Create New Menu’. Give it a name, assign it a location, and click ‘Next’. You’re now ready to start adding items.

Adding Menu Items in the Customizer

Adding items in the Customizer works the same way as in the menu editor. Click ‘Add Items’, and on the left, you’ll see your options: pages, posts, custom links, categories, tags, and formats. Click on what you want to add, and it’ll appear in your menu.

Organizing Menu Items in the Customizer

Just like in the menu editor, you can arrange your items by dragging and dropping. Want to create a submenu? Drag an item to the right. Want to move items around? Drag them up or down. The best part? You can see your changes in real time.

There you have it. Creating menus and submenus, whether in the menu editor or the Customizer, isn’t rocket science. With a little practice, you’ll be creating and managing menus like a pro in no time.

Important Considerations for Menu Creation

Keeping Menus Short and Organized

As with all good things, moderation is key when it comes to menu creation. You might feel the urge to add all the things to your menu, but let’s pump the brakes for a second. The purpose of a menu is to guide your visitors, not to overwhelm them with a tsunami of options.

So, strive to keep your menus short and sweet. Organize the items in a way that makes sense and enhances the user experience. Don’t create a maze that will leave your visitors lost and frustrated. Remember, the menu is there to help, not to confuse.

Understanding Theme Limitations for Submenus

Another important thing to remember is that your theme might impose certain restrictions on menus. For instance, some themes might only support one level of submenus, while others might support multiple levels.

So, it’s important to understand what your theme allows before you start creating complex hierarchical menus. Make sure to check your theme’s documentation or consult with the theme developer if you’re unsure.

Importance of Saving Menu Changes

Alright, this might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often it’s overlooked. Always, and I mean always, remember to save your changes. You don’t want to spend time creating the perfect menu, only to lose all your hard work because you forgot to hit ‘Save’.

Whether you’re in the menu editor or the Customizer, look for the ‘Save Menu’ or ‘Publish’ button and click it whenever you make changes. Trust me, your future self will thank you.