The WordPress admin bar explained
A guide to the black bar at the top of WordPress — what every button and link does, and how to use it efficiently.
- Time
- 3 minutes
- Difficulty
- Beginner
The admin bar is the dark horizontal strip that appears at the very top of your screen whenever you're logged in to WordPress — whether you're in your dashboard or browsing your live website. (In the dashboard, its colour follows the colour scheme chosen in your profile, so it may look different there.) WordPress's own documentation calls it the Toolbar. This guide explains what every part of it does.
Quick summary
The admin bar is a shortcut toolbar. On the left: your site name (it switches you between the dashboard and your live site), notification counts, the + New button to add content quickly, and any plugin shortcuts. On the right: your name and a logout option. It only shows when you're logged in — your visitors never see it.
Where the admin bar appears
The admin bar appears in two places:
- Inside your dashboard — at the top of every screen, including the page and post editor (since WordPress 7.1; Distraction free mode hides it)
- On your live website — only visible to you when you're logged in
When you're on your live site and logged in, the admin bar "floats" at the top of the page. It's invisible to your visitors — only logged-in users see it.
Easy to miss
If you're taking screenshots of your website to share with others, remember the admin bar will appear in your screenshot. Visitors don't see that bar, so you may want to log out first, or crop the bar out of screenshots.
The left side of the admin bar
The WordPress logo
The small WordPress logo on the far left opens a menu of links about WordPress itself, such as About WordPress, Get Involved, WordPress.org, Documentation, Learn WordPress, Support and Feedback. Most clients don't need this. It's safe to ignore.
Your site's name
Next to the logo, you'll see your website's name (for example, "Acme Co."). From the dashboard, click it to visit your live website. From the live site, click it to go to your dashboard.
If you hover over it, a small dropdown appears with:
- Visit Site — opens your live website (shown when you're in the dashboard)
- Dashboard — goes to your WordPress dashboard (shown when you're on the live site, along with a few other shortcuts)
This is the quickest way to switch between your dashboard and your live site.
Notifications / comments bubble
Further along, a speech bubble icon shows how many comments are waiting to be approved (you'll see it if your role can edit posts). Clicking it takes you to the comments screen. When updates are available, users who can install them (usually Administrators) also see an updates icon with a count, to the left of the speech bubble. In the dashboard, a ⌘K (Mac) or Ctrl+K button sits between the two. It opens the command palette, a quick way to reach your tools from anywhere in the dashboard.
+ New
The + New button is a fast way to create new content without navigating through the sidebar. Hover over it to see options like:
- Post — start a new blog post
- Page — start a new page
- Media — upload a file directly
- User — add a new user (if your role allows it)
- Other options may appear depending on your plugins
This is handy when you want to quickly start writing without clicking through menus.
Plugin shortcuts (varies)
Depending on which plugins are installed on your site, you may see additional items in the left side of your admin bar. Common examples include cache-clearing buttons, SEO notices, or security plugin alerts. These vary per site.
The right side of the admin bar
Your name and Gravatar
On the far right, you'll see "Howdy," followed by your display name, and a small profile picture (from Gravatar, a global avatar service). Hover over your name to see a dropdown with:
- Your name and username, with Edit Profile — update your name, email address, and password
- Log Out — sign out of WordPress
This is the quickest way to log out when you're finished.
Using the admin bar to edit pages quickly
One of the most useful features of the admin bar is "Edit" buttons that appear when you're browsing your live site. When you're logged in and viewing a page or post on your live website, an Edit Page or Edit Post link appears in the admin bar.
Clicking that link takes you directly to the editor for that page — no need to navigate through the dashboard first.
Browse to a page on your live website while you're logged in to WordPress.
Look at the admin bar. You'll see an Edit Page link (or Edit Post if it's a blog post).
Click Edit Page. WordPress takes you directly to the editor for that page. Make your changes and click Save (called Update on older versions).
This is often the fastest way to edit a specific page.
Hiding the admin bar
If the admin bar on your live site bothers you, you can hide it for your own account without affecting other users.
Go to your dashboard. Hover over your name in the top-right of the admin bar and click Edit Profile.
Find the Toolbar option under Personal Options. You'll see a checkbox labeled "Show Toolbar when viewing site."
Uncheck the box and click Update Profile at the bottom of the page.
The admin bar will no longer appear when you browse your live site. It still shows in the dashboard.
Common questions
Can my website visitors see the admin bar?
No. The admin bar is only visible to logged-in WordPress users. Your visitors never see it.
The admin bar is covering part of my site's header when I'm editing. Is that normal?
Yes, this is normal. The admin bar adds a small amount of space at the top of the page when you're logged in. Your visitors' view is not affected — they see your site without the bar.
I don't see all the items described here.
Which items appear depends on your user role, which plugins are installed, and whether you're in the dashboard or on your live site. Administrators usually see the most items; Editors and Authors see a reduced set.
Where is the logout option?
Hover over your name in the top-right corner of the admin bar. A dropdown appears with a Log Out link at the bottom.
Related guides
- A tour of the WordPress dashboard
- How to log in to WordPress
- How to edit a page
- Managing your own profile
Need a hand?
Learn more
Last updated