Understanding classic WordPress navigation menus

Posted in The Cache

December 2024

WordPress tips & tricks: Understanding navigation menus

Our team has noticed a few recent hiccups with site navigation, so we wanted to take a moment to walk through how menus work in our shared WordPress themes and how to avoid common pitfalls. Whether you’re deleting old pages or adding fresh content, a little menu maintenance goes a long way in keeping your site user-friendly and professional.

How Menus Work

In our WordPress environment, menus are not automatically updated when you add or delete pages. This gives you full control over your site’s navigation, but it also means you need to update your menu manually whenever your content significantly changes.

Below, we’ve put together a quick guide on basic Menu maintenance:

  1. Accessing Your Menus
    • Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance > Menus.
    • Select the menu you’d like to edit. Most sites have one primary menu, but some might also use the utility and footer menus.
  2. Adding New Pages
    • When you create a new page, it’s not automatically added to the menu.
    • To add it:
      • Under the “Add Menu Items” section, check the box next to your new page and click Add to Menu.
      • Drag and drop the new item to place it where you’d like in the menu.
      • Save your changes.
    • For more information and screenshots, check out our detailed documentation.
  3. Removing or Replacing Pages
    • If you delete a page that’s linked in the menu, the link will break, resulting in a frustrating experience for your users.
    • Always check your menu after deleting a page to remove any broken links.
    • To avoid breaking navigation altogether, consider creating a redirect or pointing the menu item to a related page.
    • For more information and screenshots, check out our detailed documentation.

Best Practices for Menu Maintenance

  • Plan Ahead Before Deleting Pages
    Before deleting a page, ask yourself:
    • Is it linked in the menu?
    • Does it have child pages or other connections on the site?
      If you’re unsure, contact our team for guidance.
  • Think About User Experience
    Make sure your menu structure is clear and logical. Users should be able to find what they need in just a few clicks.
  • Test Your Changes
    After editing your menu, visit your site and click through the links to ensure everything works as expected.
  • Communicate Changes
    If your changes impact shared navigation or site functionality, be sure to inform your team members.

Need Help?

We’re here to support you! If you have questions about menus or site structure, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Web Services team. By working together, we can ensure every site stays functional, polished, and easy to navigate.

Happy editing!

WordPress and Accessibility Office Hours

We will continue to hold both Web Accessibility and WordPress office hours every Tuesday afternoon over Zoom throughout the year.

WordPress office hours appointments are every Tuesday, 2:30–3:30 p.m. via Zoom. You can sign up for an appointment slot (for any future office hours date!) here. Please note that we are unable to accommodate unscheduled appointments. If you are currently experiencing an issue outside of office hours, or wish to submit a feature request, please use this form to capture that information.  

Web Accessibility office hours are every Tuesday, 2:00–3:00 p.m. via Zoom. You can talk through accessibility-related questions with Kevin Andrews, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Coordinator. Please schedule a web accessibility office hours appointment here.