☰ How to Change Menu Navigation

Before You Start

You need an Administrator role, your active theme name, and to know whether you are using Classic menus or the Site Editor. Sign in to your WordPress dashboard first.

Look at the left sidebar. If you see “Appearance” then “Menus,” you are using Classic menus. If you see “Appearance” then “Editor,” you are using the Site Editor with a block theme.

Open the Correct Menu Tool

For Classic themes, go to Appearance, then Menus. This opens the Menus screen where you manage all menu structures.

For block themes, go to Appearance, then Editor, then open Templates or Patterns and select the header. Click the Navigation block to manage the site menu.

3) Choose or Create a Menu

When you reach the menus section, make sure you're in 'edit menus' to pick an existing menu. If you do not see the menu you want, create a new one.

Click “create a new menu,” give it a simple name such as “Primary Menu,” then click Create Menu. This name helps you find it later and does not appear on the site.

4) Add Menu Items

In menus, use the panels on the left to add Pages, Posts, Custom Links, or Categories. Check the items you want, click Add to Menu, then they appear on the right.

In the Site Editor, select the Navigation block, open the list view, and use the plus button to add Page, Custom Link, or other items. Paste URLs for external links, then confirm.

Reorder and Nest Items

In menus, drag items up or down to change the order. Indent an item slightly to nest it under another item, which creates a dropdown.

In the Site Editor, use the list view to drag items into place. Drag an item to the right to make it a child of the item above, which creates a submenu.

Assign Menu Location

In menus, look for “Menu settings” then “Display location” and check Primary, Secondary, Footer, or other locations from your theme. Click Save Menu.

In the Site Editor, select the Navigation block and confirm it sits in the correct header or template area that shows on your site. Save when the block is placed correctly.

Edit Labels and Settings

In menus, click the down arrow on a menu item to edit the Navigation Label. This changes the link text without changing the page title.

To open a link in a new tab, click Screen Options at the top, enable Link Target, then check “Open link in a new tab” on the item. Title Attribute can add optional tooltip text.

Remove Items or Delete a Menu

To remove a single item, open the item and click Remove. The item disappears from the structure when you save.

To delete an entire menu in Classic menus, click “Delete Menu.” In the Site Editor, remove or replace the Navigation block or switch which menu the block uses.

Save or Publish Changes

In Classic menus, click Save Menu. If you do not save, your changes will not appear on the site.

In the Site Editor, click Save, then confirm the changes to templates or parts. Wait for the confirmation before leaving the page.

Check on the Front End

Open your site in a new tab and refresh. Confirm the correct items show and that the current page highlights if your theme supports it.

Click key links to verify they go to the right places. Test dropdowns and confirm the hover or click behavior works as expected.

Mobile Menu Basics

Open your site on a phone or narrow your browser window. Click the mobile menu icon to confirm your updated items appear.

If items are missing or the layout looks off, check theme header settings. Some themes have separate mobile menu settings or visibility controls.

Troubleshooting

If the menu is not showing, make sure you edited the correct menu and assigned a display location such as Primary. Also confirm the header contains a Navigation block for block themes.

If changes do not appear, clear plugin and server caches, then hard refresh the browser. Temporarily disable menu or header plugins and switch to a default theme to test for conflicts.

Optional Extras

You can create a jump link by adding a Custom Link that points to a page section, for example “#contact.” Make sure the section has a matching HTML id.

For external links, use Custom Link and paste the full URL. Set it to open in a new tab if you prefer, then save.

Quick Checklist

Pick the correct tool, Menus or Site Editor. Select or create the right menu.

Add items, reorder them, and nest items for dropdowns. Assign the Primary location, Save or Publish, then test on desktop and mobile.

Need help adjusting the menus for your site? Contact ZatroX Support for assistance.