10 Plugins to Improve the WordPress Admin
For an open-source blogging CMS, WordPress’s admin interface is pretty dang good. With the release of version 2.5, the revamped administrator area has been re-organized and cleaned up to make it easier for users to write and edit posts, change settings, manage site content, and more. However, some sites require a bit more functionality than others. In this case, WordPress plugins come to the rescue. Here are ten plugins that expand the functionality of the admin area.
1. Lighter Menus
Lighter Menus replaces the tabbed nav with hover menus, making it much easier to access second-level navigation with one click. It also comes with additional options such as hiding the “Howdy” and Help and Forum links, displaying icons next to subpages, and more.
2. Category Selector Back to the Sidebar
This plugin comes with one simple goal: to put the category selector back in the sidebar where it used to be. No more scrolling past other post options to categorize your posts. Instead, you can now choose your categories right under the Save and Publish buttons.
3. WPCandy’s Login Logo Plugin
Our Login Logo plugin is a two-step process for switching out the default WordPress logo on the login screen with your own.
4. Reveal IDs for WP 2.5 Admin
For some reason, a default installation of version 2.5 doesn’t include the ID column when managing posts, pages, links, or categories. This column is usually helpful when excluding certain categories or posts from a list on your site. The Reveal IDs plugin puts this column back in its place.
5. WordPress Automatic Upgrade
WPAU gives one-click upgrading to the WordPress admin. It automates the five-step process recommended by WordPress.org and even backs up your database before you begin.
6. WordPress Dashboard Editor
Allows you to configure the Dashboard with PHP, HTML, and Sidebar Widgets and get rid of annoying parts such as Planet WordPress and Dev news.
7. WPhone
With the iPhone’s MobileSafari taking more and more market share each day, it’s becoming a popular way to write and edit posts on your WordPress-powered site. WPhone introduces an iPhone-esque theme for the admin and scales down the entire system, making it much easier for you to perform simple tasks on your site via iPhone and other mobile phones.
8. Remove Max-Width
The default admin’s CSS sets a maximum width on the page. Guess what this plugin does?
9. Pre-Publish Reminders
This plugin lets admins add a set of reminders to the new post page. This is especially helpful for client sites to help remind them of things that need done (categorizing, tagging, custom fields, etc.) before a new post is made.
10. Easy Admin Color Schemes
The Easy Admin Color Schemes plugin is quite useful for branding your admin with your site’s colors. Ad the hex values for four colors and save the scheme for later use.
34 Responses to “10 Plugins to Improve the WordPress Admin”
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adelle
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 8:05 PM
These are awesome plugins! I will be checking these out asap, especially the one for the iphone
It’s always nice when you come across a post that you actually haven’t seen the same resources listed. Cheers!
Great post!
Mark
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Some great plugins there - thanks Dan!
Nouman Saleem
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 8:35 PM
Amazing post, will be taking a look at each one!
Alex
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 8:35 PM
hello,
An interesting plug-in collection, and I some plug-ins already use and the rest I would like to further look.
I could connect to my blog report.
Thank you for the informative list of plug-ins.
Zinni
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Great resource list, I have needed a couple of these plugins for client work. Thanks for the great roundup!
John
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Great list! On the subject of admin plugins, I’d also recommend my WordPress Tweaks plugin, which provides administrators with many extra settings pertaining to comments, pings, posts, SEO, security, the admin back-end, etc.
Michael Castilla
Posted on June 17th, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Good work Dan. My favorite plugin from this list would probably have to be Lighter Menus. It makes navigating the admin so much easier.
Ali Salem
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 2:00 AM
Thanks Mike. Will keep this post in mind when I use WP.
Frank
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 3:02 AM
Adminimize is a theme for a better admin, many options in the new version: remove widht, configure sidebar in edit-area, categrory and tags in the sidebar, configure meta-areas and the menu, …
I write on a new version with many options, i upload in the next days.
best regards
Pasquale
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 3:53 AM
This is a great list fellas!
Bram
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 4:04 AM
That’s a pretty neat list you got there. Something I’ve just noticed though: why didn’t you style your inputs and textareas? Your submit button is otherwise so pretty…
Michael Castilla
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 4:56 AM
@Bram - Haha if I get a chance this week, I’ll work on the comments and comments form.
Mike Robinson
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 5:12 AM
Some pretty cool plug-ins there. I’d like to mention WP-CMS, which can be handy for client sites. The developer is also keen to improve it, so he’s open to suggestions!
epicalex
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 8:58 AM
I use the reveal ID and the dashboard editor plugins, and I heavily rely on them.
Oh, and great Post Dan, I can’t imagine where you got the idea from?!
Michael Cromarty
Posted on June 18th, 2008 at 5:59 PM
nice stuff. u got the wphone installed on wpcandy?
Bram
Posted on June 19th, 2008 at 4:40 AM
btw: your 404 page is hilarious! Ever thought of a shoutbox or smth like that? would be cool I think.
Frank
Posted on June 20th, 2008 at 3:03 AM
Adminimize is now available in english, please readme.txt in the donwload and use the language-file …-en_US.mo .
Best regards
flisterz
Posted on June 24th, 2008 at 1:15 AM
i have to use all these. especially no 2 and 8. great
tatil otelleri
Posted on July 15th, 2008 at 4:27 AM
yes. there are cool plugins for using word press .
Joe
Posted on August 15th, 2008 at 10:10 PM
That is a great list. I have several of those installaed and am now on my way to install several more. The only one I wouldn’t feel comfortable installing would be the WPAU. It is a great feature and sure could save time but I prefer having more control over that process. Downloading your Login Logo plugin right now. Thanks.
joels
Posted on October 8th, 2008 at 7:48 PM
im using wordpress automatic upgrade and this plugin is very usefull when wordpress realease new version and im so bussy to update my other blogs, so with this plugin i can upgrade my wordpress in short time!! lols thx great lists !!
Goji Juice
Posted on October 9th, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Nice and informative article…
Bio Goji
Posted on March 14th, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Wirklich ein interessanter Artikel. Werde erst mal den RSS Feed abonieren