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.
Post Revisions:
- 6 August, 2010 @ 4:02 [Current Revision] by dan philibin
- 5 August, 2010 @ 5:50 by Ryan Imel
- 17 June, 2008 @ 19:24 by Ryan Imel
Posted June 17, 2008
adelle said:
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!
on June 17, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Mark said:
Some great plugins there – thanks Dan!
on June 17, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Nouman Saleem said:
Amazing post, will be taking a look at each one!
on June 17, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Alex said:
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.
on June 17, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Zinni said:
Great resource list, I have needed a couple of these plugins for client work. Thanks for the great roundup!
on June 17, 2008 at 9:18 pm
John said:
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.
on June 17, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Michael Castilla said:
Good work Dan. My favorite plugin from this list would probably have to be Lighter Menus. It makes navigating the admin so much easier.
on June 17, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Ali Salem said:
Thanks Mike. Will keep this post in mind when I use WP.
on June 18, 2008 at 2:00 am
Frank said:
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
on June 18, 2008 at 3:02 am
Pasquale said:
This is a great list fellas!
on June 18, 2008 at 3:53 am
Bram said:
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…
on June 18, 2008 at 4:04 am
Michael Castilla said:
@Bram – Haha if I get a chance this week, I’ll work on the comments and comments form.
on June 18, 2008 at 4:56 am
Mike Robinson said:
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!
on June 18, 2008 at 5:12 am
epicalex said:
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?!
on June 18, 2008 at 8:58 am
Michael Cromarty said:
nice stuff. u got the wphone installed on wpcandy?
on June 18, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Bram said:
btw: your 404 page is hilarious! Ever thought of a shoutbox or smth like that? would be cool I think.
on June 19, 2008 at 4:40 am
Frank said:
Adminimize is now available in english, please readme.txt in the donwload and use the language-file …-en_US.mo .
Best regards
on June 20, 2008 at 3:03 am
flisterz said:
i have to use all these. especially no 2 and 8. great
on June 24, 2008 at 1:15 am
tatil otelleri said:
yes. there are cool plugins for using word press .
on July 15, 2008 at 4:27 am
Joe said:
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.
on August 15, 2008 at 10:10 pm
joels said:
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 !!
on October 8, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Goji Juice said:
Nice and informative article…
on October 9, 2008 at 10:29 am
Bio Goji said:
Wirklich ein interessanter Artikel. Werde erst mal den RSS Feed abonieren
on March 14, 2009 at 8:00 am
rawker said:
I’d like to mention my favorite admin plugin Admin Fluency (http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/fluency-admin/) It’s a new theme for the admin panel, changes the login.. “brands” the admin panel and some other features.. just lovin it
on October 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Clarence Middleton said:
Great post, great plugin recommendation. I’m going to start installing some now
on February 15, 2010 at 1:01 am