The Mysteries of WordPress Menus: Adding Classes to li a

WordPress is a veritable playground for both novice and experienced website creators, with its easy-to-use interface and advanced features. However, a critical aspect of website construction is designing visually appealing and properly organized menus that guide users and enhance their overall experience.

Understanding WordPress Menu Structure

To add classes to WordPress menu li a, it’s crucial to understand the two menu types: primary and secondary. Primary menus are the essential links typically located at the top of the site, while secondary menus are found in footers or sidebars and usually contain less important links. Every menu is composed of various features such as menu items, sub-menus, and dropdown menus.

WordPress Menu Items

A link that appears on the primary or secondary menu is called a WordPress menu item. One can customize, remove or add menu items by going to the WordPress dashboard and clicking on Appearance > Menus. On the other hand, sub-menus are the dropdown menus that appear when a user hovers over a particular menu item; for example, “Our Team,” “Our Process,” and “FAQs” can be part of the sub-menu of the “About Us” menu item.

Adding Classes to WordPress Menu li a

Several methods are available for adding classes to menu items when creating WordPress menus. Despite the slow, manual process of adding CSS code to each menu item, plugins make adding classes easier and faster, with no knowledge of CSS coding required.

Plugin Method 1: Menu Item Custom Fields

The first plugin method involves using the Menu Item Custom Fields plugin, which adds a customized field section to each menu item. This allows the addition of classes to menu li a.

• Step 1: Install and activate the Menu Item Custom Fields plugin.
• Step 2: Create a new menu or edit an existing menu.
• Step 3: Go to the custom fields section, find the “CSS Classes” field, and enter the class name you want to assign.
• Step 4: Save the menu item.
• Step 5: Check your website and inspect the menu item with your browser’s dev tools. You should be able to see the class you previously assigned to it.

Plugin Method 2: Nav Menu Roles

The second plugin method, Nav Menu Roles, is highly recommended for websites with different user types (members and guests, for example). This plugin makes adding classes based on user roles easier.

• Step 1: Install and activate the Nav Menu Roles plugin.
• Step 2: Create a new menu or edit an existing menu.
• Step 3: Scroll down to the “Visibility” section and find the “Roles” field.
• Step 4: Select the user role you want the class to assign to and save the menu item.
• Step 5: Check your website and inspect the menu item with your browser’s dev tools. You should be able to see the class you previously assigned to it.

Conclusion

Adding classes to WordPress menu li a is an easy and effective way to enhance the visual appeal of your website’s menus. The two plugin methods discussed in this article are user-friendly and eliminate the need for writing complex CSS codes. By using plugins, you can quickly assign different classes based on user roles, modify menu items, and enrich the users’ experience. Next time you create a WordPress menu, consider using these methods to add classes to menu li a.