How to Add or Change WordPress Admin Icons (2 Easy Methods)

Introduction: Customizing Your WordPress Admin Area with Unique Icons

The WordPress admin area, while functional, can sometimes feel a bit generic. For developers and website owners who want a more branded or personalized experience, customizing the admin icons is a great option. This allows you to replace the default WordPress icons with your own, reflecting your brand identity and making the interface more visually appealing and easier to navigate. This article will guide you through two easy methods to add or change WordPress admin icons, empowering you to create a more customized and professional WordPress backend.

Method 1: Using a Plugin – The Easiest Approach

The simplest way to change admin icons is by using a dedicated WordPress plugin. Several plugins offer this functionality, and they often provide a user-friendly interface for uploading and managing your custom icons. This method requires no coding knowledge and is ideal for beginners.

Choosing a Plugin

Several plugins cater to admin icon customization. Popular choices include:

• Admin Menu Editor: This plugin offers a wide range of customization options, including changing admin menu labels, icons, and permissions.
• Custom Admin Interface: While primarily focused on general admin customization, this plugin also allows for icon replacement.
• Menu Icons: While geared toward front-end menu icons, some users adapt it for admin menus.

For this example, we’ll use the “Admin Menu Editor” plugin, as it offers a comprehensive solution for icon management. The principles remain the same for other similar plugins, although the exact steps may vary slightly.

Installing and Activating the Plugin

1. **Navigate to the WordPress Plugin Directory:** From your WordPress dashboard, go to “Plugins” -> “Add New.”
2. **Search for the Plugin:** In the search bar, type “Admin Menu Editor.”
3. **Install the Plugin:** Locate the plugin (by Janis Elsts) and click “Install Now.”
4. **Activate the Plugin:** Once the installation is complete, click “Activate.”

Changing Admin Icons with the Plugin

1. **Access the Plugin Settings:** After activating the plugin, a new menu item, often labeled “Menu Editor” or something similar, will appear in your WordPress admin area. Locate and click on it. In the case of Admin Menu Editor, it is found under “Settings”.
2. **Identify the Menu Item to Customize:** The plugin’s interface will display a list of all admin menu items. Browse through the list to find the menu item whose icon you want to change.
3. **Edit the Menu Item:** Click on the menu item you want to edit. This will usually open a panel or a pop-up window with options to modify the menu item’s settings.
4. **Locate the Icon Option:** Within the menu item’s settings, look for an option related to the icon. This might be labeled “Icon,” “Menu Icon,” or something similar.
5. **Choose a New Icon:**

• **Plugin-Provided Icons:** Many plugins come with a library of pre-designed icons. You can usually select an icon from this library. The Admin Menu Editor plugin, for example, provides a visual interface with a large selection of icons from various font icon libraries like Font Awesome, Dashicons, and Genericons.
• **Custom Icons (Upload):** Most plugins also allow you to upload your own custom icons. These icons should be in a suitable format, such as PNG or SVG. SVG is often preferred for its scalability and crispness on different screen resolutions.

6. **Upload or Select Your Icon:**

• **Uploading a Custom Icon:** If you’re using a custom icon, click the “Upload” button or the equivalent, and select the image file from your computer.
• **Selecting from the Library:** If you’re using a plugin-provided icon, browse the icon library and click on the icon you want to use.

7. **Save Changes:** After selecting or uploading the new icon, click the “Save” button or the equivalent to apply the changes.
8. **Repeat for Other Menu Items:** Repeat steps 2-7 for any other admin menu items you want to customize.
9. **Clear Cache (If Necessary):** Sometimes, your browser or WordPress may cache the old icons. If you don’t see the changes immediately, try clearing your browser cache and/or any WordPress caching plugins you may be using.

Advantages of Using a Plugin

• **Ease of Use:** Plugins provide a user-friendly interface, making it easy to change admin icons without any coding knowledge.
• **Comprehensive Features:** Many plugins offer a range of customization options beyond just icon replacement, such as changing menu labels and permissions.
• **Large Icon Libraries:** Some plugins come with built-in icon libraries, providing a wide selection of icons to choose from.
• **No Coding Required:** The plugin handles the technical aspects of changing the icons, so you don’t need to write any code.

Disadvantages of Using a Plugin

• **Plugin Dependency:** You become reliant on the plugin. If the plugin is discontinued or becomes incompatible with future WordPress updates, you may lose your customizations.
• **Potential Performance Impact:** While most plugins are lightweight, some can add extra overhead to your website, potentially affecting performance.
• **Security Concerns:** It’s important to choose plugins from reputable developers to avoid security vulnerabilities.

Method 2: Using Custom Code (Functions.php or a Custom Plugin)

For more advanced users or those who prefer a code-based approach, you can change admin icons by adding custom code to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. This method gives you more control over the customization process, but it requires some coding knowledge.

Understanding the Code

The core of this method involves using WordPress hooks and filters to modify the CSS styles of the admin menu items. We’ll use the `admin_head` action hook to add custom CSS to the admin area. This CSS will target specific menu items and replace their default icons with your custom icons.

Preparing Your Custom Icons

Before you start coding, you’ll need to prepare your custom icons. Ensure your icons are in a suitable format (e.g., PNG or SVG) and that they are properly sized for the admin menu (typically around 16×16 pixels). Upload your icons to a directory within your theme or a dedicated “icons” directory in your WordPress uploads directory. You’ll need the URL of each icon to use in the CSS code.

Adding the Code to Your `functions.php` File

**Caution:** Editing the `functions.php` file can potentially break your website if done incorrectly. It’s recommended to create a child theme to avoid losing your changes when the parent theme is updated. Alternatively, you can use a custom plugin to add the code.

1. **Access Your `functions.php` File:** Using a file manager in your hosting account or an FTP client, navigate to your theme’s directory and locate the `functions.php` file. If you’re using a child theme, edit the `functions.php` file in the child theme’s directory.
2. **Add the Custom Code:** Add the following code to the end of your `functions.php` file:

“`php
function custom_admin_icons() {
echo ‘

‘;
}
add_action(‘admin_head’, ‘custom_admin_icons’);
“`

3. **Customize the Code:**

• **Replace the Icon URLs:** Replace the placeholder URLs (`’ . get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . ‘/icons/dashboard-icon.svg’`) with the actual URLs of your custom icons. `get_stylesheet_directory_uri()` points to your *child* theme directory, if you are using one. If your icons are located in the parent theme, use `get_template_directory_uri()`. If your icons are uploaded into the WordPress uploads directory, you will need to put the full URL to the image into the `url()` function.
• **Target Specific Menu Items:** The CSS selectors `#adminmenu #menu-dashboard div.wp-menu-image:before` target specific menu items in the admin menu. You’ll need to identify the correct selectors for the menu items you want to customize. You can use your browser’s developer tools (right-click on the menu item and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element”) to find the appropriate selectors. The `#menu-dashboard` part refers to the `menu_slug` used when the menu was created. Commonly used IDs include `menu-dashboard`, `menu-posts`, `menu-media`, `menu-pages`, `menu-comments`, `menu-appearance`, `menu-plugins`, `menu-users`, `menu-tools`, and `menu-settings`.
• **Adjust the Icon Size:** The `width` and `height` properties control the size of the icon. Adjust these values as needed to ensure your icons are displayed correctly.

4. **Save the `functions.php` File:** Save the changes to your `functions.php` file.
5. **Clear Cache (If Necessary):** Clear your browser cache and/or any WordPress caching plugins to see the changes.

Creating a Custom Plugin (Recommended)

Instead of directly modifying the `functions.php` file, creating a custom plugin is a more organized and safer approach.

1. **Create a New Directory:** Create a new directory in the `wp-content/plugins/` directory. Name it something descriptive, like `custom-admin-icons`.
2. **Create a Plugin File:** Inside the new directory, create a PHP file (e.g., `custom-admin-icons.php`).
3. **Add the Plugin Header:** Add the following code to the beginning of the PHP file:

“`php
#adminmenu #menu-dashboard div.wp-menu-image:before { content: url(‘ . plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) . ‘icons/dashboard-icon.svg) !important; width: 20px; /* Adjust as needed */ height: 20px; /* Adjust as needed */ background-size: contain; display: inline-block; } #adminmenu #menu-posts div.wp-menu-image:before { content: url(‘ . plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) . ‘icons/posts-icon.svg) !important; width: 20px; /* Adjust as needed */ height: 20px; /* Adjust as needed */ background-size: contain; display: inline-block; } /* Add more rules for other menu items as needed */

‘;
}
add_action(‘admin_head’, ‘custom_admin_icons’);
“`

*Important Note:* When using the plugin method, the location of the icons will likely be in the plugin directory, not the theme directory. Be sure to change `get_stylesheet_directory_uri()` to `plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ )` to point to the proper image location.

5. **Activate the Plugin:** Go to the “Plugins” page in your WordPress admin area and activate the “Custom Admin Icons” plugin.
6. **Clear Cache (If Necessary):** Clear your browser cache and/or any WordPress caching plugins to see the changes.

Advantages of Using Custom Code

• **More Control:** You have complete control over the customization process.
• **No Plugin Dependency:** You’re not reliant on a third-party plugin.
• **Potentially More Efficient:** Custom code can be more efficient than a plugin, as you’re only adding the code you need.

Disadvantages of Using Custom Code

• **Requires Coding Knowledge:** This method requires some familiarity with HTML, CSS, and PHP.
• **Potential for Errors:** Incorrect code can break your website.
• **Maintenance:** You’re responsible for maintaining the code and ensuring it remains compatible with future WordPress updates.