In a classic WordPress theme, add a description by opening Appearance > Menus, expanding a menu item, enabling Description under Screen Options if needed, entering the text, and saving the menu. The description appears on the site only if the active theme outputs it. Block themes use a different Navigation-block workflow, so the classic Menus screen and its description field are not universal.
First identify which kind of theme you are using
The steps depend on the site’s editing interface. WordPress documentation says the Appearance Menus screen stopped being included for every site by default after WordPress 5.9. For block themes, navigation is managed with the Navigation block in WordPress 6.0 and later. Classic themes use the Menus screen when it is available; a plugin or hybrid setup may also provide classic menu editing. WordPress’s Appearance Menus documentation explains these distinctions.
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| Workflow | Where to edit | What to expect from descriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Classic theme | Appearance > Menus, when available | The per-item Description field may be hidden under Screen Options. Front-end display requires support from the active theme. |
| Block theme | Navigation block workflow | The cited WordPress documentation does not establish that every block theme provides a description control. Check the available controls and rendered navigation. |
Add a description in the classic Menus screen
- Open Appearance > Menus. If you do not see this screen, check whether the site uses a block theme or whether a plugin or theme provides another menu editor.
- Select the menu you want to change, then expand the menu item that needs a description.
- Reveal the Description field if necessary. Open Screen Options at the top of the screen and enable Description.
- Enter the description in the expanded menu item’s Description field.
- Save the menu, then visit the front end and check the relevant menu.
WordPress documents the Description field as an item-level control in the classic Menus interface. Its guidance is explicit: “The description will be displayed in the menu if the current theme supports it.” See the Appearance Menus documentation.
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Saving the field and displaying it are separate things. If the description is present in the editor but missing from the front end, the save may have worked: the active theme may simply not output menu descriptions. Check the menu on the front end after saving, and consult the theme’s documentation or developer if it does not appear.
For classic themes, the Theme Handbook describes registering menu locations with register_nav_menus() and rendering them with wp_nav_menu(). Those functions explain the theme’s menu workflow, but they do not provide one universal change that makes every theme print descriptions. The required adjustment depends on how that theme renders its menu. WordPress’s Navigation Menus Theme Handbook covers registration and rendering.
What to check in a block theme
In a block theme, edit navigation through the Navigation block rather than assuming the classic Menus screen applies. Inspect the controls available in the site’s editor and verify the result on the front end. WordPress’s documentation establishes the Navigation-block workflow for block-theme navigation, but does not establish that a description field is available in every block theme. A classic-theme code change is not a general solution for block-theme navigation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Notes for theme developers
Start by tracing the theme’s own menu implementation: find where it registers menu locations and how it renders them. The classic-theme documentation identifies register_nav_menus() and wp_nav_menu() as key parts of that workflow; the right place to add output varies by theme. Review the relevant template or menu walker before changing code, and check the result against the theme and WordPress version in use. The Theme Functions handbook provides further context on theme functions.
The wp_nav_menu_item_custom_fields hook is for adding custom editor fields to menu items. WordPress introduced it in version 5.4.0. Adding a field with this hook does not, by itself, implement front-end rendering for the built-in Description field; editor controls and theme output are separate concerns. See the hook reference and changelog.
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