In WordPress, Screen Options is usually in the upper-right corner of the logged-in WP Admin screen, directly below the toolbar or admin bar. Click the hanging Screen Options tab to open a panel of checkboxes. Select an item to show it, clear it to hide it, then click the tab again to close the panel. The choices depend on the screen you are viewing.
What Screen Options controls
Screen Options changes the layout of the current Administration Screen for your user account. It does not change the public website and it does not add new WordPress features. Instead, it lets you decide which existing widgets, columns, fields, or modules are visible.
WordPress describes the control as a “hanging tab under the toolbar.” On WordPress.com support documentation, the equivalent location is described as the top-right of customizable WP Admin pages. You must be logged in and working inside WP Admin; visitors viewing the public site will not see it.
How to open Screen Options
- Sign in to your WordPress site.
- Open the administration page you want to customize, such as Dashboard → Home, Posts, Pages, or Pages → Add New.
- Look at the upper-right area of the page, immediately below the toolbar/admin bar.
- Click the hanging Screen Options tab.
- Use the checkboxes in the expanded panel to show or hide the available elements.
- Click Screen Options again to collapse the panel.
There is normally no Save button. WordPress applies the selection when you change it and remembers the layout for that administration screen and user.
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Where the tab appears on common WordPress screens
The tab is screen-specific. The same upper-right control can manage very different items depending on the page.
| WP Admin screen | What Screen Options controls | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard → Home | Dashboard widgets | Show or hide boxes such as activity, drafts, and site status when those widgets are available. |
| Posts | List-table columns and posts per page | Restore columns such as author, categories, tags, comments, or date, and choose how many posts appear on each page. |
| Pages | List-table columns and pages per page | Choose which page columns are visible and adjust the number of pages listed. |
| Pages → Add New | Editing modules | Expose modules such as Custom Fields, Discussion, Slug, or Post Author when the site and editor support them. |
| Other administration pages | Controls supplied by that screen or its plugins | Available checkboxes vary; a plugin may add its own panel or column. |
Show hidden columns on Posts or Pages
If a column is missing from a list, open the relevant list first. On Posts, click Screen Options, check the column you need, and then close the panel. The table updates immediately. The same process works on Pages. You can also change the number of items shown per page in the same panel.
When a column still does not appear
- Confirm you are on the correct list. Post columns and page columns are configured separately.
- Check whether your browser window is narrow. WordPress may hide or compress columns responsively even when they are selected.
- Look for a plugin or theme that replaces the standard list table.
- Verify your account has permission to view the data. Screen Options cannot grant capabilities that your role does not have.
Show the Discussion, Custom Fields, Slug, or Post Author box
To restore editing modules, open Pages → Add New (or the corresponding post editor), then click Screen Options in the upper-right. Select Discussion, Custom Fields, Slug, or Post Author if those choices are offered. Close the panel and look for the module in the editor.
The exact list depends on the editor, WordPress version, theme, plugins, and permissions. For example, a site using a block-based editor may present some settings in the editor sidebar rather than as a classic metabox. Screen Options can only reveal controls that the current screen has registered.
Use Screen Options on the Dashboard
Go to Dashboard → Home and open Screen Options. The panel lists dashboard widgets with checkboxes. Clear a box to hide that widget from your dashboard, or check it to display it again. Hiding a dashboard widget affects its visibility in your layout; it does not disable the underlying plugin or site feature.
Why Screen Options may be missing
You are viewing the public site
Screen Options is an administration control. Return to a URL ending in /wp-admin/ (or use the Dashboard link in the admin bar) and sign in.
The current page does not expose the feature
WordPress says the tab appears on most administrative pages, not every possible page. Some custom plugin screens, network-admin pages, or full-screen interfaces may omit it. Try a standard screen such as Dashboard, Posts, or Pages to confirm that your account can see the control.
The interface is in full-screen or distraction-free mode
Editors can hide parts of the surrounding interface. Exit distraction-free or full-screen mode using the editor’s options menu, then check the upper-right area again. A plugin can also alter the admin header.
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Your role or plugin configuration limits the choices
Screen Options reflects what the current user and screen are allowed to access. An administrator may see more modules than an editor, and a plugin can remove or replace a metabox. Ask an administrator to test the same page if the option is absent for only one account.
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Browser or CSS problems obscure the tab
Try a hard refresh, a current browser, and a private window with extensions disabled. If the tab appears in a private window, an extension or cached stylesheet is a likely cause. A plugin conflict can be isolated by temporarily switching to a default theme and disabling nonessential plugins on a staging site.
Where WordPress saves your choices
Selections are tied to the administration screen and your user’s layout preferences. Choosing columns on Posts does not automatically choose them on Pages, and enabling a module in one editor screen does not guarantee it will appear on another. If you switch user accounts, expect a different layout. Plugin updates or editor changes can also remove an option that no longer exists.
Document an admin layout with a clean screenshot
If you need to send instructions or support evidence, first open Screen Options and configure the exact fields you want visible. Then capture the page with a tool that can handle a logged-in session and your required viewport. Do not include passwords, security keys, customer data, or private URLs in a screenshot.
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Practical checklist
- Are you signed in to WP Admin rather than viewing the public site?
- Are you looking directly below the top toolbar in the upper-right corner?
- Did you open the panel on the exact screen you need to change?
- Did you select the checkbox and then close the panel?
- Could a narrow window, full-screen editor, plugin, role, or browser extension be hiding the control?
- Are you checking the correct user account and screen type?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Screen Options affect what visitors see?
No. It changes the logged-in user’s WP Admin layout. It does not alter the public page or post.
Why do my Screen Options choices differ from another administrator’s?
The available controls depend on the current screen, installed plugins, editor, permissions, and user-specific layout settings.
Can Screen Options restore a deleted field?
Only if the field or module still exists on that screen and is merely hidden. It cannot restore a feature removed by a plugin, theme, editor, or permission change.
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