Configure Dashboard widgets
Site administrators can set a shared layout and interaction policy for the site's WordPress Dashboard. Open Settings → POM Tweaks → White labelling → Dashboard. Dashboard widgets contains four independent options under one enable switch.
Configure the options
- Enable Dashboard widgets.
- Select the options needed by your editors.
- Select Save.
- Open Dashboard → Home and verify the result with a representative user.
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| Force one column | Display every widget container at full width and limit the Dashboard to one layout column. The user's previously saved layout is retained. |
| Disable widget movement | Prevent dragging and remove the native Move up and Move down controls. Keep the existing widget order. |
| Disable widget collapsing | Keep widgets expanded and remove their collapse controls. Previously closed widgets open so their content remains accessible. |
| Open all widgets on load | Expand widgets each time the Dashboard loads. Users can still collapse a widget during that visit unless collapsing is also disabled. |
All options are off by default. Enabling the module without selecting an option leaves the Dashboard unchanged. The behavior applies to the current site's Dashboard for all users who can access it; it does not change Network Admin, User Admin, post editors, or public pages.
Opening widgets does not reveal widgets hidden through Screen Options or removed by another feature. Links, widget forms, and configuration controls remain available. The non-collapsible browser warning follows WordPress's own behavior.
Verify the result
- For one column, inspect the Dashboard on a wide screen and confirm retained widgets remain usable.
- For movement, attempt to drag a heading and confirm the order remains unchanged. The Move up and Move down buttons should disappear.
- For collapsing, click a widget heading: its panel should remain open and its collapse button should be absent.
- For opening on load, enable only that option, collapse a widget, and reload. It should open again while retaining its collapse button.
- Open a post editor and confirm its panels behave normally.
Preferences and reversal
The module does not overwrite saved layout, widget order, hidden widgets, or closed-widget preferences merely by loading the Dashboard. Allowed user interactions still use WordPress's normal preference saving. For example, collapsing a widget while only Open all widgets on load is selected can save that user action, although the widget opens again on the next Dashboard visit.
Clear an option or disable Dashboard widgets, select Save, and reload the Dashboard to restore normal behavior. Saved WordPress preferences and other plugins then determine the layout and widget state.
Troubleshooting
- A widget is still missing: inspect Screen Options, user permissions, and other widget-hiding controls. Opening and unhiding are different actions.
- A custom panel behaves differently: these controls target WordPress's native dashboard postboxes. A plugin with a separate dashboard interface may require its own settings.
- No dashboard appears: check whether Admin redirects sends Dashboard requests to another administration screen.
- Old behavior remains after saving: reload the page and check overlapping dashboard customizations.
Add custom HTML and RSS widgets using the independent controls in the same modern tab. Hide widgets under Settings → POM Tweaks → White labelling → Dashboard → Hide selected Dashboard widgets.