Visual Admin Customizer
Hide almost any part of the WordPress admin by using a visual editor.
The facts
- Rating
- 5★ from 8
- Active installs
- 500+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 8 Mar 2021
- Added
- Jan 2017
- Requires WP
- 4.6
- Tested up to
- WP 5.7.17
- Downloads
- 7,653
Our analysis
AI-assistedVisual Admin Customizer is a WordPress plugin that allows you to hide various elements of the WordPress admin area using a visual point-and-click editor. You can hide items from all users or specific roles and add custom CSS for the admin interface. This plugin is suitable for users who want to personalise the admin dashboard without extensive coding knowledge.
The plugin provides a live preview of the dashboard, enabling you to select and hide elements such as dashboard widgets, post editor meta boxes, and form fields. However, it is important to note that the changes made are cosmetic and can be bypassed by users with web development skills.
Best for: This plugin suits WordPress site administrators looking to customise the admin dashboard appearance.
What it does well
- ✓Allows hiding of various admin elements
- ✓Visual point-and-click editor for ease of use
- ✓Custom CSS can be added per user role
- ✓Hides items for specific user roles
- ✓Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
Where it falls short
- •Changes are cosmetic and not secure
- •Not effective for dynamic content
- •Limited to specific elements; broader changes require custom CSS
Verdict
Visual Admin Customizer offers a straightforward way to personalise the WordPress admin area, but its limitations in security and dynamic content should be considered.
From the developer
Janis Elsts's own description of Visual Admin Customizer, lightly tidied.
Hide almost any part of the WordPress admin area by using a visual, point-and-click editor. You can hide things from all users or only from specific roles. You can also add your own CSS to the WordPress admin (per role).
This plugin does not have a fixed list of things it can customize. Instead, it displays a live version of the WordPress dashboard and lets you select the parts of the page that you want to hide. You can hide almost any unique element (but see the “Limitations” section below).
Here are a few examples of things you can hide:
* Dashboard widgets.
* Post editor meta boxes.
* Custom fields.
* Screen options.
* Individual buttons.
* Text boxes, checkboxes, dropdown lists and most other form fields.
Requirements
- PHP 5.3 and up.
- A modern browser like Firefox, Chrome or IE 9 and up.
Limitations
- This is not a security tool. The changes it makes are cosmetic. Users who are familiar with web development can bypass them. Don’t use it for security-critical tasks.
- It’s not great at hiding dynamic content like dialog windows, pop-up menus, or any content that changes frequently or depending on the logged-in user.
- It’s intended for customizing unique things like specific meta boxes or buttons. If you want to do something like hide all “Edit” links on a page or change the appearance of all “Save Changes” buttons, you’ll have to write the CSS code yourself or use a different plugin.