Tips to use the WordPress App on your iPhone, iPad, and Android
August 29. 2020
We can safely say that WordPress is one of the most useful CMS systems for running a website. It is super simple, convenient, and quick, and you can set up a website in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, it is easy to manage your website without any programming knowledge. However, being in the age of technology we are, not everyone has time to sit in front of a computer. With that in mind, it is important to be able to manage your website from any location, even if you only have your mobile phone. Have no fear, as there are many tips to use the WordPress app on your iPhone, iPad, and Android!
Sign me in – what do I need to start?
Well, first of all, you need to install the WordPress mobile app. While you can simply log in to your website dashboard through the browser, that is not the best way. It is designed to be mobile-friendly, however, it is a bit clunky. Working from the mobile app gives you a much better experience.
To be able to use the WordPress app on your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, you will need two things:
- an account open on WordPress.com
- JetPack plugin
Once you install the JetPack plugin and activate it, click on the setup JetPack button. It will ask you to log in with your WordPress.com account. If you don’t have a WordPress.com account, you can create it at that moment. It is free, there are no charges.
Once that process is done, your WordPress.org website will be connected with the WordPress.com account, and you are set to go.
As you can see, the process is simple. While you can hire professionals to maintain your WordPress website, I always think it is good to learn to do things on your own.
I have the plugin ready to go, what next?
The next step would be to install the WordPress mobile app. It can work on iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, and macOS. After installation, simply login to your WordPress.com account, and the mobile app will connect with it, fetching all data and website info. Once the connection is established, you need to click on the Continue button, and it will take you to the main dashboard.
Getting to know the dashboard
As you will see, working on the mobile dashboard is very simple and straightforward. From there, you can:
- edit blog posts
- manage media files
- use various account settings
- manage comments section
- perform admin tasks
Editing blog posts
The user interface for the WordPress app is very intuitive. It knows what you need, and it gives it to you straight away. You can create or edit blog posts on your website by accessing them from the Blog Post menu on the dashboard. Furthermore, you can tag your blog posts properly, to improve user experience and SEO.
It will give you the list of all of your blog posts, and the options to edit them or create a new post. The best thing is that your phone’s native keyboard will have added a formatting toolbar for WordPress.
Furthermore, by clicking on the three dots button, you will gain access to multiple post options you can change. I advise you to experiment a little and get to know the dashboard.
Manage media files
Managing media files on the WordPress app is also made simple. You can do it while writing or editing a post, or you can work from the Media section in the main menu.
Media library is very useful, it gives you full visibility of all the images and videos you uploaded to your website.
Using account settings in the WordPress app
The Settings section helps you to manage multiple options for your website. One of the more useful once is to switch from the Classic to the New Block Editor. The option is not turned on by default, but it does exist. While using the block editor gives you some advantages, there is a catch. At the moment, the number of blocks available is limited at the moment. However, the WordPress app is always improving. This hiccup will be resolved in future releases.
Managing comments section
Another reason why the WordPress app is so useful is that you can quickly manage comments. Imagine you are outside running an errand, and you see a hurtful comment on your website. You can’t get home in the next few hours. The comment is just gonna sit there, ruining the reputation of your website.
With the mobile app, you can log in anywhere and any time, and deal with this issue on the spot.
When you click the Comment button, you will see the list of all the comments. Furthermore, if you require all the comments to be approved before posting, that’s where you will see pending comments.
Performing admin tasks
The Admin panel in the WordPress app is also limited at the moment. While you have all the regular admin options, you cannot see any additional settings pages created by plugins. You can use the app to install, activate, or deactivate plugins, but you cannot change any of the plugin settings.
The same applies to themes. You can switch between installed themes, but you cannot install a new theme or customize the theme from the app. Have these limitations in mind when working with the WordPress app.
The guide to WordPress app for your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices – delivered!
As you can see, using the WordPress app to manage your website is very simple. While it has some limitations, I think that the app still performs well. Have in mind that the main use is to allow you to edit some of the basic options on your website quickly and at any time. The app will improve in the future, so this is the best time to install it and get used to it slowly before the new functionalities come!