# Adding a navigation menu in WordPress

> Create a navigation menu and submenus in WordPress and assign it to a menu location in your theme.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/adding-a-navigation-menu-in-wordpress/

A **navigation menu** helps visitors move easily between the important sections of your website. WordPress allows you to create menus and submenus using a simple drag‑and‑drop interface. On **ruachost.com**, you can add a navigation menu directly from the dashboard.

## Why Add a Navigation Menu?

- Improves site usability and visitor experience.
- Highlights key pages like Home, Blog, Shop, or Contact.
- Supports multiple menu locations depending on your theme.

## Steps to Create a Custom Navigation Menu

1. **Log in to WordPress** with an administrator account.
2. In the dashboard, go to **Appearance → Menus**.
3. On the **Edit Menus** tab:

   - Enter a name for your menu.
   - Click **Create Menu**.\
     ![Screenshot](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/kb-images/b6ab6de214e8.webp)
4. Select the pages, posts, categories, or custom links you want to include.

   - Click **Add to Menu**.\
     ![Screenshot](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/kb-images/b6ab6de214e8.webp)
5. Use **drag and drop** to rearrange menu items.\
   ![Screenshot](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/kb-images/9c14b7cd0b06.webp)

   - You can nest items under others to create submenus.
6. Under **Menu Settings**, choose the location where the menu should appear.

   - Menu locations depend on your theme (e.g., header, footer, sidebar).
7. Click **Save Menu**.

✅ Your navigation menu will now appear on your site.

> **Note:**
- Experiment with different menu locations to see what works best for your theme.
- Use **custom links** for external pages or resources.
- Keep menus simple—too many items can overwhelm visitors.