Table of contents

Decide what kind of homepage you wantHow to access homepage settings in WordPressSet a static page as your homepageDisplay your latest blog posts on the homepageCreate and publish the pages you want to useClear your browser cache (optional but helpful)Fix common homepage display issuesSEO tip: Set your homepage meta title and descriptionNext stepsAdditional resources

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WordPress Guide → Build → Change The Homepage

How to change the homepage in WordPress

Changing your WordPress homepage is one of the fastest ways to personalize your site. Whether you want a clean landing page or to highlight your latest blog posts, WordPress makes it easy to swap out your homepage with just a few clicks.

Let’s walk through how to change your homepage and customize it to fit your site’s goals.

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Decide what kind of homepage you want

Before changing any settings, you need to decide what kind of homepage you want. WordPress offers two main options:

Your latest posts: This is the default setting. It displays your most recent blog posts in reverse chronological order. It’s great for blogs, news sites, or content-heavy websites.
A static page: This option lets you select a specific WordPress page as your homepage. It’s ideal for businesses, portfolios, landing pages, or anything that doesn’t rely on frequent blog updates.

Knowing which type of homepage you want will help you set everything up quickly in the next step.

How to access homepage settings in WordPress

Everything you need is located in the WordPress dashboard.

Log in to your WordPress admin area.
From the left-hand menu, go to Settings > Reading.
Look for the section labeled “Your homepage displays.”

This is where you’ll choose between showing your latest posts or using a static page.

Set a static page as your homepage

Someone might want to set a static page as the homepage to create a more controlled and professional first impression for visitors. Unlike a blog-style homepage that constantly changes with new posts, a static page stays consistent and lets you highlight key information—like services, contact details, calls to action, or a welcome message.

This approach is especially useful for businesses, portfolios, or landing pages where the goal is to guide visitors toward specific actions rather than just browsing recent content.

Here’s how:

Under Settings > Reading, select A static page under “Your homepage displays.”
Two dropdown menus will appear:
- Homepage: Choose the page you want to use as your front page (e.g., “Home” or “Welcome”).
- Posts page (optional): If you still want a blog on your site, choose a different page (e.g., “Blog”) to display your posts.
Click Save Changes.

WordPress will now display that selected page as your homepage. You can fully customize it using the block editor or your theme builder.

Display your latest blog posts on the homepage

Displaying your latest blog posts on the homepage is a great option if you regularly publish content and want to keep your site feeling fresh and active. It automatically showcases your newest posts without needing manual updates, making it ideal for bloggers, news outlets, or content-focused websites.

This setup helps returning visitors quickly find your most recent articles and can improve engagement by encouraging deeper exploration of your content archive.

Here’s how:

In the Reading Settings, select Your latest posts.
Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Create and publish the pages you want to use

If you choose the “static page” option and don’t see anything in the dropdown menus, it’s because you haven’t created the pages yet.

Here’s what to do:

Go to Pages > Add New in your dashboard.
Create a homepage by naming it something like “Home” and adding any content you want.
(Optional) Create a second page titled “Blog” or “News” to display your posts.
Publish both pages.
Return to Settings > Reading and assign them under the “A static page” setting.

Once you do this, you’ll see your new homepage content right away.

Clear your browser cache (optional but helpful)

If you’ve made changes but your homepage still looks the same, your browser might be loading an old version of the site.

To fix this:

Try refreshing the page while holding down Shift or Command + Shift + R (on Mac).
Clear your browser’s cache from the settings menu.
Or view your site in a private/incognito window to bypass the cache.

This helps you see your updated homepage immediately.

Check and customize homepage design

Once your homepage is set, make sure it looks the way you want.

If your theme supports it, go to Appearance > Customize > Homepage Settings. Some themes let you adjust homepage layout and widgets here.
Use the Block Editor (Gutenberg) to add headings, buttons, or featured content blocks to your homepage.
If you’re using a page builder like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or Divi, open the homepage in the builder and start customizing.

Your homepage is your site’s first impression, so don’t be afraid to tweak it until it looks just right.

Fix common homepage display issues

If your homepage isn’t displaying the way you expected, here are some things to check:

Pages not published: Only published pages show up in the dropdown menus for homepage or posts page.
Plugin conflicts: Disable any homepage-related or redirect plugins and see if that resolves the issue.
Caching problems: If you’re using a caching plugin, clear the cache from the plugin’s settings.
Theme limitations: Some themes don’t support full-page customization. Try switching themes or checking the theme documentation for homepage settings.

A little troubleshooting goes a long way in getting your homepage working the way you want.

SEO tip: Set your homepage meta title and description

Once your homepage is live, it’s smart to update your SEO settings so search engines display it correctly in search results.

Install a popular SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO.
Go to SEO > Search Appearance (in Yoast) or Search Appearance > General Settings (in AIOSEO).
Under the Homepage tab, enter a custom meta title and meta description that reflects your site’s purpose.
Make sure the homepage is set to index (not “noindex”) so search engines can include it.

This small step can have a big impact on how your site shows up in Google search results.

Next steps for changing your WordPress homepage

Changing your homepage in WordPress is a simple yet powerful way to control your site’s first impression. Whether you’re creating a custom landing page or just want to highlight your latest blog posts, WordPress gives you the flexibility to do it all.

Now that you’ve updated your homepage, spend a few extra minutes checking how it looks on mobile, updating the content, and fine-tuning the design.

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