Struggling to locate the custom fields option in your WordPress dashboard? As experienced WordPress developers, we've helped thousands enable this powerful feature for adding custom data to posts and pages. In this expert guide, we'll walk you through enabling custom fields effortlessly.
Custom fields enhance WordPress posts, pages, and custom post types by storing additional metadata. While frequently referenced in tutorials, they're hidden by default on modern sites—especially for new users—since WordPress 3.1, as it's an advanced tool.
The core team streamlined access: simply edit a post or page, then click 'Screen Options' in the top-right corner. This reveals customizable editing options.
Check the box next to 'Custom Fields'.
Note: If 'Custom Fields' isn't listed, jump to our troubleshooting section below.
Scroll down, and you'll now see the 'Custom Fields' meta box below the editor.
WordPress saves your preference, so it stays visible for future edits. Use it to add, edit, or delete custom fields and values.
WordPress stores content in two parts: the main body via the editor, and metadata like title, author, and publish date.
Custom fields let you add your own metadata beyond defaults.
For a complete beginner's guide with examples, tips, and tricks, see our detailed WordPress custom fields tutorial.
Developers leverage custom fields for plugin data, like Yoast SEO storing post settings.
Plugins often create user-friendly meta boxes instead of the default one. To build your own, check our guide on adding custom meta boxes in WordPress.
One reader recently reported the 'Custom Fields' option vanishing entirely. After diagnosing, we traced it to the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin—active on over 1 million sites.
ACF 5.5.13+ hides the default meta box for performance, assuming you use its custom ones.
To restore it, add this code to your theme's functions.php file:
add_filter( 'acf/settings/remove_wp_meta_box', '__return_false' );
This re-enables the default box instantly.
We hope this resolves your custom fields issue. For more, explore our top WordPress tips, tricks, and hacks.
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