How to Set the Home Page in WordPress

By default, WordPress displays your latest blog posts on the home page. However, for a professional business site or a custom portfolio on your mybox-hosted account, you likely want a “Static Front Page.” This allows you to design a specific landing page that stays the same, while moving your blog posts to a separate section.

Step 1: Create Your Pages

Before you can set a home page, you need to have the actual pages created in your database.

1. Navigate to Pages > Add New.
2. Create a page named “Home” (this will be your new front page). Design it using blocks or your preferred builder, then click Publish.
3. Create another page named “Blog” (or “News”). Leave this page completely empty-WordPress will automatically populate it with your posts later. Click Publish.

Method 1: Via Settings (The Standard Way)

This is the most direct method to change your site’s “map” within the WordPress dashboard.

1. Go to Settings > Reading.
2. At the very top, look for the section: “Your homepage displays”.
3. Select the radio button for “A static page”.
4. Homepage: Select your “Home” page from the dropdown menu.
5. Posts page: Select your “Blog” page from the dropdown menu.
6. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.

Method 2: Via the Customizer (Visual Method)

If you want to see the changes happen in real-time, use the Theme Customizer.

1. Go to Appearance > Customize.
2. In the sidebar menu, look for “Homepage Settings” (the name may vary slightly depending on your theme).
3. Switch the selection to “A static page”.
4. Choose your Homepage and Posts page from the respective dropdowns.
5. Click the blue Publish button at the top of the sidebar to make the changes live.

Troubleshooting: Changes Not Appearing?

If you have saved your settings but the old blog feed is still showing on your domain:

• Clear Your Cache: High-performance hosting like mybox uses server-side caching to keep your site fast. Log in to your mybox panel and use the “Clear Cache” tool to ensure the server is serving the newest version of your site.
• Check Page Templates: Some themes require you to set a specific “Homepage” or “Full Width” template within the Page Editor sidebar for the layout to look correct.
• Permalinks: If your new pages return a “404 Not Found” error, go to Settings > Permalinks and simply click Save Changes once to refresh your site’s URL structure.

Summary

Setting a static home page is a mechanical necessity for transforming a basic blog into a structured website. By separating your landing page from your news feed on your mybox-hosted site, you gain full control over your brand’s first impression. Once these pages are set, don’t forget to add them to your primary navigation menu under Appearance > Menus.