Category: Admin & UI

WordPress Admin Panel Trick: Adding ID Field to the Posts Listing

By default, the WordPress admin posts listing screen does not display the post ID, which can be frustrating when you need to quickly reference or use post IDs for custom development, debugging, or plugin configuration. This guide shows you a quick and reliable way to add the post ID column to the posts list in your WordPress admin panel.

Quick Fix

1. Add a custom function to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin.
2. Use WordPress filters to insert a new column labeled “ID” in the posts list table.
3. Populate the new column with the corresponding post IDs.
4. Save and refresh the admin posts listing screen to see the ID column.

Why This Happens

WordPress’s admin posts listing screen is designed to show essential information like title, author, categories, date, etc., but it omits the post ID by default. The post ID is a unique identifier stored in the database and is often required for advanced customization, plugin settings, or troubleshooting. Since WordPress uses hooks and filters extensively, you can extend the admin UI by adding custom columns without modifying core files.

Step-by-Step

1. Access your WordPress installation files via FTP, SFTP, or your hosting file manager.
2. Navigate to your active theme folder, usually wp-content/themes/your-theme/.
3. Open the functions.php file in a code editor.
4. Insert the following code snippet at the end of the file:

/* Add ID column to posts list in admin panel */
function add_id_column_to_posts($columns) {
    $columns_new = array();
    foreach ($columns as $key => $value) {
        if ($key === 'title') {
            $columns_new['post_id'] = 'ID';
        }
        $columns_new[$key] = $value;
    }
    return $columns_new;
}
add_filter('manage_posts_columns', 'add_id_column_to_posts');

function show_id_column_content($column_name, $post_id) {
    if ($column_name === 'post_id') {
        echo $post_id;
    }
}
add_action('manage_posts_custom_column', 'show_id_column_content', 10, 2);

5. Save the functions.php file and upload it back if you edited locally.
6. Log in to your WordPress admin panel and go to Posts > All Posts.
7. You will see a new column labeled ID showing the post IDs next to the post titles.

Code Snippets

Common Pitfalls

• Editing the wrong file: Always add code to your child theme’s functions.php or a site-specific plugin to avoid losing changes during theme updates.
• Syntax errors: Copy-pasting code incorrectly can cause PHP errors. Use a code editor with syntax highlighting and check for missing semicolons or brackets.
• Plugin conflicts: Some admin customization plugins might override or conflict with custom columns. Disable conflicting plugins if the ID column does not show.
• Cache issues: Clear any server-side or browser cache if the new column does not appear immediately.

Test & Verify

1. After adding the code, refresh the posts listing page in the admin panel.
2. Confirm the new ID column appears between the checkbox and the post title.
3. Verify that each post’s ID matches the one shown in the URL when editing that post (e.g., post.php?post=123&action=edit).
4. Test with different user roles to ensure the column displays correctly for administrators and editors.
5. Try sorting or filtering posts to confirm the new column does not break any functionality.

Wrap-up

Adding the post ID column to the WordPress admin posts listing is a simple yet powerful customization that helps developers and site managers quickly identify posts by their unique IDs. By leveraging WordPress hooks, you can extend the admin interface without touching core files, ensuring your changes are update-safe and maintainable.

Use the provided code snippet in your theme’s functions.php or a custom plugin, and you’ll have the post IDs visible in seconds.

Works on

• WordPress (all recent versions)
• Web servers: Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed
• Hosting control panels: cPanel, Plesk, and others
• Compatible with most themes and plugins that do not heavily modify the admin posts list

FAQ

Q: Can I add the ID column to custom post types?

A: Yes. Replace manage_posts_columns and manage_posts_custom_column with the appropriate hooks for your custom post type, e.g., manage_{post_type}_posts_columns.

Q: Will this affect site performance?

No. Adding a simple column with post IDs is lightweight and does not impact performance.

Q: Can I make the ID column sortable?

Yes. You can add sorting functionality by hooking into manage_edit-post_sortable_columns and modifying the query accordingly.

Q: What if I want to remove the ID column later?

Simply remove or comment out the added code in your functions.php file.

Q: Is there a plugin that adds the ID column?

Yes, several admin customization plugins add post IDs and other columns, but adding this small snippet is faster and avoids extra plugins.