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WordPress Admin Customization Plugin Documentation

Complete setup guide for Incognito Admin Manager — customize login screens, admin themes, and role-based access

Welcome to the documentation for Incognito Admin Manager, a WordPress admin customization plugin that lets you create a branded, professional admin experience with custom login screens, admin theme styling, and role-based access control.

What This Plugin Can Do
  • Customize your WordPress login page with your own branding, backgrounds, and colors
  • Change admin menu colors, admin bar styling, and button colors with a live preview
  • Control which menu items are visible to different user roles
  • Block direct URL access to restricted pages and show a styled “Access Restricted” page
  • Hide WordPress branding for a complete white-label experience
  • Upload a custom logo to the admin sidebar

System Requirements

Requirement Minimum Version
WordPress 5.0 or higher
PHP 7.4 or higher
Browser Modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Free Version: Install from WordPress.org

  1. Go to Plugins Menu In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins → Add New
  2. Search for the Plugin Type “Incognito Admin Manager” in the search box
  3. Install & Activate Click “Install Now” and then “Activate” after installation completes
  4. Access Settings Find “Incognito Admin” in your WordPress admin menu

Free Version: Manual Installation

  1. Download the Plugin Download the free plugin ZIP file from WordPress.org
  2. Upload to WordPress Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
  3. Choose File & Install Select the ZIP file and click “Install Now”
  4. Activate Click “Activate Plugin” after installation

Pro Version Installation

  1. Purchase & Download Pro Purchase the Pro version and download the ZIP file from your account
  2. Upload Pro Plugin Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin and upload the Pro ZIP file
  3. Activate Pro Activate the plugin. All Pro features are unlocked automatically.
Pro is Standalone

The Pro version works as a standalone plugin. You do not need the free version installed to use Pro. Simply install and activate the Pro plugin directly.

Installation Complete!

You should now see “Incognito Admin” in your WordPress admin menu. Click it to access the Dashboard, Login Screen, Admin Theme Styler, and Access Role Creator settings.

Transform your WordPress login page into a branded, split-screen experience that matches your website or client’s identity. This WordPress admin customization plugin gives you full control over backgrounds, colors, and logo visibility.

Quick Setup Guide

1. Access Login Settings

  1. Navigate to Settings Go to Incognito Admin → Login Screen in your WordPress admin menu

2. Background Customization

  1. Upload Background Image Click “Upload Image” and select your background. This appears on the left side of the login card in a split-screen layout. Recommended: 600x800px or larger
  2. Choose Page Background Color Use the color picker to set the full page background color (default: #0f172a)

3. Form Styling

  1. Card Background Color Select the login form card background color (default: #1e293b)
  2. Text Color Set the form text and label color (default: #e2e8f0)
  3. Accent & Button Colors Customize the primary accent color for links and focus states, and the button color for the login button
  4. Hide WordPress Logo Toggle to hide the WordPress logo from the login page
Design Tips
  • Use colors that match your brand identity
  • Ensure good contrast between text and background for readability
  • The design is fully responsive — it adapts to desktop, tablet, and mobile
  • Upload images via the WordPress Media Library (external URLs are not accepted)
  • The login logo links to your homepage, and the header text shows your site name

Customize the WordPress admin area colors to match your brand. All changes are previewed in real time with a live preview sidebar before you save.

Color Customization Options

Admin Menu Colors

  1. Menu Background Choose the background color for the admin sidebar menu
  2. Menu Text & Hover Set text color, hover background color, and submenu background color
  3. Active Item Select the background color for the currently active menu item

Admin Bar Colors

  1. Bar Background Set the background color for the top admin bar
  2. Bar Text & Dropdown Customize text color and hover/dropdown background color

Button & Widget Colors

  1. Primary Button Set button background and hover colors
  2. Widget Border Customize the border color for dashboard widgets and meta boxes

Branding & Cleanup Options

Hide WordPress Logo

Remove the WordPress logo from the admin bar for a cleaner, branded look

Live Preview

See real-time changes in the preview sidebar before saving. Includes interactive hover effects.

Custom Admin Logo PRO

Upload your own logo to display at the top of the admin sidebar menu

Admin Cleanup PRO

Hide screen options, help tabs, footer text, update nags, and admin notices

Note for Free Users

By default, custom styling does not apply to administrator accounts. Administrators see the standard WordPress admin interface. The Pro version includes an “Apply to Administrators” toggle to enable custom styling for admin accounts.

Reset Option

Use the “Reset to Defaults” button on the settings page to restore all colors to their original values. A confirmation dialog will appear before resetting.

Control which admin menu items are visible to different user roles. You can also block direct URL access and show a styled “Access Restricted” page to unauthorized users.

How to Set Up Role Restrictions

  1. Go to Access Roles Navigate to Incognito Admin → Access Roles
  2. Select a User Role Choose which role to customize (Editor, Author, Subscriber, etc.). Administrators cannot be selected.
  3. Choose Menu Items to Hide Check the boxes next to menu items you want to hide for that role. You can expand parent menus to select individual submenu items.
  4. Choose a Restriction Mode Select how restrictions are enforced (see the modes below)
  5. Save & Test Save settings and test by logging in with a user of that role

Restriction Modes PRO

Block & Show “No Access” Page

Hides menu items from the sidebar AND blocks direct URL access. When a restricted user tries to access a blocked page by URL, they see a styled “Access Restricted” page showing their username, role, and contact information.

Hide Menu Only (No URL Blocking)

Only hides menu items from the sidebar visually. Users can still access pages if they know the direct URL. Best for simple UI cleanup without security restrictions.

Per-Role Options PRO

Hide Frontend Admin Bar

Hide the WordPress admin bar on the frontend for specific roles. Great for cleaner client-facing or subscriber experiences.

Custom Login Redirect URL

Redirect users of this role to a specific page after login. Supports both internal paths and full external URLs (http/https).

Administrator Protection

Administrators can never be restricted. They are automatically excluded from the role selection list and all restrictions skip admin users. You cannot lock yourself out.

Extra Menu Slugs

You can also type additional menu slugs (comma-separated) in the “Extra Slugs” field to hide custom or third-party plugin menus that may not appear in the standard tree.

What’s Included in Pro

Access Restriction Modes PRO

Choose between “Block & Show No Access Page” or “Hide Menu Only” for each role. Block mode prevents direct URL access and shows a styled error page.

Block Access & Restricted Page PRO

When restricted users access blocked pages, they see a professional “Access Restricted” page displaying their username, role, time, and admin contact info.

Hide Frontend Admin Bar PRO

Hide the WordPress admin bar on the frontend for specific user roles. Perfect for subscribers and client sites.

Custom Login Redirects PRO

Set a custom redirect URL per role after login. Supports internal paths and external URLs for tailored onboarding.

Custom Admin Logo PRO

Upload your own logo to display at the top of the admin sidebar menu. Images must be uploaded via the WordPress Media Library.

Admin Cleanup Options PRO

Hide screen options tab, help tabs, admin footer text, update notifications, and admin notices for a cleaner interface.

Apply Styling to Administrators PRO

Enable custom admin theme colors for administrator accounts. By default, admins see the standard WordPress interface.

Email Support PRO

Pro users get dedicated email support for setup help, troubleshooting, and feature questions.

How to Use Pro Features

Once you install and activate the Pro plugin, all features become available automatically in their respective settings pages. Look for the PRO badge next to feature names.

Pro License

One Pro purchase ($49 lifetime) covers unlimited WordPress sites. No recurring fees, no hidden costs. The Pro version is a standalone plugin and does not require the free version.

Common Issues & Solutions

Login Page Not Showing Custom Design

  1. Check the “Enabled” Toggle Make sure the Custom Login Screen is enabled in Incognito Admin → Login Screen
  2. Clear Browser Cache Press Ctrl+Shift+Del (Cmd+Shift+Del on Mac) and clear cached files
  3. Clear WordPress Cache If using a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, etc.), clear its cache
  4. Test in Incognito Mode Open the login page in a private/incognito browser window to rule out caching

Admin Theme Colors Not Applying

  1. Check User Role Custom styling does not apply to administrators by default (this is by design in the free version)
  2. Test with a Non-Admin User Log in with an Editor, Author, or another role to see the custom colors
  3. Enable “Apply to Administrators” (Pro) In the Pro version, toggle “Apply to Administrators” in the Admin Theme Styler settings to see colors on admin accounts

Menu Items Still Visible After Restriction

  1. Verify Settings Saved Make sure you clicked “Save Changes” after configuring restrictions
  2. Check the User’s Role Verify the test user has the correct role assigned in Users → Edit User
  3. Administrator Bypass Administrators can never be restricted. This is a safety feature to prevent lockouts.

Pro Features Not Available

  1. Verify Pro Plugin is Activated Go to Plugins and confirm “Incognito Admin Manager Pro” is listed and active
  2. Deactivate & Reactivate Try deactivating and reactivating the Pro plugin
  3. Re-upload the Plugin If the issue persists, delete the Pro plugin and re-upload the ZIP file from your account

Custom Admin Logo Not Showing

  1. Check the Image URL The logo must be uploaded via the WordPress Media Library. External URLs are not accepted for security.
  2. Verify Admin Theme Styler is Enabled The master “Enable” toggle in Admin Theme Styler must be on
  3. Check User Role If “Apply to Administrators” is off, admin users won’t see the custom logo
Still Need Help?

Contact support with the following information for faster resolution:

  • WordPress version and PHP version
  • Description of the issue and steps to reproduce
  • Screenshots showing the problem
  • Whether you’re using the Free or Pro version