How to Edit HTML in WordPress?

Undoubtedly, one of the best things about WordPress is it is very straightforward, even for beginners. You can basically create a fully functional website even without any advanced technical knowledge. 

Once you are familiar with the platform, adding and learning how to edit HTML (hypertext markup language) to WordPress is a great way to have more control over your site.

HTML is one of the fundamental blocks every WordPress site leans on. It is reassuring to know that even just a basic comprehension of HTML is enough to help you make tweaks to the way your pages act and look. 

If anything, this language is easy to use, even if you have not touched a line of code before or do not have the slightest idea of how to edit a website.

HTML: What Is It and Why It Matters

Even if you are not a web developer and you have no clue about how to edit WordPress HTML, it is highly likely that you have heard of HTML. It is safe to say it has almost become synonymous to creating websites. 

Contrary to popular belief, HTML is not a programming language like Python or JavaScript. 

Typically, code tools like JavaScript and Python are more complex and are used to build programs from the ground up. HTML on the other hand is what is referred to as a ‘markup language.’ 

In other words, it is meant to affect content such as images and text. It is also used to mark up or annotate content by adding instructions in terms of how it should be displayed. This makes HTML both easier to understand and use.

Editing HTML in WordPress: What You Should Do First

There are countless reasons why WordPress is popular. Aside from the ease of use it offers, WordPress also comes with a vast array of plugins that provide advanced functionality. However, there will be instances when knowing how to edit HTML can come in handy.

Every now and then, you will encounter scenarios where you need to access your website’s source code. Case in point: when malware attacks your site, your entire website can crash, and there would be no other way to fix it except for playing with the code a bit.

There are also situations where you just want to make advanced customised changes and you will need to know how to edit WordPress HTML.

Prior to editing HTML in WordPress, keep the following in mind:

Determine what you want to change.

Before you play with your WordPress HTML editor, you first need to identify what you would like to change and the results you want to achieve. Are you just looking to experiment to learn more? Do you want to change some texts or edit a site layout? 

Regardless of the goal you have in mind, it is important that you know what it is before you start editing the code. Also, it would be wise to ask yourself if doing the editing yourself would be worth spending time on.

If you feel like editing your WordPress HTML will take up much of your time, consider investing in the help of a professional. They can do the heavy lifting for you, so you can spend your time on other aspects of your business that might need your immediate and focused attention.

Gather all the tools you need.

You do not need many tools to edit HTML on WordPress. Basically, you just need the tools below. What is even better? They are all free of charge!

• FTP client like WinSCP or Filezilla – you will need them to get direct access to the files on your web server. You can also use them to download and upload the files easily.
• Editor – you will need it to make changes to the downloaded file.

Create your backups.

Before you start working on your HTML source code, ensure you know where your backups are. You also need to figure out how you can restore them accordingly if needed. You can create the backup files using the hosting provider’s cPanel if you are not too keen on making your own backups.

How to Edit WordPress HTML: Your Stress-Free Guide

To edit WordPress HTML on your homepage, go to Appearance > Widgets. From there, you can easily adjust the content in the individual widget areas. 

In some cases, the homepage can act as an individual page, and you will not be able to edit it in the Widgets area. In similar scenarios, look for the homepage content under Pages. You can also click on the Edit Page option situated in the top admin bar from the homepage.

If those two options will not work, it is likely that you are using a theme or page builder with a built-in homepage editor. If such is the case, you can edit the HTML code in specific ways described in the documentation provided with the theme or the page builder in question.

If you want to test the changes you have made in your browser, just reload the website or press F5. If everything is running smoothly, you did a wonderful job of editing your HTML codes. 

If things are not exactly how you want them to be, do not worry. You have the option to undo the changes and reinstall your backup and try again.

Conclusion

Learning how to code HTML is not easy. Thankfully, learning how to edit HTML in WordPress is not as complex. Besides, if things do not go as planned, you can always reinstall the backup or undo the changes.