How To Add Social Media Icons To WordPress Menus

Social media icons in your WordPress navigation menu can boost engagement and make it easier for visitors to connect with your brand across platforms.

Whether you’re running a blog, business site, or online portfolio, adding these icons creates a seamless bridge between your website and social channels.

In this guide, we’ll walk through several methods to add social media icons to your WordPress menus, from beginner-friendly options to more customized solutions.

Why Add Social Media Icons to Your Menu?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s quickly cover why this matters:

Increased Visibility: Menu placement ensures your social profiles are always visible
Better Engagement: Easy access encourages visitors to follow and share your content
Professional Appearance: Clean icon integration looks polished and modern
Cross-Platform Growth: Helps build your presence across multiple channels simultaneously

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Easiest for Beginners)

The simplest approach for most WordPress users is installing a dedicated plugin. Here are the top options:

Option A: Menu Image Plugin

The Menu Image plugin allows you to add icons to any menu item with minimal setup.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Navigate to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard
Search for “Menu Image” and install the plugin by Zayed Baloch
Activate the plugin
Go to Appearance > Menus
Select the menu where you want to add social icons
Click on any menu item to expand its settings
You’ll see new options for uploading an image or choosing from your media library
Upload your social media icon (PNG or SVG format works best)
Adjust the size settings if needed
Save your menu

Pro Tip: Use consistent icon sizes (typically 20×20 or 32×32 pixels) for a professional look.

Option B: Simple Social Icons Widget

While primarily designed for widgets, Simple Social Icons can be adapted for menu areas depending on your theme.

Install and activate the Simple Social Icons plugin
Go to Appearance > Widgets
If your theme supports a menu widget area, drag the Simple Social Icons widget there
Configure your social profiles and icon appearance
Save changes

Method 2: Manual Method with Custom Links

This method gives you complete control without plugins and works with any WordPress theme.

What You’ll Need:

Social media icon images (PNG, SVG, or icon fonts)
Links to your social media profiles
Basic familiarity with WordPress menus

Step-by-Step Process:

Prepare Your Icons: Download or create social media icons. Free resources include:
- Font Awesome (icon fonts)
- Flaticon (downloadable images)
- IconFinder (various formats)
- Brand official icon packs
Upload Icons to WordPress:
- Go to Media > Add New
- Upload all your social media icons
- Copy the image URLs for each icon
Add Custom Links to Menu:
- Navigate to Appearance > Menus
- Select your desired menu
- In the left panel, expand “Custom Links”
- Add your social media profile URL (e.g., https://facebook.com/yourpage)
- For the link text, use the platform name temporarily
- Click “Add to Menu”
- Repeat for each social platform
Add CSS Classes (if supported by your theme):
- Click on “Screen Options” at the top right
- Check “CSS Classes”
- Expand each social menu item
- Add a custom class like “social-icon-facebook”
Style with CSS: Add custom CSS to display icons instead of text:

/* Hide the text labels */
.social-icon-facebook .menu-item-text,
.social-icon-twitter .menu-item-text,
.social-icon-instagram .menu-item-text {
    display: none;
}

/* Add background images for icons */
.social-icon-facebook a {
    background: url('/path-to-facebook-icon.png') no-repeat center;
    background-size: 24px 24px;
    width: 24px;
    height: 24px;
    display: inline-block;
}

.social-icon-twitter a {
    background: url('/path-to-twitter-icon.png') no-repeat center;
    background-size: 24px 24px;
    width: 24px;
    height: 24px;
    display: inline-block;
}

/* Add hover effects */
.social-icon-facebook a:hover,
.social-icon-twitter a:hover {
    opacity: 0.7;
    transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
}

You can add this CSS through Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS or in your child theme’s style.css file.

Method 3: Using Font Awesome Icons

Font Awesome provides scalable vector icons that look crisp on any screen size and are easy to implement.

Setup Process:

Add Font Awesome to Your Site:
- The easiest way is to add Font Awesome’s CDN link to your theme
- Go to Appearance > Theme File Editor (use a child theme!)
- Add this line in the <head> section of your header.php:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.4.0/css/all.min.css">

Alternatively, install a Font Awesome plugin from the WordPress repository.

Add Menu Items:
- Go to Appearance > Menus
- Add custom links for each social profile
- For the Navigation Label, use the Font Awesome HTML code:

<i class="fab fa-facebook"></i>
<i class="fab fa-twitter"></i>
<i class="fab fa-instagram"></i>
<i class="fab fa-linkedin"></i>

Allow HTML in Menu Labels:
- Most themes don’t allow HTML in menu labels by default
- Add this code to your child theme’s functions.php:

add_filter('wp_setup_nav_menu_item', 'allow_html_in_menu_items');
function allow_html_in_menu_items($menu_item) {
    $menu_item->title = do_shortcode($menu_item->title);
    return $menu_item;
}

Style Your Icons:

/* Make icons larger and add spacing */
.menu-item i.fab {
    font-size: 20px;
    margin: 0 10px;
}

/* Color individual icons */
.fa-facebook { color: #1877f2; }
.fa-twitter { color: #1da1f2; }
.fa-instagram { color: #e4405f; }
.fa-linkedin { color: #0077b5; }

/* Hover effects */
.menu-item i.fab:hover {
    opacity: 0.8;
    transform: scale(1.1);
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

Method 4: Theme-Specific Solutions

Many modern WordPress themes include built-in social media menu support. Check if your theme offers this feature:

For Block Themes (FSE):

Go to Appearance > Editor
Select your header template
Add a “Social Icons” block
Configure your social profiles directly in the block settings

For Popular Themes:

Astra: Includes Social Icons in the header builder
GeneratePress: Offers social icon element in GP Premium
OceanWP: Has built-in social menu support
Neve: Features header social icons option

Check your theme documentation for specific instructions.

Best Practices for Social Media Icons in Menus

To make the most of your social media menu icons, follow these tips:

Design Consistency: Use icons from the same set or style family. Mixing different design styles looks unprofessional.

Optimal Sizing: Keep icons between 20-32 pixels for menu bars. Larger icons can overwhelm your navigation.

Strategic Placement: Common locations include:

Top right of header menu
End of main navigation
Footer menu
Mobile menu drawer

Accessibility Considerations: Always add descriptive alt text or aria-labels:

<a href="https://facebook.com/yourpage" aria-label="Follow us on Facebook">
    <i class="fab fa-facebook"></i>
</a>

Mobile Responsiveness: Test how icons appear on mobile devices. You may need to adjust sizes or positioning for smaller screens.

Opening Behavior: Set social links to open in new tabs to keep visitors on your site:

In menu settings, expand each social item
Check “Open link in a new tab”

Icon Order: Arrange icons by priority or audience preference. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are commonly placed first for general audiences.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Icons Not Appearing

Clear your browser cache and any WordPress caching plugins
Check that images uploaded to media library are actually accessible
Verify CSS is properly targeting the menu items
Ensure there are no JavaScript conflicts

Icons Look Blurry

Use SVG format instead of PNG when possible
If using PNG, ensure you’re using 2x resolution for retina displays
Check that your CSS isn’t stretching the images

Icons Misaligned

Add CSS to vertically align icons with text menu items:

.menu-item a {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
}

Mobile Display Problems

Use media queries to adjust icon size on mobile:

@media (max-width: 768px) {
    .social-icon a {
        width: 18px;
        height: 18px;
        background-size: 18px 18px;
    }
}

Recommended Icon Resources

Free high-quality social media icons can be found at:

Font Awesome: Comprehensive icon font library
Flaticon: Thousands of free and premium icon sets
Icons8: Modern social media icons in various styles
Iconfinder: Huge collection with filtering options
Official Brand Resources: Many platforms provide official icon downloads (Facebook Brand Resources, Twitter Brand Toolkit, etc.)

Important: Always check licensing terms when using third-party icons, especially for commercial sites.

Advanced Customization

For developers and advanced users, here are additional customization options:

Creating a Custom Walker Class

Modify menu output at the PHP level for complete control:

class Social_Walker_Nav_Menu extends Walker_Nav_Menu {
    function start_el(&$output, $item, $depth=0, $args=array(), $id=0) {
        // Custom code to add icon based on menu item properties
    }
}

Using ACF for Dynamic Icons

Advanced Custom Fields can let you add icons through a custom field interface rather than hardcoding.

Conditional Display

Show different social icons based on post categories or user roles using conditional logic in your template files.

Conclusion

Adding social media icons to your WordPress menu enhances your site’s functionality and helps grow your online presence. Whether you choose a simple plugin solution or prefer manual customization, the methods outlined above will help you create a professional-looking social media menu that encourages visitor engagement.

Start with the method that matches your technical comfort level. Plugins offer the quickest setup, while manual methods provide maximum flexibility. Most importantly, ensure your icons are visually consistent, properly sized, and easily accessible across all devices.

Now that your social icons are in place, monitor which platforms drive the most traffic using Google Analytics and adjust your strategy accordingly. Social media integration is an ongoing process of optimization and engagement.

Have questions about adding social media icons to your WordPress menu? Feel free to experiment with these methods and choose the one that best fits your workflow and design preferences.

Why Add Social Media Icons to Your Menu?

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Easiest for Beginners)

Option A: Menu Image Plugin

Option B: Simple Social Icons Widget

Method 2: Manual Method with Custom Links

What You’ll Need:

Step-by-Step Process:

Method 3: Using Font Awesome Icons

Setup Process:

Method 4: Theme-Specific Solutions

For Block Themes (FSE):

For Popular Themes:

Best Practices for Social Media Icons in Menus

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Icons Not Appearing

Icons Look Blurry

Icons Misaligned

Mobile Display Problems

Recommended Icon Resources

Advanced Customization

Creating a Custom Walker Class

Using ACF for Dynamic Icons

Conditional Display

Conclusion

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Why Add Social Media Icons to Your Menu?

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Easiest for Beginners)

Option A: Menu Image Plugin

Option B: Simple Social Icons Widget

Method 2: Manual Method with Custom Links

What You’ll Need:

Step-by-Step Process:

Method 3: Using Font Awesome Icons

Setup Process:

Method 4: Theme-Specific Solutions

For Block Themes (FSE):

For Popular Themes:

Best Practices for Social Media Icons in Menus

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Icons Not Appearing

Icons Look Blurry

Icons Misaligned

Mobile Display Problems

Recommended Icon Resources

Advanced Customization

Creating a Custom Walker Class

Using ACF for Dynamic Icons

Conditional Display

Conclusion

Related

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