Two kinds of “custom links”
- Menu Studio custom sidebar links (left menu)
- Top Bar custom admin links (black bar shortcuts)
Use the section that matches what you added.
Menu Studio custom links
- Menu Studio is on and saved
- EdminBoost → Menu Studio → enable Menu Studio → add the link → Save.
- Path and label are valid
- Label is required.
- Path should be a valid admin path (for example edit.php, admin.php?page=my-plugin) or a URL your site allows. Invalid paths are rejected on save.
- Submenu parent is correct
If the link is under another menu item, pick the right parent. A wrong parent can make the link hard to find.
- Item is not hidden
- Check hidden items on the canvas in Menu Studio.
- Check Layout Presets visibility matrix for your role.
- Role preset vs your saved link
Custom links you saved are merged back when a role preset is active. If the link still never shows:
- Confirm it appears in Menu Studio after Save and reload.
- Test as administrator before testing client roles.
- Protected menus
EdminBoost will not hide Dashboard, Plugins, or EdminBoost itself from the sidebar protection list; custom links are separate— they still need a valid path and Save.
Top Bar custom links
- Added on Top Bar and saved
- Use the custom link fields on Top Bar, add to canvas, Save.
- Duplicate slug + anchor
Two identical path+anchor pairs are blocked. Change the path or anchor slightly.
- Capability and visibility
Same as normal top bar items: you need permission to see the link, and role visibility must not hide that slug.
- Drawer vs redirect
Custom links can use drawer mode if supported. If drawer fails, try Redirect to confirm the path works (see drawer troubleshooting).
Quick checklist
- Saved from the correct page (Menu Studio vs Top Bar)?
- Logged in as a user who should see it?
- Path opens when pasted into the browser bar while logged in?
- Matrix and Menu Studio hide rules checked?