5 Core WordPress Features That You Should Use More Often

WordPress is the worlds most popular content management system, and even with its minimalist out-of-the-box functionality, it is  far more powerful  than you might think. Were  not just talking about the notion of using plugins like Jetpack to extend the platforms core functionality either there are probably  built-in core WordPress features you  are unaware of.In fact, its possible that you have functionality-boosting plugins installed on your WordPress website right now that, in reality, dont need to be there. Fortunately, all core WordPress  features are easy to find, and are ready to be used on your website right now.In this post, we reveal five core WordPress features that you probably dont know about, but should definitely make better use of.  Lets get started:Core WordPress features to use more often:1. Distraction-free writing modeResisting distractions and battling procrastination are part and parcel of a bloggers daily routine. To help you focus on your writi ng, WordPress has a handy distraction-free writing mode built right into its native editor.Where to find itThe distraction-free writing mode button can be found within the TinyMCE editor on any edit page. Simply click the icon located in the top-right hand corner of the editor, and WordPress tucks away both the meta boxes on the right,  and the dashboard  menu on the left. It even dims the bar at the top of  the page to ensure your eyes dont wander.All of this serves to  bring the editor itself to the forefront, enabling  you to focus on putting pen to paper (so to speak).2. The Theme CustomizerCustomizing your WordPress theme – especially within the context of a complete redesign –  can  quickly bog you down. There are plenty of theme developers who have noticed this and created custom dashboard editors in an attempt to relieve users of the strain.However, the often overlooked WordPress Theme Customizer still has its place, and is  a great way  to ma ke quick theme modifications without trawling through the options in a custom solution. More than that, its actually the recommended way of customizing a theme.Where to find itThe WordPress Theme Customizer can be found under  Appearance / Customize within the WordPress sidebar. From here you have access to  a number of customizations, depending on the theme youre using. At the very least, youll be able to change your websites  title and tagline, logo, menu structure, and color scheme.With  the  recent WordPress 4.5 update, WordPress Theme Customizer has seen  a number of new additions,  making it an even more viable alternative for quick customization. In fact, we love the WordPress Customizer so much weve created a comprehensive guide  on how to use it to spruce up your websites design.3. The category and tags converterThe structure of your WordPress website may change over time. As you learn more about how to  organize your website, youll discover new ways to ut ilize categories and tags to help users to  find related content.As such, you may eventually find yourself needing to convert your websites categories into tags (or vice versa). This process can help to restructure the way your blog posts and pages are served up to your readers – particularly if youre thinking about  swapping your WordPress theme for something a little more snazzy. And this is where the next one of our core WordPress features comes into play.Where to find itThe Categories and Tags Converter can be found by heading to the  Tools menu, then Import.  You can choose convert  Categories to Tags or Tags to Categories  before making your individual selections. After clicking the Convert button, WordPress will then handle the  technical stuff.4. CSS classes for menusHave you ever wanted to customize the look and feel of individual menus, submenus, and menu buttons? WordPress already has you covered!By activating custom CSS classes for your WordPress men us, you can easily add CSS code without having to exit the Menus  edit page. Its a quick and easy way to go deep on customizing the design of your menus, all from a familiar interface.Where to find itBefore you can use the CSS Classes option, youll need to activate it from the Screen Options tab at the top of the Menus screen. Click the tab, and it will open out to display several checkboxes. Click the CSS Classes box under the Show advanced menu properties section, and  youll see the field  appear within any menu items options.5. The Press This toolPress This is a bookmarklet that  can be dragged and dropped into your browsers bookmark bar. By  clicking the button whenever youre browsing an interesting web page, you can quickly post a link and a short commentary  directly to your WordPress website. Its then immediately published in the form of a blog post.Its a fantastically quick, easy, and smart way to alert  your readers to exciting content as and when you find it around the internet.Where to find itYou can  access the  Press This button by navigating  to the  Tools menu, then the  Available Tools tab. Simply drag it to your browsers bookmarks bar, and its ready to go. You can also access Press This for mobiles using the Open Press This button, adding it as you would any other bookmark on your device.ConclusionWordPress is already a powerhouse content management system, but by making use of some relatively unknown core  functionality, you can make it go the extra mile without having to resort to plugins.To recap, here are the five core WordPress features you could  make better use of:Distraction-free writing mode:  For a more focused writing experience.Theme Customizer:  To modify WordPress websites quickly within a familiar interface.The Category to Tags Converter:  For re-structuring the categories and tags that make up your WordPress website.CSS classes for menus:  For adding custom CSS code to your menus, submenus, a nd individual menu buttons.Press This:  To help you quickly share newly discovered  content with your audience, directly from your browsers bookmark bar.Are there any other core  WordPress features that dont get the props they deserve? Share them with us in the comments section below!