How to Configure WordPress Reading Settings

WordPress Reading Settings control what visitors see when they land on your site, how many posts appear on archive pages, and whether search engines can index your content. These are some of the most impactful settings for a new WordPress site.

Accessing Reading Settings

Go to Settings > Reading in your WordPress dashboard.

Homepage Display

You'll see two options under Your homepage displays:

• Your latest posts - shows a list of your most recent blog posts as the homepage.
• A static page - lets you choose a specific page as your homepage, and optionally a separate page for your blog posts.

For business sites and portfolios, a static homepage is usually the better choice. Select it, then use the dropdowns to assign your Homepage and Posts page.

Blog Pages Show At Most

This setting controls how many posts appear per page on your blog and archive pages. The default is 10. Adjust it based on your content volume and how you want visitors to browse.

Search Engine Visibility

Near the bottom of the page, you'll find a checkbox: Discourage search engines from indexing this site. This is useful while your site is under development, but make sure to uncheck it before you launch. Leaving it checked will prevent Google and other search engines from finding your site.

Quick Checklist Before Launch

• Homepage is set to a static page (if applicable)
• Posts page is correctly assigned
• Search engine visibility is turned on

If you have questions about your reading settings, contact our support team - we're here to help.