How to Change the Site Title and Image

One of the things you will probably want to do right away on your site is to make it feel a little more like your own. Below are some quick steps to do this.

Change the Site Title

If the site does not already come with your name or if you want a different variation, select Appearance > Customize on the left menu on your Wordpress Dashboard. 

Wordpress dashboard appearance menu, select customize

 

Select Title, Tagline, and Logo on the left menu, update the Site Title field, and click Publish. 

Animated gif showing Wordpress Customize screen to update site title

Don't update the Tagline unless you are using the Charcoal theme Links to an external site.. If you are using this theme, enter your personal statement into this field - under 100 words is recommended.

 

Change the Header Image

You will probably want to change the image to something that represents you. It's okay if don't want a picture of yourself on the homepage but it is a good idea to have your picture somewhere in the site, such as the About Me  page. 

You change the header image in the Appearance > Customize section of your Dashboard - the same area where you updated the site title. From the Customize screen, click Header Image and then select Add new image. 

 Animated gif showing how to change homepage header image

 

Then click Select Files [1], search your computer for your image and open it [2]. It's recommended that your image is at least around 1200px wide.

Click Select Files, search your computer and then upload

 

Next, click Select and Crop, move the selection as you'd like the image to appear, and finally click Crop Image.

 Animated gif showing how to select, crop an image and set as header image in Wordpress

 

If you like the changes you see on the page, click the Publish button on the top of the customizer menu [1]. Your image is now set as the header! You can return to your Dashboard by clicking the X at the top-left of the screen [2].

click the Publish button on the top of the customizer menu [1]. Your image is now set as the header! You can return to your Dashboard by clicking the X at the top-left of the screen [2].

 

You're now ready for the Collecting a Repository of Work in Your Blog lesson.  
You can also click Home in the left navigation to see the list of tutorials