What are the fields that WordPress hides by default? Is it possible to restore the display?

When editing a post or page in WordPress, we often see common input boxes such as "Title", "Body", "Featured Image" and so on. But there are many more fields behind the scenes in WordPress.Hidden by defaults, especially in the "Custom Fields"Part. And where are these fields hidden? Can they be redisplayed? This article will reveal the answer.

I. What are the default hidden fields?

WordPress content is made up of various "fields". These fields are stored in a database and include:

• Title
• Body (content)
• summaries(excerpt)
• Posting time (post_date)
• Author (post_author)
• Custom fields (postmeta)

Among them.Custom FieldsThe most flexible, you can manually add "key-value pairs", to achieve a lot of functionality expansion. However, WordPress out of simplification of the interface and security considerations, will automatically hide some fields, do not show up in the background editing page of the "Custom Fields" list.

II. What are the common default hidden fields?

These fields, while present, are not directly displayed in theeditor (software)(unless manually added), the following are common examples:

field name	Statement of meaning
_edit_lock	Lock flag to prevent simultaneous editing by multiple users
_edit_last	Last edited by ID
_thumbnail_id	Featured Image ID
_wp_page_template	Page template file name
_menu_item_type	Navigation menu item types
_menu_item_url	Navigation menu link address
_yoast_wpseo_*	Yoast SEO Plugin Related Fields
_wp_old_slug	Save the old URL Slug (alias)

These fields usually begin with Underlined beginning (_)WordPress will treat it as a "private field" by default, so that theHide in the editor screenThe

Third, can these fields be restored to display?

Method 1: Manually enter the field name

In the "Custom Fields" section of the editor (if it is not enabled, click Settings → Open "Custom Fields" panel in the upper right corner):

• Click [Add New Field].

• Manually enter the name of the hidden field in the "Name" field (e.g. _thumbnail_id)

• Enter the corresponding value and save

• The field then appears in the optional list

But be careful: some fields such as _edit_lock It is not intended for manual modification by the user and is not recommended for direct operation.

Method 2: Take Admin Columns plugin as an example to view hidden fields

If you wish to view all fields of each piece of content directly in the backend post or page list, including the default hidden _ Open header fields that can be used with plug-ins Admin Columns to realize. This plugin not only supports field viewing, but also custom sorting, filtering, exporting, and more.

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Install the plugin

• Go to WordPress Backend → Plugins → Install Plugin

• look for sth. Admin Columns

• Click "Install" and then "Enable".

Step 2: Configure the field display

• In the background sidebar "Settings" to find [Admin Columns] menu, click to enter

• Select the one you want to configureType of content(e.g. Posts, Pages)

• Click [Add Column].

• In the "Type" drop-down menu select Custom Field

• Fill in the field name, e.g. _thumbnail_id maybe _edit_lock

• Save Settings

Step 3: View field contents

• Return to the article or page list page
• The field column you just added will appear in the list

• The field values corresponding to each piece of content will be displayed aslistingsShowing it in the form of

Example:

• _thumbnail_id Show as Image ID
• _edit_last Show as Editor ID
• _wp_page_template Displayed as the name of the template used

IV. Should these fields be modified?

Though you can get this information through a plugin orcodingAccessing and modifying these hidden fields requires special attention:

• _ The opening field is often related to the system or plugin logic, theArbitrary changes are not recommended
• If you need to call these fields, you can use the template's get_post_meta() constructor reads
• Be sure tobacking upTo avoid accidentally triggering a page mismatch or functionality failure

$value = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), '_thumbnail_id', true);

V. Summary

concern	solution (a math equation)
What fields does WordPress hide?	in order to _ Private field at the beginning
Is it possible to display these fields?	Field names can be added manually or viewed using a plugin
Is it recommended to change the hidden fields?	Direct modification is not recommended unless its role is understood
Which plugin can view hidden fields?	Post Meta Inspector, simple and easy to use

Hidden fields are part of an important mechanism that runs behind the scenes in WordPress. Understanding these fields can help you better control the structure of your content, debug features, or extend customizations. However, you need to be careful when doing so and make sure that you don't interfere with the normal operation of the system and plugins.

If you want to learn more about how to utilize these fields for development calls, or pair them with the ACF Displayed on the front page, feel free to keep communicating as well.

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