If you run a site that has more than one author, a login form in the sidebar can be very helpful. This useful tool can make it easy for users to login.
With a multi-author or multi-user site, this type of login form provides the most benefit. It’s easy to add and can be done by even a beginner. Here’s how you can add the login form to your sidebar in WordPress.
Using the Sidebar Login Plugin for WordPress
Before you do anything else, you will want to install and activate the Sidebar Login Plugin for WordPress. This plugin will allow you to add an ajax-enhanced login widget to your site, which you can use in any sidebar.
After installing and activating the plugin, you can access it from the Appearance>>Widgets section of your WordPress dashboard. Just drag and drop the “Sidebar Login” widget into the space you prefer. This will make it show up on your side with the default widget settings.
For most sites, the default settings will work just fine. However, it’s always a good idea to know how you can customize the widget.
Within the settings, you can provide a title and add some links. Once you have chosen your title, you can decide if you want to display a “forgot password” option or a “remember me” option.
You can also change the way the widget appears after the user has logged in with the final options. This will allow you to add a custom greeting message and control the page they go to after logging out. It’s also possible to hide the links for the user profile page and the admin area.
After you have adjusted the settings how you prefer, just click the save button and you’re all set. Your new login box will show up in your sidebar and make it easy for others to login and use the site.