# Default Dashboard Layout for New Users

> Gives every user who has never arranged their dashboard the same widget order and columns you choose, so clients see the most useful widgets first.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Admin only
- Category: [Dashboard](https://wpide.com/library/category/dashboard/)
- Tags: dashboard, layout, onboarding
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/dash-default-layout-new-users/

## Code

```php
// Column => comma-separated widget IDs, in order.
$wpide_dashboard_layout = array(
    'normal'  => 'dashboard_site_health,dashboard_right_now,dashboard_activity',
    'side'    => 'dashboard_quick_press,dashboard_primary',
    'column3' => '',
    'column4' => '',
);

add_filter( 'get_user_option_meta-box-order_dashboard', function ( $order ) use ( $wpide_dashboard_layout ) {
    return empty( $order ) ? $wpide_dashboard_layout : $order;
} );
```

## Notes

List widget IDs per column; users who later drag widgets around keep their own layout.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Default Dashboard Layout for New Users" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/