Logging into WordPress usually means clicking from page to page, one screen at a time. A new free plugin called OpenStation changes that by turning your dashboard into something closer to a desktop computer.

What OpenStation does

Once active, OpenStation lets you open posts, media, and settings screens as separate draggable, resizable windows inside wp-admin. You can arrange several of them side by side instead of tabbing back and forth. A dock along the edge of the screen holds shortcuts to your admin menu, and you can organize different tasks into separate virtual desktops, similar to switching workspaces on a Mac or Windows PC. It also adds customizable wallpapers, widgets, and a command palette (triggered with Cmd+K) for jumping to actions quickly.

Who should try it

This is aimed at people who spend a lot of time in wp-admin managing several things at once, such as agency staff, editors juggling multiple posts, or site owners who like a more visual way of working. If you only log in occasionally to publish a post, you probably won’t notice much difference and don’t need it.

Nothing changes unless you turn it on

The feature only appears for the WordPress user who enables it, through a toggle in the admin bar. Other admins and editors on your site keep the classic dashboard exactly as it was. Deactivating the plugin removes it completely and restores standard wp-admin, since it works through WordPress’s normal plugin hooks rather than modifying core files.

How to get it

OpenStation is published on the WordPress.org plugin directory under the slug “desktop-mode,” built by developer Daniel López Sánchez. The current version, 1.1.5, requires WordPress 6.0 or later and PHP 7.4 or later, and it’s tested up to WordPress 7.1. It has passed 2,000 active installs so far. Development happens in the open on GitHub, where several developers have already built add-ons for it, including a photo editor and an RSS reader that run inside the windowed interface.

If the idea appeals to you, install it like any other plugin from the Plugins screen, then flip the toggle on for your own account to try it. Since it’s opt-in and reversible, there’s no risk to the rest of your team’s workflow if you decide it’s not for you.

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