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Dynamic tags

Show post titles, custom fields, site details and more instead of fixed text.

On this page

A dynamic tag replaces the fixed value of a setting with live data from your site: the title of the post being shown, its featured image, the site logo, a custom field, the name of the logged-in visitor and more. You design the layout once, and the content fills in by itself on every page that uses it. Dynamic tags are what make single post templates, loop items and query loops work.

The inspector of a Heading with the Dynamic data list open, showing the Post and Archive groups
Click the database icon next to a setting to pick a dynamic tag.

Add a dynamic tag

  1. Select the element

    Click the element on the canvas, for example a Heading, and open the Content tab of the inspector.

  2. Open the tag list

    Settings that accept dynamic data show a small database icon at the right of their label. Click it to open the Dynamic data list.

  3. Pick a tag

    Scroll through the groups or type in Search dynamic tags, then click a tag. The setting now shows a blue chip with the tag's name instead of its text field, and the canvas shows the live value.

The editor with the page title heading selected; the Title setting shows a Post title chip and the canvas shows the page's real title
The canvas shows the real value of the tag while you design.

To go back to fixed text, click the × next to the chip (Remove dynamic data). The text you had typed before is still there.

Change a tag's options

Click the chip to open its settings. Some tags have options of their own, such as the date format of Post date or the taxonomy of Post terms. Every tag also has three extra fields:

Dynamic tag settings
SettingWhat it does
BeforeText placed in front of the value, for example Last updated . It only appears when the tag has a value.
AfterText placed after the value, for example min read. It only appears when the tag has a value.
FallbackShown when the tag returns nothing, for example when a post has no excerpt or a custom field is empty.
The Dynamic tag settings popover of a Post date tag with Date set to Modified, a format, and Last updated in Before
Options of the Post date tag, with Before, After and Fallback.

Spaces at the start or end of Before and After are kept, so Last updated and the date do not run together.

Note

When a tag is empty and has no fallback, the live site shows nothing for it. In the editor you keep seeing the setting's own text instead, so the element does not disappear while you design.

Which settings accept tags

Only settings with the database icon accept dynamic data, and the list only offers tags that fit the setting:

Setting typeTags offered
Text (titles, labels, paragraphs)Tags that return text, such as Post title or Site tagline
LinksTags that return an address, such as Post URL, Author archive URL, Open popup or Contact link
ImagesTags that return an image, such as Featured image, Site logo or Author avatar
NumbersNumber and text tags, such as Post ID or Term post count
ColorsCustom field (a field that stores a color)

When no tag fits, the list says No tags for this field.

Where the data comes from

A tag reads its data from the place where the element is shown:

  • On a regular page, Post tags show the page itself.
  • In a single template, they show the post or page the visitor is reading.
  • Inside a loop item or a query loop, they show each item of the loop in turn.
  • Archive tags show the category, tag, author or date archive being viewed, the blog page or the search results.
  • Term (loop) tags show the category or tag of a term query loop, or the term archive being viewed.

While you design a template, the editor fills the tags with sample content. Choose which post it uses with Preview with in the template's settings. See Single posts & pages.

Every tag

The tags are grouped in the list as shown below. ACF field and Meta Box field only appear when those plugins are active; see Custom fields.

Post
TagWhat it shows
Post titleThe title of the post or page.
Post excerptThe excerpt, or the start of the content when there is none. Words sets the length (30 by default; 0 shows the whole text).
Post dateThe publish date, or the last modified date with Date: Modified. Format takes a date format such as F j, Y (September 18, 2026) or Y (2026), or human for a relative time such as "3 days ago". Empty uses the site's date format.
Post URLThe address of the post. Use it for links, for example on a card title.
Post IDThe post's ID number.
Featured imageThe featured image, with its alt text.
Post termsThe post's categories, tags or other terms. Choose the Taxonomy and the Separator (a comma by default).
Custom fieldThe value of a custom field. Type its Meta key. See Custom fields.
ACF field / Meta Box fieldA field made with Advanced Custom Fields or Meta Box.
Archive
TagWhat it shows
Archive titleThe name of the category, tag, author or date being viewed. On the search results page it reads "Search results for “…”"; on the blog page it is the title of your posts page.
Archive descriptionThe description of the category, tag or author.
Term (loop)
TagWhat it shows
Term nameThe name of the category or tag.
Term linkThe address of the term's archive.
Term descriptionThe term's description.
Term post countHow many posts have this term.
Site, Author and User
TagWhat it shows
Site title / Site taglineThe name and tagline from Settings → General in WordPress.
Site URLThe address of your home page.
Site logoThe logo set for your site (Appearance → Customize → Site Identity, or the Site Logo block).
Author name / Author bioThe display name and biographical info of the post's author.
Author archive URLThe address of the author's archive page.
Author avatarThe author's profile picture.
Current user nameThe display name of the logged-in visitor. Empty for visitors who are not logged in, so add a Fallback such as "friend".
Actions and Other
TagWhat it shows
Open popupA link that opens, closes or toggles a popup. Choose the Popup and the Action. See Open from a link.
Contact linkA link that starts an email, a phone call, an SMS or a WhatsApp chat. Choose the Type and type the Email / number.
Current dateToday's date. Format takes a date format such as Y for a copyright year; empty uses the site's date format.
Request parameterThe value of a parameter in the page address, for example utm_source in ?utm_source=newsletter. Type the Query parameter name.
ShortcodeThe output of a WordPress shortcode. Only users who may post unfiltered HTML (usually administrators) can add it.

Good to know

  • Custom field never shows protected fields (keys that start with an underscore). Post excerpt and the custom field tags show nothing for a password-protected post.
  • Post terms only lists public taxonomies, never menus or other internal lists.
  • Dynamic tags also work in display conditions: the Dynamic value rule shows or hides an element depending on a tag's value.
  • An AI assistant connected over MCP can add dynamic tags too, for example "use the post title in this heading".
Query loop containersRepeat a container for every post or term. Loop grid & carouselShow posts as cards from a loop item template. Single posts & pagesDesign the layout of every blog post. Custom fieldsShow ACF, Meta Box and WordPress custom fields.