Title: Explorer Soft Admin Shell Author: explorersoft Published: May 22, 2026 Last modified: May 22, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://ps.w.org/explorer-soft-admin-shell/assets/banner-772x250.png?rev=3544359) ![](https://ps.w.org/explorer-soft-admin-shell/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=3544359) # Explorer Soft Admin Shell By [explorersoft](https://profiles.wordpress.org/explorersoft/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/explorer-soft-admin-shell.0.1.73.zip) * [Details](https://wordpress.org/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/#description) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/#reviews) * [Installation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/#installation) * [Development](https://wordpress.org/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/explorer-soft-admin-shell/) ## Description Explorer Soft Admin Shell adds a desktop-like interface inside the WordPress admin area. After activation, the plugin opens the desktop shell and makes it the default admin landing screen while keeping the classic WordPress admin available. Features include: * Desktop icons for common admin areas. * A default View site shortcut that opens the public site in a desktop window. * A default Products shortcut for users who can edit WooCommerce products. * A Start menu generated from the current WordPress admin menu. * Draggable, resizable, minimizable and maximizable admin windows. * Admin pages framed with early CSS to avoid flashing the classic admin chrome. * Admin links opened in a new tab or window from framed pages reopen in Explorer Soft Admin Shell. * A visible power-style logout button in the desktop taskbar. * A dismissible rating banner inside the desktop shell after initial use. * Per-user desktop layout saved in user meta. * Custom folders and custom shortcuts for WordPress admin pages. * Drag and drop support for moving custom shortcuts into folders and back to the desktop. * Wallpaper/background presets and custom background values. * WordPress Media Library support for background images. * Theme presets for the desktop shell. * A theme editor for icon, icon text, taskbar, Start menu and window titlebar colors. * A modern clock widget enabled by default. * Opt-in weather widget settings with location, provider and API configuration. * Opt-in news widget settings with RSS feed URL and refresh interval. * Preset RSS feed choices for crypto, world, IT/tech and WordPress news. * Shortcut picker support for WordPress admin toolbar actions. * Responsive desktop scaling for shortcuts and widgets. * Visual Dashicon picker for custom desktop item editing. The plugin does not track users. Weather and news requests are disabled by default and are only made after the current user enables the relevant widget, accepts the privacy notice and configures a provider or RSS feed. Custom shortcut targets are limited to the current site’s WordPress admin area. The default View site shortcut opens the current site’s public home URL. ### External services Explorer Soft Admin Shell does not track users and does not contact third-party services by default. External requests are only made after the current user enables the related widget and configures the provider or feed. #### Weather services The Weather widget is disabled by default. When enabled, the user’s browser contacts the selected weather provider to show live conditions. The configured location is sent to the selected provider when the widget loads or refreshes. API keys, when used, are stored only in the current user’s saved desktop layout. Supported weather providers: * Open-Meteo geocoding and forecast APIs, used to find the configured location and load current weather without an API key. Terms and privacy: https://open- meteo.com/en/terms * OpenWeatherMap current weather API, used only when the user selects OpenWeatherMap and enters an API key. Terms: https://openweathermap.org/terms Privacy: https:// openweathermap.org/privacy-policy * WeatherAPI.com current weather API, used only when the user selects WeatherAPI. com and enters an API key. Terms: https://www.weatherapi.com/terms.aspx Privacy: https://www.weatherapi.com/privacy.aspx * Custom JSON endpoint, used only when the user enters a custom endpoint. The configured location and API key placeholders may be sent to that custom URL depending on the URL entered by the user. #### RSS news services The News widget is disabled by default. When enabled, WordPress uses its feed functions to request the configured RSS feed URL from the server and display headlines. The RSS feed URL is sent when the widget loads or refreshes. Preset feeds are optional conveniences; users can choose a custom RSS feed instead. Preset RSS providers: * CoinDesk RSS. Terms: https://www.coindesk.com/terms/ Privacy: https://www.coindesk. com/privacy * Cointelegraph RSS. Terms and privacy: https://cointelegraph.com/terms-and-privacy * BBC News RSS. Terms: https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/ Privacy: https:// www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/privacy/ * Le Monde RSS. Terms: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/help/article/2026/03/19/general- terms-and-conditions_6751600_106.html Privacy: https://www.lemonde.fr/confidentialite/ * TechCrunch RSS. Terms: https://techcrunch.com/terms-of-service/ Privacy: https:// techcrunch.com/privacy-policy/ * The Verge RSS. Terms: https://www.voxmedia.com/legal/terms-of-use Privacy: https:// www.voxmedia.com/legal/privacy-notice * WordPress.org News RSS. Terms: https://wordpress.org/about/terms-of-service/ Privacy: https://wordpress.org/about/privacy/ ## Installation 1. Upload the plugin files to the `/wp-content/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/` directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen. 2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress. 3. After activation, WordPress opens the Explorer Soft Admin Shell desktop automatically. 4. Use the Classic admin button in the taskbar if you need to temporarily return to the standard WordPress admin. ## FAQ ### Does this replace the classic WordPress admin? No. The classic WordPress admin remains available from the desktop taskbar and direct admin links. Explorer Soft Admin Shell becomes the default admin landing screen after activation. ### Why does `/wp-admin/` open Explorer Soft Admin Shell after activation? Explorer Soft Admin Shell is intended to become the active admin shell. Successful logins and normal top-level admin visits are routed to Explorer Soft Admin Shell by default. The Classic admin button remains available for users who need the standard WordPress admin temporarily. ### Why are admin pages shown in iframe windows? The desktop interface uses iframe windows to keep each admin screen inside a movable desktop window. These frames are intended for the current site’s WordPress admin pages. ### Can I preview the public site? Yes. The default View site shortcut opens the current site’s public home page in a desktop window. Some sites or security headers may restrict iframe display; in that case, use the regular front-end URL in a browser tab. ### Can I create shortcuts for plugin toolbar actions such as cache purge links? Yes. The shortcut picker includes supported WordPress admin toolbar actions. Saved toolbar shortcuts keep a source identifier so dynamic nonce-based URLs can be refreshed from the current toolbar when available. ### Where is layout data stored? Layout data is stored per user in WordPress user meta under the `esash_desktop_layout` key. ### Does this plugin send data to external services? Not by default. The Weather widget is disabled by default. If enabled by the user, the user’s browser contacts the selected weather provider and sends the configured city or location. Supported providers are Open-Meteo, OpenWeatherMap, WeatherAPI.com and a custom JSON endpoint. The News widget is disabled by default. If enabled by the user, WordPress contacts the configured RSS feed URL to load headlines. Preset feeds are provided for convenience, but no RSS request is made until the user enables external RSS requests. ### Which widgets are enabled by default? Only the Clock widget is enabled by default. Weather and News must be enabled and configured by the user. ## Reviews There are no reviews for this plugin. ## Contributors & Developers “Explorer Soft Admin Shell” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ explorersoft ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/explorersoft/) [Translate “Explorer Soft Admin Shell” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/explorer-soft-admin-shell/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/explorer-soft-admin-shell/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/explorer-soft-admin-shell/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/explorer-soft-admin-shell/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 0.1.73 * Update the tested WordPress version header for the current WordPress.org Plugin Check requirement. #### 0.1.72 * Update the Open-Meteo documentation link to the current combined terms and privacy page. #### 0.1.71 * Remove one third-party RSS preset so all bundled presets map directly to documented service providers with working terms and privacy links. #### 0.1.70 * Force WordPress post editor forms back to the embedded admin save endpoint when builders or themes rewrite the form action to a frontend URL. #### 0.1.69 * Keep framed post, page and custom post type save redirects on the embedded WordPress edit screen instead of allowing frontend 404 redirects. #### 0.1.68 * Separate shell embedded admin requests from the explicit Classic admin bypass so framed post, page and plugin actions do not show classic admin chrome. #### 0.1.67 * Suppress WordPress admin toolbar rendering in framed admin windows and remove toolbar chrome from loaded admin frames. #### 0.1.66 * Hide the outer WordPress toolbar on the shell page to avoid duplicate toolbars when previewing the public site in a desktop window. #### 0.1.65 * Keep post/page editing and plugin management actions inside the current shell window while omitting frame markers from sensitive WordPress admin requests. #### 0.1.64 * Remove remaining legacy naming from internal package metadata, DOM prefixes, CSS custom properties and bundled asset names. #### 0.1.63 * Open post/page editors and plugin action flows outside framed shell windows so Publish, Update, Deactivate and Delete actions complete normally. * Rename the bundled admin shell asset files for consistency with the Explorer Soft Admin Shell name. #### 0.1.62 * Avoid adding desktop frame markers to post and page editor save forms so publish and update actions complete normally. #### 0.1.61 * Keep Classic admin plugin management and post/page edit flows outside the desktop redirect so admin actions can complete normally. #### 0.1.60 * Added a default layout filter for Pro role-based and global default layouts. * Removed stale bundled translation artifacts so WordPress.org language packs can handle translations cleanly. Earlier internal pre-review iterations are omitted from this readme to keep the WordPress.org listing concise. ## Meta * Version **0.1.73** * Last updated **7 hours ago** * Active installations **Fewer than 10** * WordPress version ** 6.0 or higher ** * Tested up to **7.0** * PHP version ** 7.4 or higher ** * Tags * [admin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/admin/)[dashboard](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/dashboard/) [desktop](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/desktop/)[interface](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/interface/) [productivity](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/productivity/) * [Advanced View](https://wordpress.org/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/advanced/) ## Ratings No reviews have been submitted yet. [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/explorer-soft-admin-shell/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/explorer-soft-admin-shell/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ explorersoft ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/explorersoft/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/explorer-soft-admin-shell/)