Creating a custom menu in Joomla

Joomla by default has the Main Menu created. This menu is located in the sidebar. You can create your own Menus and place them on your Joomla site using the Menu Manger.

To create a menu you will need to follow 3 steps:

1. Create the Menu
2. Add the Module for the Menu
3. Add Menu Items

This article will teach you how to create a new menu, assign the module necessary for the menu, and how to add menu items.

Creating a menu in Joomla 3.1

Step 1: Create a New Menu

First you will need to create the Menu. Once you create the menu, you will be able to add the module required for the menu to function.

1. Log into your Joomla Dashboard.
2. Go to Menus > Menu Manager > Add New Menu.
   
3. Add a title, Menu Type, and Description.

   Click Save.
   

Step 2: Add the "Linked Module"

After you get the Menu created, you will need to make a module to position the Menu on the page. Below will explain how to make the module.

1. On the Menu Manager page, Click "Add a module for this menu type" link.
   
2. Add the title of the menu and select a position. (In this tutorial we are adding the menu to the right sidebar "position-7")

   Save and Close.
   

   Now you will see the module in the Module Manager.
   

Step 3: Add Menu items

Now you can add the menu items to the menu that will display the links in your new menu.

1. Go to Menus > Menu Manager.
   
2. Select the New Menu you created. in this case "Favorite Links".
   
3. Click New.
   
4. Now we need to select the Menu type. Click Select for the Menu Item Type.
   
5. We will make a "External" link. Select the System Links > External URL option.
   
6. Type the link and the Menu title that will be displayed on the Menu.

   Click Save and Close.
   

   After you added the Menu items you want you should have a list like the snapshot to the right.
   

   View your website. You will see the menu in the sidebar like the snapshot to the right.