Customizing Admin UI in Payload CMS

Payload CMS provides a powerful and flexible admin panel by default, but many projects require customization to align with specific needs. This guide walks you through the steps to modify the admin interface to match your project’s branding and functionality.

Change Admin Styles

You can customize the look and feel of the admin panel by overriding its default styles.

Create a CSS file, e.g., admin.css, and add your styles:

body {
    background-color: #f4f4f9;
}
.admin-header {
    color: #007acc;
}

Link it in the payload.config.js file:

import { buildConfig } from 'payload/config';
import customStyles from './styles/admin.css';

export default buildConfig({
 admin: {
  css: customStyles,
 },
});

Add a Custom Dashboard

Replace the default dashboard with a custom React component.

Create a CustomDashboard.js file:

import React from 'react';

const CustomDashboard = () => (
    <div>
        <h1>Welcome to Your Admin Panel</h1>
        <p>Custom dashboard content goes here.</p>
    </div>
);

export default CustomDashboard;

Update payload.config.js:

import CustomDashboard from './CustomDashboard';

export default buildConfig({
 admin: {
  components: {
   dashboard: CustomDashboard,
  },
 },
});

Conclusion

With just a few steps, you can customize the Payload CMS admin panel to better align with your project’s branding and requirements. These simple modifications enhance usability and give your admin interface a unique touch.