How to use pre_wp_nav_menu filter in WordPress

pre_wp_nav_menu filter

Returning a non-null value from the filter will short-circuit wp_nav_menu(), echoing that value if $args->echo is true, returning that value otherwise.

To use pre_wp_nav_menu filter, first, you have to register it using add_filter. You can write this code into functions.php of your activated theme or in a custom WordPress Plugin.

We at WePlugins always prefer creating a custom WordPress Plugin while using hooks so nothing breaks when you update your WordPress Theme in the future.

In the below live example, we have defined a function modify_pre_wp_nav_menu_defaults which takes 2 parameters and we registered using add_filter. The first parameter pre_wp_nav_menu is the name of the hook, the second parameter modify_pre_wp_nav_menu_defaults is the name of the function that needs to be called. The third parameter is the priority of calling the hook if the same hook is used multiple times, and the last parameter is the number of arguments (if any) to be passed in the registered function.

Sometimes, you have to remove a registered hook so you can use remove_filter to remove pre_wp_nav_menu filter.

Parameters

Below are the 2 parameters required to use this hook.

• $output: (string|null) Nav menu output to short-circuit with. Default null.
• $args: (stdClass) An object containing wp_nav_menu() arguments.

Live Example 1: Basic Usage

Below is an example of how you can use this hook.

    function weplugins_modify_pre_wp_nav_menu_defaults($output, $args) { 
        // Update the $output variable according to your website requirements and return this variable. You can modify the $output variable conditionally too if you want.
        return $output; 
    }
    // add the filter
    add_filter( "pre_wp_nav_menu", "weplugins_modify_pre_wp_nav_menu_defaults", 10, 2 );
    

Live Example 2: Conditional Logic

Let’s see an example where we apply conditional logic to modify the menu output.

    function weplugins_conditional_pre_wp_nav_menu($output, $args) {
        if (is_user_logged_in()) {
            $output = '<p>Custom menu for logged-in users</p>';
        }
        return $output;
    }
    add_filter("pre_wp_nav_menu", "weplugins_conditional_pre_wp_nav_menu", 10, 2);
    

Live Example 3: Removing the Hook

To remove a hook callback, use the example below.

    remove_filter( "pre_wp_nav_menu", "weplugins_modify_pre_wp_nav_menu_defaults", 10, 2 );
    

Please make sure to provide the same callback function name, priority, and number of arguments while removing the hook callback.

Contact Us

If you’re having any trouble using this hook or need customization, please contact us and we’d be happy to assist you.