How to access editor view - and the editor menus

Normal visitors to the site can't see all the editing options, and nor will you, even when you're logged in as an editor - unless you navigate to 'editor view'.

‘Editor view’ is different to the ‘live’ or ‘public’ view that normal visitors to the site can see. You can only access the editor menu when you are in editor view.

Please be aware that the way you get to editor view on a mobile or tablet is slightly different from how it works on a desktop or laptop computer.

On a desktop or laptop computer

Here is our recommended way to access editor view, and some alternative ways you can use if you prefer. 

1. Open AChurchNearYou.com and click ‘Editor Login’ in the top right.
2. Fill in your email and password and click ‘Log in’.
3. Hover over (don't click) 'Churches and Benefices' on the top menu. A list of churches and benefices you can edit will appear.
4. Click on the name of the church or benefice you want to edit. It will open in editor view, with the editor menu on the left hand side of your screen. 

TIP: If your church name and benefice name are the same (this happens in benefices that contain only one church), this tip is for you! Make sure you choose the church name from the list that appears at step 2, not the benefice name. But how to tell the difference, when the names are the same? The church name has a cross next to it. The benefice has symbol that looks like a button you sew into clothes.  

TIP: If Step 4 is not working for you, check you are actually clicking on the name of the church and not on the little eye symbol next to it. If you click the eye you get public view.

Alternatives

• If you actually click on 'Churches and Benefices' at step 3, rather than just hovering over it, a new page will open with all your churches and benefices listed. Click the lilac/purple ‘Edit’ button next to the name of the church or benefice you want to edit. It will open in editor view with the editor menu on the left hand side of your screen. 
• If you're logged in and looking at the normal, public view of a church, you can always choose 'Edit content' from the top of the left hand menu to switch into editor view. If you find that option is not visible or working as you expect, check you're logged in and then try again. You have to be logged in to see the ‘Edit content’ button.

On a mobile phone or tablet

1. Open AChurchNearYou.com and tap ‘Login’ in the top menu. The login page will open.
2. Fill in your email and password and tap ‘Log in’.
3. Tap the menu icon (the three lines in the top right-hand of your screen). A list of your churches and benefices will open. 
4. Tap on the name of the church or benefice you want to edit. It will open in public (‘live’) view.
5. Tap on the menu icon.
6. Tap 'Edit content' on the menu that appears, the church will then open in editor view.
7. Tap the menu icon again to view the editor menu.

FAQ

Was it always like this?

No, editor view was introduced in January 2022. Prior to that point, the way things worked was that once you were logged in as an editor, various editing buttons appeared sort of overlaid on top of what the public could see. 

Small further changes were made to the desktop Churches and Benefices page in March 2023. We removed the little ‘cog’ symbol you used to have to click to get to editor view, because people told us it was hard to see and it wasn’t obvious what it did. We put in clearer ‘Edit’ and ‘View live’ buttons instead.

Why did you introduce editor view and separate it from public view?

Two reasons. First, editors told us that they were sometimes uncertain as to what parts of what they were seeing were visible to the public and which weren't, and this led to confusion. Second, we are building more options for editors and it was getting harder to set these out clearly without introducing editors view.