Guides / website-maintenance

How Do You Edit a Website You Already Have?

By Ryan Goering, CEO, BaaDigi · Last updated October 2026 · 79 sources checked

Here is how to edit a website you already have: sign in to the platform it is built on, open its editor, change the text or image, and publish. The platform decides every step. A self-hosted WordPress site signs in at its own wp-login.php page[1]; Wix at Wix.com, then Edit Site from the dashboard[2][3]; Squarespace by adding /config to your domain[4]; GoDaddy from your product page, under Websites + Marketing, Manage, Edit Website[5]; Shopify at shopify.com/admin[6]. Publishing differs too. On Wix, saved changes do not appear until you click Publish[7], while Squarespace’s About-page guide says to click Save to publish your changes[8]. Undo differs most. By default WordPress stores a revision of each saved draft or published update[9], and Wix and GoDaddy can restore earlier versions of the site’s design and pages[10][11]. But Shopify’s theme editor cannot undo once you save[12], and Squarespace has no revision history while editing[13], only a 30-day restore of deleted pages and posts[14]. Before a big change on Shopify, duplicate the theme first, as Shopify advises[15].

BaaDigi sells website maintenance and management, so we compete with companies named on this page. Every outside figure below is from the company’s own pages or a public source, so you can check it.

What do you need before you can edit your website?

Two things: a login of your own for the platform the site runs on, and a role on that account that is allowed to edit and publish. Every platform below lets the owner invite people with their own accounts rather than sharing one password.

  • WordPress (self-hosted): an administrator adds people on Users > Add New and picks a role for each[16]. The Editor role can publish and manage posts, including other people’s; the Administrator has every admin feature[17].
  • WordPress.com: instead of handing over your username and password, which WordPress.com calls a security risk, you invite people to create their own account on your site[18].
  • Wix: the owner invites people and gives them roles such as Admin (Co-Owner) or Website Manager. The owner role itself can only change hands by transferring the site[19].
  • Squarespace: you invite contributors by email, and each needs their own Squarespace account[20]. Administrators can do almost everything the owner can, except transfer ownership[21].
  • GoDaddy: you invite users with Employee, Manager or Admin roles; a Manager can also publish or unpublish changes[22].
  • Shopify: the owner adds staff accounts with roles and permissions, and can add collaborator accounts for Shopify Partners[23].

If someone else built your site, ask them to invite you as an owner or administrator on your own email address. A login of your own means you are not stuck if that person moves on.

How do you tell what your website is built on?

Check who bills you for the website first. If that does not settle it, these are the signs the platforms and lookup tools document:

  • WordPress: WordPress has a built-in function that adds a "generator" tag to the page’s code through its page header[24]. The tag can be removed with a line of code, so its absence proves nothing[24]. Its login page is wp-login.php on the site, for example yoursite.com/wp-login.php[1].
  • Squarespace: adding /config to the end of the domain, like yourdomain.com/config, is Squarespace’s direct login address[4].
  • Shopify: the admin login is shopify.com/admin[6]. Wappalyzer says the most reliable check is whether the page carries a global JavaScript variable named Shopify[25].

Two sign-in routes tell you where to log in once you know the platform. Webflow: guest editors can open the Webflow Editor by adding ?edit to the end of any live page address[26]. Wix: the editor opens from the site’s dashboard with Edit Site or Design Site[7].

Free lookup tools do the checking for you. Wappalyzer identifies technology by inspecting a site’s source code, HTTP headers, cookies and JavaScript variables[25]. BuiltWith visits a site and reads its publicly visible code to build a technology profile[27].

How do you edit a WordPress website?

These are WordPress.org’s documented steps for self-hosted WordPress with the block editor. If your WordPress site is on WordPress.com, see the table further down.

  1. Sign in: go to your WordPress login page, something like yoursite.com/wordpress/wp-login.php[1].
  2. Edit text: the block editor holds content as blocks for paragraphs, headings, images, lists and more[28].
  3. Replace an image: in the Image block’s toolbar, use the Replace button to pick a new image from the Media Library or upload one[29].
  4. Add a page: click Pages > Add New[28].
  5. Publish: Save draft keeps your work without publishing; Publish makes the page public[28].

Undo: by default WordPress stores a revision of each saved draft or published update; a host or site setting can cap how many are kept or turn revisions off[9]. Since WordPress 7.0, open the Settings sidebar, select the Page or Post tab, click the number next to Revisions, and restore one. On WordPress 6.9 or earlier, use the Classic Revisions screen and its slider instead[9]. Site-wide backups come from your host and are separate.

How do you edit a Wix website?

  1. Sign in: go to Wix.com and click Log In at the top right[2]. Go to your site’s dashboard and click Edit Site[3].
  2. Edit text: click the text element, click Edit Text, type or paste your text, and press Enter[30].
  3. Replace an image: click the image, click Change Image, select a new image in the Media Manager, and click Choose Image[31].
  4. Add a page: click Pages & Menu on the left of the Editor, click Site Menu, click Add Menu Item, and select New page[32].
  5. Publish: saving keeps your work, but saved changes do not appear on your site until you click Publish[7].

Undo: Site History lists your saved and published versions and can restore one. Restoring erases any changes made after that version[10]. Wix does not roll back some app content, such as Wix Stores, Blog, Bookings and Events, or CMS collection data[33]. Wix’s history pages state no version count or time limit. These steps are for the Wix Editor.

How do you edit a Squarespace website?

  1. Sign in: at account.squarespace.com, or add /config to the end of your domain[4].
  2. Edit text: edit the page, click into the text block, type, and click Save[34].
  3. Replace an image: click the image block, then the pencil icon, and use the image block editor to replace the image[35].
  4. Add a page: open the Pages panel, click + next to Main Navigation, choose the type of page, and enter a title[36].
  5. Publish: Squarespace’s About-page guide says to click Save to publish your changes[8]. Blog posts have their own Publish button (on version 7.1, click Publish when you are ready; on 7.0, Save & Publish)[14].

Undo: Squarespace documents restoring pages and blog posts you deleted in the last 30 days[14]. Squarespace says it has no auto-save or revision history when editing[13]. On version 7.1 you can undo and redo until you exit the page, even after you click Save; once you exit, changes cannot be undone[37].

Squarespace has no revision history when editing, so copy any text you are about to rewrite into a note first. After you leave the page, that copy may be your only way back.

How do you edit a GoDaddy website?

These steps cover GoDaddy’s Websites + Marketing builder.

  1. Sign in: go to your GoDaddy product page, expand Websites + Marketing, select Manage next to your site, then Edit Website[5].
  2. Edit text: edit text directly in the preview area; depending on the text, that can include fonts, colors, size, links and lists[5].
  3. Replace an image: select the photo, then in the right pane select Change image, choose an image, and select Insert. For the header image at the top of your home page, select the header and then Cover Media. Publish your site to make the change live[38].
  4. Add a page: the editor’s panel shows a list of your current pages and lets you add more[5].
  5. Publish: nothing is visible to the public until you select Publish[39].

Undo: select Settings, then Site History, hover over the backup you want and select Restore. The editor saves every change and backs up automatically on major changes, and restoring removes all changes made after that backup[11]. The backup covers sections, text and settings, not blogs, marketing emails, products, appointments or images[40]. GoDaddy’s restore and backup pages state no plan limit.

How do you edit a Shopify website?

  1. Sign in: log in at shopify.com/admin in a supported browser[6].
  2. Edit text on a page: go to Online Store > Pages, click the title of the page, make your changes, and click Save[41].
  3. Replace an image: in Online Store > Edit theme, click the section or block with the image in the sidebar, click Select image > Add images in its Image setting, find and open the image on your computer, click Done, then click Save[42]. On the live theme, finish with Publish (see the last step).
  4. Add a page: in Online Store > Pages, click Add page, enter a title and content, and save[41].
  5. Publish: a draft theme goes live when you click Publish, either in the theme editor’s top bar or next to the theme in the Draft themes list[43]. If you are editing the live (published) theme, Shopify says to click Save and then Publish to make your changes live in your store[44].

Undo: the theme editor has undo and redo, but after you save your changes you can no longer redo or undo[12]. Shopify advises duplicating your theme to create a backup copy before you customize it[15].

How do you edit other builders?

Sign-in, publishing and history on four other common builders, from each platform’s help pages, October 1, 2026
PlatformWhere to sign in and editHow changes go liveVersion history
WordPress.comwordpress.com/log-in; wordpress.com/log-in is for WordPress.com sites; a self-hosted site signs in at its own /wp-login.php[45][1]Click Publish in the editor toolbar, review the pre-publish checks, click Publish again; for later updates the button reads Save[46]Earlier versions of pages and posts can be restored; whole-site backup restore applies to Business and Commerce plans; undo covers only changes from your current editing session[47]
WebflowFrom the Dashboard, click the three dots on a site and select Editor; guest editors can add ?edit to a live page address[26]Changes save as drafts first; preview them, then publish[48]Automatic backups. Paid Site plans (Basic, CMS, Business, Enterprise): unlimited backups, restore any at any time. Free Starter site plan: only the two most recent backups, unless you have a paid Workspace plan. Only Site managers can access backups[49]
Google SitesOpened from Google Sites and stored in Google Drive like other Drive files; no login address stated[50]Every change saves automatically, but the site is not public until you publish[50]Version history lets you review, compare and restore earlier versions; to browse it you need permission to edit the site[51]
Weebly / Square OnlineWeebly customers are asked to move to a Square account and sign in at squareup.com[52]; then Square Online > Website > Edit site[53]Publish makes the edited version live[54]Weebly’s help says it cannot restore deleted blog posts, sections, elements or uploaded images; its support can restore a deleted page or site on request; text undo arrows work only while the cursor is still in the text element[55]

How do you undo a change?

Check this before you edit, not after. What each platform documents:

Undo and restore options as documented in each platform’s help pages, October 1, 2026
PlatformWhat you can restoreLimits stated
WordPress (self-hosted)A revision of each saved draft or published update, restored with the Restore button[9]No plan limit; a host or site setting can cap how many revisions are kept; host backups are separate
WordPress.comEarlier versions of your work; whole-site backup restore[47]Whole-site restore: Business and Commerce plans[47]
WixAny saved or published version in Site History; later changes are erased[10]No version count or time limit stated; app content such as Wix Stores, Blog and Bookings does not revert[33]
SquarespacePages and blog posts deleted in the last 30 days[14]30-day window for deleted pages and posts; no revision history when editing[13]; undo and redo only until you exit the page on 7.1[37]
GoDaddy Websites + MarketingSite History backups; later changes are removed[11]No plan limit stated; backups cover sections, text and settings, not blogs, products, appointments or images[40]
ShopifyUndo and redo only until you save[12]; a duplicated theme as your own backup[15]Not stated
WebflowAutomatic site backups[49]Paid Site plans: unlimited, restore any at any time. Free Starter plan: only the two most recent backups, unless you have a paid Workspace plan[49]
Google SitesEarlier versions of the site or page; you need permission to edit the site to browse them[51]Google says version history “might only be available for some sites”[51]
Weebly / Square OnlineTheme: Themes > Change Theme > Recently Used. Deleted pages or sites: Weebly support can restore on request. Not restorable per Weebly: deleted blog posts, sections, elements, uploaded images[55]Text undo only while the cursor is in the text element[55]

Restoring an old version on Wix or GoDaddy wipes out the page and design changes made after it[10][11]. If you fixed something else in the meantime, note it down before you restore.

What if you cannot log in, or your designer has the only login?

  • Forgotten password on WordPress: use the "Lost your password?" link on the login page[1]. Usernames and passwords are case-sensitive, and clearing cookies and cache can help[56].
  • Self-hosted WordPress is not WordPress.com: a self-hosted site signs in at its own /wp-login.php, and wordpress.com/log-in is for WordPress.com sites[1][45].
  • Wix: if you lost access to your login email and recovery phone, fill out the Wix Account Recovery form. If someone else manages the account, Wix says to contact them directly, because Wix cannot help you get into someone else’s account[57].
  • Squarespace: sign in with the same method you used at sign-up, whether email or an Apple, Facebook or Google login[4]. If you bought the site through a reseller, contact the reseller[58].
  • GoDaddy: a designer can be invited as a delegate who can use your products without seeing your payment methods or passwords[59].

Getting the site moved into your name works differently on each platform. On Wix it is Site Actions > Transfer Site from the dashboard, and a designer can keep a copy of the original[60]. On Squarespace only the current owner can transfer, after inviting the new owner as a contributor, and the transfer includes subscriptions and Squarespace domains[61]. On Shopify only the store owner can change or transfer ownership[62]. On Google Sites the owner uses Share, then Make owner next to the person’s name[63]. On Webflow, workspace ownership moves by request, and the new owner must already be a member[64].

Your domain is a separate thing. The domain (your web address) belongs to its registrant, the person or company who registered it with a registrar[65]. Registrants have a right to information from their registrar on managing, transferring and renewing the domain[65]. ICANN’s free Lookup tool shows registration data, though privacy rules mean not every detail is returned[66]. The sibling guide "How Should a Small Business Manage Its Website?" covers getting control back in full.

What should you be careful about when you edit?

Most edits are safe. Three kinds of edit touch what Google shows in search. Google’s guidance:

  • Changing a page’s address: if a page moves, set up a permanent server-side redirect. Google says 301 and 308 status codes mean a page has permanently moved[67], that permanent redirects tell Google to show the new address in results[67], and that they do not cause a loss in PageRank[68]. Google recommends a server-side 301 over a meta refresh[69].
  • Titles and descriptions: Google says a good title is unique to the page, clear and concise, and accurately describes the page; a good meta description is short, unique to that page and covers its most relevant points[70]. Google may or may not use your description as the search snippet[69].
  • Images: when you swap a photo, give it alt text, a short description of how the image relates to the page[70].

Can you edit your website with AI instead?

Partly, and on most builders it is built in. What each platform’s own pages describe:

  • Wix: Aria, a built-in AI agent, alongside editing by hand[71], plus an AI Tools icon on text boxes to write or improve text[72].
  • WordPress.com: an AI assistant in the editor, available on any paid plan; its AI page also describes connecting an outside AI agent such as Claude through MCP[73].
  • Squarespace: Squarespace AI can generate first-draft text in text blocks[34].
  • Shopify: Sidekick can change theme settings in the theme editor, and you must save its changes yourself[74].
  • Webflow: an AI assistant in the canvas top bar that can help generate or refine copy[75].
  • Square Online: generate text with AI, with a Square Online Plus or Premium subscription[53].
  • GoDaddy: its comparison of its own builders lists limited AI, such as text suggestions and SEO help, for the classic builder[76].

Outside AI coding tools are another route. Anthropic describes Claude Code as a tool that reads your codebase, edits files and runs commands[77], and OpenAI’s Codex CLI inspects code, makes changes and runs commands from the terminal[78]. Both work on a site whose files they can reach (the website’s code). The sibling guide "Can ChatGPT or Claude edit my website?" covers what outside AI tools can do with each kind of site.

A third route is a managed site wired to your own AI. BaaDigi’s AI Website Management is $97 a month plus a one-time $300 setup, month to month[79]. Your current site is rebuilt on Next.js and your own Claude or ChatGPT is connected to it; you use and pay for your own AI subscription[79]. Your AI can change content only (words, photos, services, FAQs), never the code. Every change goes to a preview, automated checks run, you approve, then it publishes, and every change can be rolled back[79]. BaaDigi hosts the site on Vercel with Cloudflare in front, filters spam on lead forms and gives technical support when something breaks; at $97 there are no done-for-you content changes[79].

Which way of editing fits you?

  • Do it yourself in your builder: likely a fit if you have your own owner or admin login, change a few things a month, and know where your platform’s undo is. Use the steps above, and on Shopify or Squarespace keep your own copy before big edits.
  • Hire a maintenance company: likely a fit if you do not want to log in at all, or your site is self-hosted WordPress with plugins someone has to keep updated. Get the owner login in your name first, whoever does the work.
  • Move to a managed setup you edit with AI: likely a fit if you want to make your own changes in plain English through your own ChatGPT or Claude, with a preview and rollback on every change, and someone else on hosting, security and support.

Frequently asked questions

How do I edit my website if I do not know what it is built on?
Check who bills you for the website first. Then try the platform login addresses: a WordPress site has a login page at wp-login.php, a Squarespace site at yourdomain.com/config, and Shopify stores sign in at shopify.com/admin. Free lookup tools such as Wappalyzer and BuiltWith read a site’s public code and name the platform.
Do my changes go live as soon as I save?
It depends on the platform. On Wix and GoDaddy, nothing changes on the live site until you publish. On WordPress you can save a draft or publish. Squarespace’s About-page guide says to click Save to publish your changes, though blog posts have their own Publish button.
Can I undo a change to my website?
Usually, but how far back varies. By default WordPress stores a revision of each saved draft or published update, and Wix and GoDaddy can restore an earlier version of the site’s design and pages, erasing later changes (some content, such as Wix Stores or GoDaddy blogs and products, is not rolled back). Shopify’s theme editor stops offering undo once you save, so Shopify advises duplicating the theme first. Squarespace has no revision history while editing, only a 30-day restore for deleted pages and posts.
My web designer has the only login. What do I do?
Ask them to invite you on your own email address as an owner or admin, or to transfer the site to you. Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Google Sites and Webflow each document an ownership transfer. Wix says it cannot help you into an account someone else manages, so the request has to go to that person.
Can I use ChatGPT or Claude to edit my website?
Most builders now have their own AI assistant inside the editor, including Wix, WordPress.com, Squarespace, Shopify, Webflow and Square Online. Outside tools such as Claude Code and Codex edit sites whose code files they can reach, and WordPress.com describes connecting an outside AI agent such as Claude. Some managed setups connect your own ChatGPT or Claude to the site, with a preview and approval before each change goes live.

Related reading

Sources

Every source was opened and read on the date shown. Vendor prices change; check the vendor's page before buying. How we research: methodology.

  1. WordPress.org documentation: reset your password — checked 2026-10-01
  2. Wix Help Center: logging in to your Wix account — checked 2026-10-01
  3. Wix Help Center: accessing your editor — checked 2026-10-01
  4. Squarespace Help Center: I can’t log in — checked 2026-10-01
  5. GoDaddy Help: get to know the website editor — checked 2026-10-01
  6. Shopify Help Center: Shopify admin — checked 2026-10-01
  7. Wix Help Center: getting started with the Wix Editor — checked 2026-10-01
  8. Squarespace Help Center: creating an about page — checked 2026-10-01
  9. WordPress.org documentation: revisions — checked 2026-10-01
  10. Wix Help Center: viewing and managing your site history — checked 2026-10-01
  11. GoDaddy Help: restore my Websites + Marketing site from a previous backup — checked 2026-10-01
  12. Shopify Help Center: theme editor features overview — checked 2026-10-01
  13. Squarespace Help Center: troubleshooting lost content — checked 2026-10-01
  14. Squarespace Help Center: restoring deleted pages and blog posts — checked 2026-10-01
  15. Shopify Help Center: theme editor — checked 2026-10-01
  16. WordPress.org documentation: Users Add New screen — checked 2026-10-01
  17. WordPress.org documentation: roles and capabilities — checked 2026-10-01
  18. WordPress.com support: invite people to your site — checked 2026-10-01
  19. Wix Help Center: roles and permissions overview — checked 2026-10-01
  20. Squarespace Help Center: contributors basics — checked 2026-10-01
  21. Squarespace Help Center: contributor roles and permissions — checked 2026-10-01
  22. GoDaddy Help: add team members to help manage my account — checked 2026-10-01
  23. Shopify Help Center: users — checked 2026-10-01
  24. WordPress developer reference: wp_generator() — checked 2026-10-01
  25. Wappalyzer: find out what CMS or framework a website is using — checked 2026-10-01
  26. Webflow University: Webflow Editor — checked 2026-10-01
  27. BuiltWith: how BuiltWith works — checked 2026-10-01
  28. WordPress.org documentation: WordPress block editor — checked 2026-10-01
  29. WordPress.org documentation: Image block — checked 2026-10-01
  30. Wix Help Center: adding and editing text — checked 2026-10-01
  31. Wix Help Center: changing an image on your site — checked 2026-10-01
  32. Wix Help Center: adding a page to your site — checked 2026-10-01
  33. Wix Help Center: restoring a saved version of your site — checked 2026-10-01
  34. Squarespace Help Center: text blocks — checked 2026-10-01
  35. Squarespace Help Center: image blocks — checked 2026-10-01
  36. Squarespace Help Center: building your first Squarespace site — checked 2026-10-01
  37. Squarespace Help Center: using undo and redo in Squarespace — checked 2026-10-01
  38. GoDaddy Help: add or replace a photo on my website — checked 2026-10-01
  39. GoDaddy Help: can I customize my Websites + Marketing site? — checked 2026-10-01
  40. GoDaddy Help: back up my website — checked 2026-10-01
  41. Shopify Help Center: add and edit pages — checked 2026-10-01
  42. Shopify Help Center: theme images — checked 2026-10-01
  43. Shopify Help Center: publishing themes — checked 2026-10-01
  44. Shopify Help Center: customizing sections and blocks — checked 2026-10-01
  45. WordPress.com support: log in — checked 2026-10-01
  46. WordPress.com support: pages — checked 2026-10-01
  47. WordPress.com support: how to undo changes — checked 2026-10-01
  48. Webflow University: edit content in Webflow — checked 2026-10-01
  49. Webflow Help Center: save and restore backups — checked 2026-10-01
  50. Google Workspace Learning Center: get started with Google Sites — checked 2026-10-01
  51. Google Sites Help: version history — checked 2026-10-01
  52. Weebly Help: Weebly and Square FAQ — checked 2026-10-01
  53. Square Support: add and edit text in Square Online — checked 2026-10-01
  54. Square Support: how do I unpublish my site? — checked 2026-10-01
  55. Weebly Help: how can I undo a change? — checked 2026-10-01
  56. WordPress.org documentation: login trouble — checked 2026-10-01
  57. Wix Help Center: unable to log in to your Wix account — checked 2026-10-01
  58. Squarespace Help Center: websites purchased through a third-party reseller — checked 2026-10-01
  59. GoDaddy Help: invite a delegate to access my GoDaddy account — checked 2026-10-01
  60. Wix Help Center: transferring a copy of your site to another Wix account — checked 2026-10-01
  61. Squarespace Help Center: change the site owner — checked 2026-10-01
  62. Shopify Help Center: change or transfer store ownership — checked 2026-10-01
  63. Google Sites Help: share and change ownership — checked 2026-10-01
  64. Webflow Help Center: transfer Workspace owner — checked 2026-10-01
  65. ICANN: information for domain name registrants — checked 2026-10-01
  66. ICANN Lookup: FAQ — checked 2026-10-01
  67. Google Search Central: redirects and Google Search — checked 2026-10-01
  68. Google Search Central: site moves with URL changes — checked 2026-10-01
  69. Google Search Central: meta tags Google supports — checked 2026-10-01
  70. Google Search Central: SEO starter guide — checked 2026-10-01
  71. Wix: AI website builder — checked 2026-10-01
  72. Wix Help Center: creating AI-generated text — checked 2026-10-01
  73. WordPress.com: AI — checked 2026-10-01
  74. Shopify Help Center: Sidekick help and guidance — checked 2026-10-01
  75. Webflow University: welcome to the Webflow UI — checked 2026-10-01
  76. GoDaddy Help: which GoDaddy website builder do I have? — checked 2026-10-01
  77. Anthropic: Claude Code overview — checked 2026-10-01
  78. OpenAI: Codex CLI — checked 2026-10-01
  79. BaaDigi: AI Website Management pricing and scope — checked 2026-10-01