Configure BuddyPress

After activating BuddyPress, you will be automatically redirected to the BuddyPress Welcome Screen if this is the first time you’ve activated BuddyPress or if you’ve just upgraded BuddyPress. After taking some time to check out the new features added to the plugin, go to wp-admin menu Settings > BuddyPress > Components to begin configuring your installation.

Settings > BuddyPress > Components

By default, BuddyPress Core and the Members components are enabled (Must-Use).  Extended Profiles, Account Settings, Activity Streams, and Notifications components are activated for you.

You can, however, selectively disable/enable any of the components later if you choose to do so by using the same form. Your BuddyPress installation will continue to function. However, the features of the disabled components will no longer be accessible to anyone using the site

Admin Screen of the BuddyPress Components panel

Available Components
Each component has a unique purpose, and your community may not need each one.

  • Extended Profiles
    Customize your community with fully editable profile fields that allow your users to describe themselves.
  • Account Settings
    Allow your users to modify their account and notification settings directly from within their profiles.
  • Friend Connections
    Let your users make connections so they can track the activity of others and focus on the people they care about the most.
  • Private Messaging
    Allow your users to talk to each other directly and in private. Not just limited to one-on-one discussions, messages can be sent between any number of members.
  • Activity Streams
    Global, personal, and group activity streams with threaded commenting, direct posting, favoriting, and @mentions, all with a full RSS feed and email notification support.
  • Notifications
    Notify members of relevant activity with a toolbar bubble and/or via email, and allow them to customize their notification settings.
  • User Groups
    Groups allow your users to organize themselves into specific public, private or hidden sections with separate activity streams and member listings.
  • Site Tracking
    Record activity for new posts and comments from your site.

Required Components
The following components are required by BuddyPress and cannot be turned off.

  • BuddyPress Core: It‘s what makes [time travel] BuddyPress possible!
  • Community Members: Everything in a BuddyPress community revolves around its members.

Settings > BuddyPress > Pages

Pages are automatically generated for the BuddyPress components you enabled in the components settings using the default slugs based on the name of each component activated. Make sure that activated components have corresponding pages assigned to each in this panel.

Admin Screen of the BuddyPress Pages panel

Directories
Associate a WordPress Page with each BuddyPress component directory.

  • Activity Streams (if activated)
  • User Groups (if activated)
  • Members

Registration
Associate WordPress Pages with the following BuddyPress Registration pages if you want to enable registration.

  • Register
  • Activate

Settings > BuddyPress > Options

Admin Screen of the BuddyPress Options panel

Main Settings

  • Toolbar: Show the Toolbar for logged out users (default: enabled)
  • Account Deletion: Allow registered members to delete their accounts (default: enabled)

Profile Settings

  • Profile Photo Uploads: Allow registered members to upload avatars (default: enabled)
  • Cover Image Uploads:  Allow registered members to upload cover images (default: enabled)
  • Profile Syncing: Enable BuddyPress to WordPress profile syncing (default: enabled)

Groups Settings

  • Group Creation: Enable group creation for all users (default: enabled).
    Administrators can always create groups, regardless of this setting.
  • Group Photo Uploads: Allow customizable avatars for groups (default: enabled)
  • Group Cover Image Uploads: Allow customizable cover images for groups (default: enabled)

Activity Settings

  • Blog & Forum Comments: Allow activity stream commenting on blog and forum posts (default: disabled)
  • Activity Auto Refresh: Automatically check for new items by viewing the activity stream (default: enabled)
Update on May 27, 2022