Hey there! Do you want to see how your WordPress site looks and performs on mobile devices?
Viewing the mobile version of your site on desktop can be incredibly valuable. It allows you to quickly preview the mobile experience and make tweaks before going live.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore multiple methods for viewing your WordPress site on a mobile preview right from your desktop browser.
After 15 years as a webmaster, I‘ll also share my best tips for optimizing your mobile site.
Let‘s dive in!
Contents
Why You Should Preview the Mobile Version
Mobile internet usage continues to skyrocket. Consider these statistics:
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Mobile accounts for over 50% of total website traffic worldwide (Source)
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The portion of traffic from mobile is increasing by an average of 4% year-over-year (Source)
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60% of users say they will not return to a site that takes over 3 seconds to load on mobile (Source)
Clearly, delivering an excellent mobile experience is no longer optional – it‘s a necessity.
Here are some of the key reasons you should preview the mobile version of your WordPress site:
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See how the layout, text size, buttons and other elements display on mobile screens.
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Identify functionality issues with menus, forms, videos or features on mobile.
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Check loading speeds over 3G/4G connections (aim for under 3 seconds!)
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Make sure your calls-to-action and conversions work properly on mobile.
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Verify your site is ready for Google‘s mobile-first search indexing.
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Test changes and tweaks quickly without affecting your live site.
While the only perfect test is on a real mobile device, a desktop preview provides fast insights that can help you optimize the experience.
Now let‘s compare different methods for viewing the mobile version of your site.
3 Ways to View Your Site on Mobile from Desktop
There are a few options for previewing the mobile version of your WordPress site right from your desktop browser:
1. Use the WordPress Customizer
The WordPress customizer provides a live preview of your site. You can use it to view the mobile version.
Pros:
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Preview responds dynamically as you make customizations
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Great for testing changes before publishing
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Easy to access from the WordPress dashboard
Cons:
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Only shows one mobile screen size
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Limited customization options
How to use:
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Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
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Go to Appearance > Customize.
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Click the mobile device icon at the bottom to view the mobile preview.
The customizer method works well, especially for early theme development and testing. Next let‘s look at previewing in your browser.
2. Use Your Browser‘s Device Mode
Most major browsers like Chrome and Firefox come equipped with developer tools that make it easy to view a page in mobile mode.
For example, here‘s how to use Chrome‘s device simulation:
Pros:
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Can simulate many different devices and screen sizes
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Additional mobile debugging and testing tools
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Works on any website, not just your own
Cons:
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Still limited compared to actual devices
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Requires some technical knowledge
How to use:
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Open your site in Chrome and click View > Developer > Developer Tools.
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Click the phone icon to toggle device simulation.
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Choose a mobile device profile from the dropdown menu.
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Your site will display as if on that mobile device.
The browser tools provide robust control over testing different devices, orientations, and conditions.
Next up are dedicated mobile testing tools.
3. Use Mobile Testing Tools
There are awesome online tools for previewing your WordPress site across countless mobile profiles:
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Google Mobile-Friendly Test: Provides a mobile preview of your live site along with optimization feedback.
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BrowserStack: Gives you instant access to 1000+ real device profiles for mobile testing.
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Responsinator: Lets you view your site on different simulated device sizes side-by-side.
Pros:
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Test against real devices and OS profiles
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Advanced feedback on issues and fixes
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Easy online access without software downloads
Cons:
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Paid plans can get expensive
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Limited ability to make live changes
How to use:
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Visit the tool‘s website (links above).
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Enter the URL of your site.
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View the mobile preview and test results.
These professional tools provide deep mobile insights that complement your own browser testing.
Now let‘s go over some pro tips for optimizing your WordPress site for mobile…
Expert Tips to Optimize Your Mobile Site
Once you have a mobile preview pulled up, here are some key elements to review:
Page Layout
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Content should dynamically resize/reflow for mobile screens.
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There should be adequate margins on sides for easy tapping and scrolling.
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Use mobile breakpoints in your theme for optimal layouts.
Text Size
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Font sizes need to be readable without zooming in.
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Headings should be larger to help guide visitors.
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Links require tap targets of at least 40px x 40px.
Site Speed
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Test mobile load times over 3G connections (goal: < 3 sec).
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Enable browser caching and lazy loading for images/videos.
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Minify CSS/JS and defer non-critical scripts.
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Switch to a mobile-friendly dropdown menu.
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Make top-level menu items tap-friendly.
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Add contact phone and email access in menu.
Forms
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Use minimal fields (often just email) on mobile.
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Allow autofill for faster completion.
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Increase form input sizes for easier tapping.
Calls-to-Action
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Prominently place primary CTA at top/bottom.
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Make buttons large with 40px+ height and padding.
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Grab attention with contrasting colors.
Popups / Slide-ins
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Focus on offering value versus being annoying!
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Let visitors easily close and continue on-site.
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Make popup content succinct and scannable.
Images
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Use responsive images that scale down on mobile.
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Enable lazy loading for faster page loads.
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Optimize and compress images to reduce file sizes.
Videos
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Make sure embedded videos are mobile-friendly.
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Disable autoplay to avoid unwanted data usage.
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Keep videos short and engaging for mobile viewers.
Optimizing these elements will help you deliver an excellent experience to mobile visitors.
Now let‘s look at creating unique mobile content for your WordPress site.
Create Mobile-Specific Content
While having a responsive site is crucial, you may also want to display tailored content to mobile users.
For example, showing a different version of an opt-in popup to smartphone visitors could increase conversions.
Here are some ways to create mobile-specific content with WordPress:
Use a Responsive Page Builder
Tools like Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Divi make it easy to design pages specifically for mobile.
You can preview the mobile layout while you build and optimize for that experience.
Add Conditional Content
Plugins like Jetpack let you conditionally show content based on the visitor‘s device.
This allows you to display custom content just for mobile visitors.
Find Top Mobile Plugins
A Mobilogo finder helps you discover the best WordPress plugins for mobile popups, analytics, and more.
Review ratings and comparisons to choose the right solutions.
Use Popup Plugins
Tools like OptinMonster make it easy to target different popups, slide-ins, and banners based on device type.
Create mobile-optimized campaigns proven to convert.
Next Steps and Resources
Previewing your WordPress site on mobile is key, but should be combined with testing on real devices.
Here are additional resources to help you optimize for mobile success:
- Google‘s Mobile-First Indexing Guide
- Essential Metrics for Optimizing Mobile User Experience
- WPMobileKit – WordPress Mobile Plugin
Hopefully this guide gave you a good overview of why and how to view the mobile version of your WordPress site right from your desktop.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow webmasters.
