Main Menu changes between log in and log out

This may be a plugin or theme conflict. Please attempt to disable all plugins, and use one of the default (Twenty*) themes. If the problem goes away, enable them one by one to identify the source of your troubles.

If you can install plugins, install “Health Check”: https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/health-check/ On the troubleshooting tab, you can click the button to disable all plugins and change the theme for you, while you’re still logged in, without affecting normal visitors to your site.

See https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-deactivate-all-plugins-when-not-able-to-access-wp-admin/

Ive already done the gauntlet of disabling the plugins installed. my site is live and this is a new issue. getting into the admin area is not a problem. I am using Vantage fir a them and doing a complete rebuild with a new them isn’t feasible.

I didn’t say you need to do a complete rebuild with another theme. Change the theme and see if the problem goes away. If it does, it’s a theme problem, so contact the developers. If not, then put Vantage back and we can try something else.

Please post a screenshot of appearance->menus for your main menu. (Put it on imgur.com and paste a link to that here.)

its fixed. two plugins conflicting.