{"id":37282,"date":"2022-10-04T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=37282"},"modified":"2025-05-21T21:29:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T04:29:10","slug":"guide-to-wp-sidebars-widgets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/guide-to-wp-sidebars-widgets\/","title":{"rendered":"WordPress Widgets & Sidebars: Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Possibly WordPress\u2019s strongest selling point is how customizable it is<\/a>, even for beginners. Of course, you still have to understand the platform\u2019s fundamental features if you want to get the most out of your site. Learning how sidebars and Widgets function is an excellent first step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress Widgets are handy little modules that enable you to add specific functionality to sidebars and footers of Classic themes. Even better, you don\u2019t need to know any coding to use them. Thanks to Widgets, you can use your sidebars to display images, recent posts, a search bar, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Introduction to WordPress Widgets and Sidebars<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n
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There are a few ways that WordPress helps you customize the look and functionality of your website, even if you\u2019re not a designer. For example, themes enable you to make large-scale changes<\/a> to your site\u2019s appearance. However, what if you want to add specific features to your web pages instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Widgets<\/a> \u2014 simple but flexible options that are included in WordPress by default. Widgets are small, pre-built modules that add new functionality to your site. Using a widget, you can include features such as a search bar, a list of recent posts, a custom menu, and much more. Plus, the method of actually placing a widget on your site couldn’t be easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for where they go, there are one or more designated \u2018widget areas\u2019 on your site. These can often vary depending on your theme. However, in general, they\u2019re in your site\u2019s sidebar(s)<\/a> and footer. Therefore, Widgets can build out your sidebars and similar elements, so you can customize what they contain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Add Widgets to Your WordPress Site<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s always easiest to understand how a feature works by seeing it in action. So, let\u2019s walk through exactly how to use Widgets within WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways to add Widgets to your site. You\u2019ll want to head to your dashboard and then navigate to either Appearance > Customize<\/i> or Appearance > Widgets<\/i>. Keep in mind that the Site Editor<\/a> doesn\u2019t use Widgets, so you can\u2019t perform either of these methods with a block theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the WordPress Customizer<\/a> enables you to see changes to your site as you make them, we\u2019ll use the first method. Once you\u2019re in the Customize<\/i> screen, click on the Widgets<\/i> tab:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Here, you\u2019ll see a list of the widget areas on your site. Again, what these areas are (and where they\u2019re located on your pages) will vary based on the theme you\u2019re using. In our example, we\u2019re using WordPress\u2019 Twenty Seventeen theme<\/a>, which has one sidebar on the right side of the page and two separate footers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click on the widget area you\u2019d like to customize. You\u2019ll probably see a few Widgets listed there already. For example, Twenty Seventeen has two Text<\/i> Widgets and a Search<\/i> widget in the sidebar by default:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Select the Add a Widget<\/i> button, and you\u2019ll see a list of all the options you can place in your widget area. Let\u2019s say you wanted to include a list of categories in your sidebar. You would simply click on the Categories<\/i> widget, and it will appear in the list on the left:<\/p>\n\n\n

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To customize the widget itself, click on the small arrow in the right corner. Each widget has unique options. For example, the Categories<\/i> widget enables you to set a title and choose from a few settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to remove a widget, you can click on Delete<\/i> at the bottom of its window. To reorder the Widgets, select one and drag it up or down:<\/p>\n\n\n

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On the right-hand side of the page, you can see your live changes take effect. For example, dragging the Categories<\/i> widget into your sidebar makes it immediately appear on the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can do this with all of your site\u2019s widget areas, tweaking them until you\u2019re happy. When you\u2019re done, don\u2019t forget to hit the Publish<\/i> button to save your changes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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