Widgets and sidebars in WordPress: what they are, and what changed with block themes

The short answer: a widget is a block of content you put in a fixed area of the site, such as the sidebar or footer (search, recent posts, categories, a text). In a classic theme you manage them under Appearance > Widgets. Block themes do not have those areas: the same is done in the Editor, with “templates” and “patterns”.

The most used widgets

Widget What it is for
Search A box for the visitor to search the site. Useful on a blog or a shop.
Recent posts / categories Show what is new and help navigation. On small sites they are often too much.
Custom text or HTML An address, opening hours, an image, a WhatsApp button. Be careful with outside code.
Subscription form Usually comes from a plugin. Ask for consent: Building an e-mail list legally.

How to add a widget

1 See whether your theme is classic or block: if there is no “Widgets” in the Appearance menu, it is a block theme.
2 In a classic theme, open Appearance > Widgets, choose the area (sidebar, footer) and press + to add the block you want.
3 Order and save. Open the site to see how it looks, on a computer and a phone.
4 In a block theme, open the Editor, choose the template or template part (footer, sidebar) and add the blocks there: Block theme or classic theme.
Every widget weighs. Those that load outside things (social networks, statistics, videos) make the site slower. Choose only those that help the visitor: Tag Manager and pixels. Never paste into a “Custom HTML” widget code you do not understand.
If the site is small, an almost empty sidebar is better than a full one.

Cannot find the widgets in your theme? Open a ticket with the address and the theme’s name.

Open a support ticket

SEE ALSO

Block theme or classic theme in WordPress: what is the difference and which to pick

Installing a WordPress theme

Google Tag Manager and tracking pixels: adding them without slowing your site

LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress: the first settings

RECOMMENDED PRODUCT

WordPress hosting

One-click install, updates handled, and speed that holds up. from $6.59/mo (3-year plan, with coupon)

See plans
  • 0 Users Found This Useful
Was this answer helpful?

Related Articles

How to install WordPress in a few clicks You don't have to download WordPress, create a database and upload files by hand. The installer in cPanel does all of it...
Common WordPress errors: white screen, critical error and how to find the cause The site stopped opening and shows a blank white screen, or the line «There has been a critical error on this website»....
Cannot get into the WordPress dashboard: the six usual causes The site opens, but the admin dashboard does not. Either it asks for the password in an endless loop, or it says the det...
How to remove WordPress from a domain, without leaving anything behind You want WordPress off a domain, because the installation broke, because you are starting over, or because the site is b...
Protecting the WordPress login: three steps in order of effect WordPress’s login address is the same on every site in the world: /wp-admin and /wp-login.php. That means any automated...
Choosing your WordPress home page: a static page or your latest posts The short answer: WordPress can show on the home page your latest posts (like a blog) or a fixed page you wrote (like a...