Widgets

Widgets are small content blocks — like a text box, image, list of recent posts, or social media links — that you can add to your chapter website’s sidebars and other widget-ready areas. This article covers how to add, edit, reorder, and remove widgets.

Accessing the Widget Editor

  1. Log in to your chapter’s WordPress dashboard.
  2. Go to Appearance > Widgets.
  3. You’ll see a list of widget-ready areas (usually named things like Sidebar, Footer 1, Footer 2, etc.) on the right, and available widget types on the left.

Tip: Not sure which widget area shows up where on your site? Check Sidebars for a breakdown of where each area displays.

Adding a Widget

  1. On the Appearance > Widgets screen, find the widget-ready area you want to add to (e.g., Sidebar).
  2. Click the + (Add block) icon inside that area.
  3. Search for or select the widget type you want to add:
    • Text/Paragraph — free-form text and basic formatting.
    • Image — a single image, with an optional link.
    • Recent Posts — automatically lists your latest news items.
    • Custom HTML — for embedding code (used sparingly; contact support if unsure).
    • Social Icons — links to your chapter’s social media accounts.
  4. Fill in the widget’s content and settings in the panel that appears.
  5. Click Update or Save (the button may say either, depending on the area) to publish your changes.

Note: Widget changes save independently per widget area. If you’re adding widgets to more than one area, save each one before moving to the next.

Editing a Widget

  1. On the Appearance > Widgets screen, locate the widget you want to change within its widget area.
  2. Click on the widget to expand its settings.
  3. Update the content, title, or settings as needed.
  4. Click Update to save your changes.

Reordering Widgets

  • Click and drag a widget up or down within its area to change the order it appears on the page.
  • You can also drag a widget from one widget area to another (e.g., moving something from Sidebar to Footer 1).
  • Changes save automatically as you drag, but it’s good practice to refresh the page and confirm the new order stuck.

Removing a Widget

  1. On the Appearance > Widgets screen, locate the widget you want to remove.
  2. Click on the widget to expand its settings.
  3. Click the three-dot Options menu (⋮) in the widget’s toolbar and select Remove, or drag the widget to the trash if your editor shows one.
  4. Confirm the widget area saves after removal.

Tip: If you just want to temporarily hide a widget rather than delete its content, consider moving it to the Inactive Widgets area (if available) instead of removing it outright — this preserves your settings for later.

Troubleshooting

  • My widget changes aren’t showing on the live site. Try clearing your browser cache — see Clearing Your Browser Cache.
  • I don’t see an Appearance > Widgets option. Your user role may not have access to this area. Contact your chapter administrator or submit a support ticket.
  • My widget looks fine in the editor but broken on the live site. This is often caused by custom HTML or embedded code. Try removing recent custom HTML additions to isolate the issue.

Still stuck? Submit a support ticket and we’ll help you sort it out.

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Sidebars