What are widgets and why do you need them in WordPress?

Widgets are blocks of content that you can add to sidebars, footers, and other widget areas of your WordPress site without having to write any code.

Reasons for using widgets:

• Add image galleries: Widgets make it easy to add and display image galleries anywhere on your site.
• Display social media feeds: Add your social media feeds to integrate your accounts with your website.
• Include quotes, calendars, and popular posts: Display important information such as quotes, event calendars, or popular posts to engage users.
• Other dynamic elements for your site: Use widgets to add functional elements that enhance the user experience.

How to add a widget to your WordPress sidebar

There are several ways to add widgets to your WordPress sidebar.

Method 1: Using the widget menu

• Navigate to Appearance » Widgets in your WordPress admin panel.
• Click the up arrow to expand the widgets section of your sidebar.
• Click the "+" icon to open the widget menu.
• Select the widget you want and add it to your sidebar.
• Click the "Update" button to save your changes.

Method 2: Use the theme customizer

• Go to Appearance » Customize and select the "Widgets" option.
• Select the "Right sidebar menu".
• Click the "+" icon to add a widget.
• Select the desired widget and it will be automatically added to the sidebar.
• Click the "Publish" button to save your changes.

How to delete a widget in WordPress

Removing a widget is as easy as adding one.

• Go to Appearance » Widgets in your admin panel.
• Click on the widget you want to remove.
• Click the "Options" button in the top corner of the widget and select "Delete block".

Alternative method: Move a widget to inactive widgets

• Click the "Move" icon in the upper corner of the widget.
• Drag the widget to the "Inactive Widgets" section.
• Click the "Update" button to save your changes.

What widgets are available in WordPress?

The standard WordPress installation includes built-in widgets such as recent posts, tags, search bar, categories, calendar, and others.

Extending the capabilities of widgets:

• Plugins and themes: Most WordPress plugins and themes have their own widgets that can be added to the site.
• WPForms: For example, the WPForms plugin allows you to add contact forms to any widget area of your site.
• Additional widgets: Some themes and plugins add additional widgets for users without the need to write code or HTML.

Create your own widget

If you need a completely customized widget, you can create your own. To learn more, you can search for more information about this and see the steps in this article.

Steps to create a custom widget:

• Define the functionality: Determine what kind of functionality you want to add to your site with a widget.
• Creating the widget code: Write the PHP code that will implement the widget functionality.
• Integrate the widget: Add the widget code to your theme or plugin files.
• Testing the widget: Test the widget on your website to make sure everything is working properly.

Using widgets can significantly improve the functionality and appearance of your website, making it more interactive and user-friendly. Widgets allow you to easily add new elements to your website without having to edit the code or structure of your template. This makes them a great tool for improving your website quickly and efficiently.

Watch our video tutorial to learn how to add or remove a widget step by step.