Customizing WordPress Theme Headers and Footers
Posted on 19th June 2023
Headers and footers are integral parts of any website design. They are usually the first and last thing visitors see when they navigate to a website, so it’s important to make sure they are well designed and reflect the overall tone of the website. While many WordPress themes come with pre-designed headers and footers, there may be times when you want to customize them to better suit your needs. In this article, we’ll show you how to customize the header and footer of your WordPress theme.
How to Customize the Header of Your WordPress Theme
There are two ways to customize the header of your WordPress theme:
- Edit the header.php file directly
- Use a plugin like Header and Footer
We recommend using the second method, as it is much easier and less likely to cause problems with your website. However, if you are comfortable editing code, you can edit the header.php file directly. Simply locate the file in your theme’s folder and edit it with a text editor like Notepad++ or Atom.
If you want to use a plugin to customize the header of your WordPress theme, we recommend the Header and Footer plugin. It is a free plugin that allows you to easily add code to the header and footer of your website. Simply install and activate the plugin, then go to the Settings » Header and Footer page to add your code.
How to Customize the Footer of Your WordPress Theme
Just like with the header, there are two ways to customize the footer of your WordPress theme:
- Edit the footer.php file directly
- Use a plugin like Header and Footer
We recommend using the second method, as it is much easier and less likely to cause problems with your website. However, if you are comfortable editing code, you can edit the footer.php file directly. Simply locate the file in your theme’s folder and edit it with a text editor like Notepad++ or Atom.
If you want to use a plugin to customize the footer of your WordPress theme, we recommend the Header and Footer plugin. It is a free plugin that allows you to easily add code to the header and footer of your website. Simply install and activate the plugin, then go to the Settings » Header and Footer page to add your code.
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There are a few things to consider when customizing the header and footer of a WordPress theme. First, the header is typically the first thing visitors see when they come to your site, so it’s important to make a good impression. The header is also a good place to include important information about your site, such as your contact information or your social media links.
The footer is typically the last thing visitors see when they leave your site, so it’s a good place to include a call to action or a final message. You can also use the footer to include information about your site, such as your copyright information or your terms of use.
When customizing the header and footer of your WordPress theme, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Use branding in your header.
Make sure your header includes your site’s name or logo. This will help visitors remember your site and it will make your site look more professional.
2. Include important information in your header.
Your header is a good place to include your contact information, social media links, and any other important information about your site.
3. Use a call to action in your footer.
Your footer is a good place to include a call to action, such as a button that links to your contact page or a form that visitors can fill out to subscribe to your newsletter.
4. Include important information in your footer.
Your footer is also a good place to include your copyright information or your terms of use.
5. Make sure your header and footer are mobile-friendly.
More and more people are accessing the internet from their mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure your header and footer are mobile-friendly. This means using a responsive design that looks good on all screen sizes.
Customizing the header and footer of your WordPress theme is a great way to make your site look more professional and to include important information about your site. Follow these tips to make sure you get the most out of your header and footer customization.
When it comes to customizing WordPress themes, there are really two ways to go about it: either through the WordPress Customizer or by editing the theme files themselves. If you’re just starting out with WordPress, then the Customizer is probably the best option for you. It’s a visual interface that allows you to see your changes in real-time, so you can get a feel for how your site will look before you make any permanent changes.
If you’re more comfortable working with code, then editing the theme files directly is probably the way to go. Either way, you’ll need to have a good understanding of HTML, CSS, and PHP in order to make any significant changes to a WordPress theme.
In this article, we’ll focus on how to customize WordPress theme headers and footers. We’ll start with the Customizer method, and then we’ll show you how to do it by editing the theme files directly.
Customizer Method
To access the WordPress Customizer, go to Appearance > Customize from the left-hand sidebar of your WordPress dashboard.
Once you’re in the Customizer, you’ll see a number of different options on the left-hand side. The one we’re interested in is called Header & Footer.
Click on Header & Footer to expand the options. Here, you’ll see a few different sections:
Site Identity: This is where you can change the name and tagline of your site, as well as the logo.
This is where you can change the name and tagline of your site, as well as the logo. Header: This is where you can change the header image, as well as the header text color.
This is where you can change the header image, as well as the header text color. Footer: This is where you can change the footer text color and background color.
For now, let’s focus on the Header section.
If you want to change the header image, click on the Add new image button. This will open the WordPress media library, where you can upload a new header image.
Once you’ve selected or uploaded your image, you’ll need to crop it to the proper size. The recommended size for a header image is 1200x300px. Once you’ve cropped your image, click on the Publish button to save your changes.
Next, let’s change the header text color. By default, it’s set to the theme’s default color, which is usually black. To change it, simply click on the color picker and choose your desired color. Once you’re happy with your selection, click on the Publish button to save your changes.
And that’s all there is to changing the header image and text color in the WordPress Customizer!
Editing Theme Files
If you’re more comfortable working with code, then you can also customize your WordPress theme headers and footers by editing the theme files directly.
To do this, you’ll need to connect to your WordPress site via FTP. Once you’re connected, go to the /wp-content/themes/your-theme-name/ directory.
In this directory, you’ll see a number of different files and folders. The ones we’re interested in are header.php and footer.php.
These are the files that control the header and footer of your WordPress theme. To edit them, simply right-click on the file and choose View/Edit.
Once you’ve opened the file in your text editor, you can make whatever changes you want. Just be sure to save your changes and upload the file back to your server when you’re finished.
And that’s all there is to customizing WordPress theme headers and footers!
