Understanding how to make a drop down menu in WordPress Elementor can significantly enhance your website's navigation. This beginner-friendly tutorial will walk you through the process step-by-step, whether you’re using the free or Pro version of Elementor. A well-structured dropdown can help guide users efficiently and boost your website’s usability.
Getting Started with Elementor Menu Setup
Before you build a dropdown, ensure your WordPress theme supports menus and that Elementor is installed and activated. If you're using Elementor Pro, you'll gain access to advanced menu widgets which simplify the task even further. For free users, alternative plugins or custom HTML/CSS might be necessary.
Create the Main Menu in WordPress
Start by creating a primary navigation menu that will house your dropdown items. The WordPress menu system allows for easy nesting and hierarchy control.
- Go to Appearance > Menus in your WordPress dashboard.
- Click Create a new menu and name it something like "Main Navigation" or "Header Menu."
- Add top-level items like Home, About, Services, and Contact.
- Drag sub-items slightly right under a top-level item to nest them into a dropdown.
- Check Primary Menu to assign it to your theme’s default menu location.
This nested structure is essential as Elementor will pull this configuration into the menu widget for display.
Using the Elementor Menu Widget
Now let’s integrate the menu into your Elementor layout using the menu widget. Elementor Pro’s Nav Menu widget is the easiest and most powerful way to do this, especially for dropdown menus.
- Open your header template or page in Elementor.
- Drag the Nav Menu widget (Pro feature) onto your section where you want the navigation to appear.
- Select the menu you created earlier from the dropdown in settings.
- Choose a layout: Horizontal is most common for headers, while Vertical may suit sidebars.
This widget will automatically recognize submenus and render them as dropdowns when hovered or clicked, depending on your interaction settings.
Customize Menu Appearance in Elementor
Style your dropdown using Elementor's design settings for a visually pleasing and user-friendly navigation. A consistent, readable style improves both aesthetics and accessibility.
- Typography: Adjust font size, family, and weight for clarity. Make sure your text contrasts well with the background.
- Colors: Set hover and active state colors to give users visual feedback when they interact with your menu.
- Dropdown Style: Configure background color, border-radius, shadow, and padding for submenu containers.
- Alignment: Align items horizontally or vertically based on layout and screen size.
- Spacing: Add margin and padding between items to prevent them from appearing cluttered.
Use the advanced tab to control responsive behavior and motion effects for smoother dropdown animations.
Making the Dropdown Menu Responsive
Ensure your dropdown looks great on mobile and tablet views by customizing breakpoints and toggler icons. Responsive design ensures consistent usability across devices.
Enable responsive controls
- Switch to mobile view in Elementor's responsive mode to preview how your menu appears.
- Adjust spacing, font size, and menu toggle alignment for smaller screens.
- Hide or rearrange certain menu items if space is limited on smaller devices.
Customize mobile toggle
- Choose an icon type (hamburger, text label, or custom SVG) for your mobile menu toggle.
- Style the background, icon color, and padding to ensure visibility and easy interaction.
- Set toggle animation type such as slide, fade, or overlay for submenu expansion.
Always test on real devices or emulators to validate performance and navigation ease.
Extra Tips for a Better Navigation Experience
Keep menu items concise. Long labels can clutter dropdowns and reduce readability, especially on mobile.
Limit submenu levels. One or two levels are ideal for usability. Deep hierarchies confuse users.
Use hover animations. Add subtle effects like fades or slides to make the navigation feel interactive and modern.
Consider user journey. Place key pages such as Services and Contact in prominent positions within the top-level menu.
Test accessibility. Ensure dropdowns are keyboard navigable and readable by screen readers.
Useful Links
Appearance Menus Screen – WordPress.org – Official guide on creating and managing menus in WordPress, including how to nest items for dropdowns.
Create a Dropdown Menu – Elementor – Step-by-step instructions on building dropdown menus using Elementor's Nav Menu widget.
Nav Menu Widget (Pro) – Elementor – Detailed documentation on using the Nav Menu widget in Elementor Pro for creating responsive navigation menus.
Responsive Editing – Elementor – Learn how to adjust your Elementor designs for different screen sizes to ensure mobile responsiveness.
Elementor Responsive 101 – Academy – Comprehensive tutorial on making your Elementor website responsive across various devices.
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Conclusion
Mastering how to make a drop down menu in WordPress Elementor is a simple but powerful way to improve user navigation. With features like the Elementor menu widget and responsive controls, you can build a professional, user-friendly navigation bar that adapts across devices. Don’t forget to fine-tune its appearance and test interactions thoroughly to ensure a seamless experience for all visitors.
