If you’re a WordPress beginner then you may be wondering what are widgets are and how you go about using them. Widgets allow you to add different functionality and features to your WordPress sidebars without writing any code. In this article, we will show you how to add and use Widgets in WordPress along with sharing some examples.

What are Widgets?

Widgets are tiny blocks of specific functionality that you can place in your WordPress sidebar. For many, this is a really easy way to add galleries, popular posts, Facebook like boxes and other dynamic features on their WordPress site.

Widgets can be found on Appearance » Widgets page in your WordPress admin area.

You will see a list of the widgets you can add under available widgets.

On the right, you will find the sidebar which is the designated spot on your site for widgets. Note that these areas are defined by your site’s theme.

If you can’t find the widget you are looking for then it can be added via a plugin.

Adding a widget to the sidebar in WordPress

The easiest way to add a widget to your sidebar is to simply click and drag them onto your sidebar. You can also click on a widget from the list of available ones and it will display a list of destinations for it. Simply select the chosen sidebar and click ‘Add Widget’.

The widgets page is not the only way to add widgets to your WordPress site, however. You can also add widgets using the live preview by visiting Appearance » Customize.

It’s important to note that not all of your widget-ready areas and sidebars will appear in the customizer. This is why we recommend using the Appearance » Widgets screen to add widgets in WordPress.

How to remove a Widget in WordPress?

Removing a widget in WordPress is just as simple as adding them. Visit the Appearance » Widgets page.

Look for the widget that you want to remove in your sidebars and click on the widget title to expand it.

Below the widget settings, you will find the link to delete the widget. Deleting a widget will remove it from your sidebar and will also delete any widget settings.

Deleting or sending a widget to inactive widgets does not remove it from the list of available widgets. You can always add a widget again from the list of available widgets or inactive widgets.