How to Use Elementor in WordPress?

If you're a beginner exploring web design, you're likely asking, "How to use Elementor in WordPress?" This is a smart question because Elementor has revolutionized the way people build websites. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes designing professional-looking websites possible—without writing a single line of code. Whether you're creating a personal blog, a business website, a portfolio, or a landing page, Elementor provides a powerful, intuitive platform to bring your vision to life.

In this complete guide, we will walk you through everything: from installing Elementor and understanding its core interface to building your first responsive page and learning how to use powerful features like templates, widgets, and the Theme Builder. If you're ready to take your WordPress website to the next level, get started with Elementor here.

1. What is Elementor in WordPress?

Elementor is a powerful WordPress page builder plugin that replaces the basic WordPress editor with a live front-end visual editor. This means you can design your website in real-time and see changes instantly, rather than guessing how it will look on the front end.

The plugin is built for users of all levels. For beginners, it removes the complexity of writing code and provides an intuitive layout system. For developers and designers, it offers deep customization, responsive settings, and support for CSS and integrations.

Elementor comes in two versions: a free version and Elementor Pro, which includes more advanced features like pop-up builder, theme builder, WooCommerce support, and a library of premium widgets and templates.

2. How to Install Elementor Plugin in WordPress

Installing Elementor is as easy as installing any WordPress plugin. You don’t need any technical expertise or coding knowledge to set it up.

First, log into your WordPress dashboard. In the sidebar menu, click on Plugins > Add New. Then type "Elementor" into the search bar. The Elementor Website Builder should appear at the top of the results. Click the Install Now button and then Activate once the installation is complete.

Once activated, a new Elementor menu will appear on your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can adjust the plugin settings, manage templates, and start editing pages using the visual builder.

To unlock full features like form creation, theme customization, and marketing tools, consider upgrading to Elementor Pro, which you can install as a separate plugin after purchasing.

3. Getting Familiar with Elementor’s Interface and Structure

After installation, creating or editing a page with Elementor will take you to its unique interface, which consists of three primary elements:

1. The Sidebar Panel
This is located on the left side of the screen. It includes widgets, style settings, layout adjustments, and responsive controls. This panel is your control center where all design changes are made.

2. The Live Preview Canvas
The center area of the screen is your actual web page in its live preview form. You can click, drag, drop, and edit elements here, and all changes appear instantly.

3. The Bottom Toolbar
At the bottom, you’ll find essential tools like preview, responsive mode, history, page settings, navigator, and the publish/update button.

This three-part layout makes the design process straightforward and intuitive for beginners, while offering enough flexibility for experienced users to dig deeper.

4. Creating Your First Page with Elementor

To create your first Elementor-powered page, go to your WordPress dashboard and click Pages > Add New. Title your page (for example, “Home”) and click the Edit with Elementor button.

You’ll be taken into the Elementor editor where the fun begins.

Start by clicking the plus (+) button to add a new section. You’ll be asked to select a structure—this means how many columns you want in your section. Choose a single column or multiple, depending on the design.

Once your structure is set, drag widgets into each column. For instance:

  • Drag the Heading widget into the section and type your page title.

  • Below that, insert a Text Editor widget to add a short introduction.

  • Add an Image widget and upload your featured image or logo.

  • Finish with a Button widget that links to another page.

Each widget can be customized further using the Style and Advanced tabs in the sidebar. You can adjust colors, typography, spacing, and even add animations or hover effects.

5. Editing Content: Text, Images, and Backgrounds

Every element you add with Elementor can be edited visually and in real-time. Simply click on any widget in the preview area to open its editing options in the sidebar.

For text editing, click on the text or heading widget. You can change the content, font family, size, color, alignment, and more. Elementor supports both global fonts and Google Fonts.

For images, use the Image widget to upload or select from the WordPress media library. You can set alignment, caption, size, hover animation, and add alt text for SEO.

To change the background of a section or column, click on the section handle, go to the Style tab, and choose from:

  • A solid color: Use this for clean, simple designs.

  • A gradient: Adds a dynamic look with blended colors.

  • An image: Upload a background image and choose positioning and repeat behavior.

  • A video: Use a hosted video to make the background interactive (Pro only).

These background options give you complete control over your page’s visual appeal.

6. Responsive Design: Making Your Site Mobile and Tablet Friendly

One of Elementor’s best features is its built-in support for responsive design, meaning your website can adapt to different screen sizes like desktop, tablet, and mobile without writing CSS.

Click the Responsive Mode icon in the bottom left of the editor. Here you can switch between Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile views. Each view allows you to customize layouts individually.

For example:

  • Resize headings or text to fit smaller screens.

  • Change padding and margin to ensure elements aren’t too cramped.

  • Hide specific elements on mobile devices to reduce clutter.

This ensures your site remains fast, readable, and engaging across all devices—an essential feature for modern web users and SEO rankings.

7. Using Elementor Templates and Blocks

To speed up design and inspiration, Elementor offers a large library of pre-made templates and blocks that you can insert with a single click.

Templates are complete page layouts like homepages, about us, contact, services, etc. Blocks are smaller sections, such as hero banners, pricing tables, testimonials, FAQs, or calls to action.

To use a template:

  • Click the Folder icon in the main editor.

  • Browse the Library of free and Pro templates.

  • Click Insert to load the design into your page.

Once inserted, you can fully customize the template to fit your brand. You can also save any design section as a "My Template" to reuse on other pages.

8. Designing Global Headers and Footers with Elementor Pro

The free version of Elementor allows you to design individual pages, but Elementor Pro unlocks the Theme Builder, which lets you design:

  • Custom headers with logos, menus, and search icons.

  • Footers with copyright text, navigation links, and social media buttons.

  • Single post templates for blogs.

  • Archive pages and product pages for e-commerce.

With the Display Conditions feature, you can set different templates to appear on specific pages, categories, or user roles. This is ideal for creating a consistent design across your entire website or for customizing landing pages and campaign-specific layouts.

To create a global header or footer:

  1. Go to Templates > Theme Builder.

  2. Click “Add New” and choose the type (Header, Footer, etc.).

  3. Design the layout with widgets like Nav Menu, Site Logo, Site Title, and Social Icons.

  4. Set display conditions like “Entire Site” or “Homepage Only.”

This gives you full control of your website structure without relying on a third-party theme.

9. Publishing and Managing Elementor Pages

After finishing your design, click the green Publish button in the bottom left of the editor. If you're editing an existing page, the button will say Update.

You can preview your design using the eye icon, save it as a draft, or set visibility settings like public, private, or password-protected.

Elementor also includes a History panel, which allows you to undo or redo changes and revert to earlier versions of your design—an essential tool when experimenting with layouts.

Additionally, you can save any widget, section, or page as a Global Widget, which lets you update it once and apply the change across all instances sitewide (Pro only).

10. Why Elementor Pro is Worth the Investment

While the free version is ideal for beginners, Elementor Pro adds powerful features for those wanting more control and advanced functionality. Here’s why upgrading might be a smart move:

  • Theme Builder: Customize your header, footer, blog posts, and archive layouts without using code or third-party themes.

  • WooCommerce Integration: Build high-converting product pages and checkout pages visually.

  • Popup Builder: Create stunning popups for lead capture, email opt-ins, promotions, and exit-intent triggers.

  • Form Builder: Build and manage contact forms, surveys, and lead generation tools with integrations to Mailchimp, ConvertKit, HubSpot, and more.

  • Advanced Widgets: Includes sliders, price tables, countdown timers, testimonials, carousels, portfolios, and more.

  • Global Widgets and Site Settings: Maintain brand consistency and streamline editing site-wide.

Whether you're building sites for clients or growing your own business, Elementor Pro pays for itself with its efficiency, flexibility, and professional design capabilities.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to use Elementor in WordPress, you have all the tools to design a website that looks and functions the way you imagine. Elementor removes the friction of coding and replaces it with creativity, speed, and total customization.

From installing the plugin and learning the layout system to designing mobile-responsive pages and exploring templates, Elementor offers everything a beginner needs. And with the power of Elementor Pro, you can take your website to a whole new level.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is Elementor in WordPress?
A: Elementor is a drag-and-drop website builder plugin that lets users design web pages visually inside WordPress without any coding.

Q2: Is Elementor free?
A: Yes, the core version is free, but Elementor Pro offers advanced features like Theme Builder, Popup Builder, and premium widgets.

Q3: How do I install Elementor?
A: Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard, search for “Elementor,” click Install, and then Activate.

Q4: Can I build a website using only the free version?
A: Yes, you can build basic pages with the free version. For advanced customization, Elementor Pro is recommended.

Q5: Is Elementor beginner-friendly?
A: Absolutely. Elementor was built with non-coders in mind and offers an intuitive interface suitable for complete beginners.

Q6: Can I design my site’s header and footer using Elementor?
A: Yes, but you’ll need Elementor Pro to use the Theme Builder to create global headers and footers.

Q7: Does Elementor support mobile responsiveness?
A: Yes. Elementor includes responsive controls for customizing layout and styles for mobile and tablet views.

Q8: Are Elementor pages SEO-friendly?
A: Yes, Elementor is optimized for performance and works well with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math.

Q9: Can I use Elementor with WooCommerce?
A: Yes, especially with Elementor Pro, which includes tools for customizing WooCommerce shop and product pages.

Q10: Where can I buy Elementor Pro?
A: You can get Elementor Pro from the official Elementor website.

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