Why do navigation elements show in Studio but not on WordPress.com?

  • Unknown's avatar
    coffeedelicate35d4f2ab12 · Member ·

    I’ve started using WordPress Studio recently. To visualize and test my website, I created an example site on WordPress.com (https://coffeedelicate35d4f2ab12-pbgcu-studio.wp.build/). But some of the navigation elements that work in Studio (localhost) are not visible on WordPress.com. Is this a known issue?

    Note: These images are from the Kadence WP theme, but I had similar difficulties with WordPress Twenty Twenty-Five theme.

    Thumbs up/down images, see Wikimedia Commons:
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jempol_Ngadep_Atas_(cropped).jpg
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jempol_Ngadep_Bawah_(cropped).jpg

  • Unknown's avatar
    qualitykoala32506b8445 · Member ·

    Ah, you’re using the Twenty Twenty-Five theme! This is one of the default WordPress themes and should behave similarly to other modern WordPress themes, but there could still be some specific settings or tweaks causing your navigation to behave differently between Studio and WordPress.com.

    Let’s walk through specific issues and solutions related to the Twenty Twenty-Five theme that might explain why your navigation elements are showing in Studio but not on WordPress.com. 1. Menu Location in Twenty Twenty-Five Theme

    The Twenty Twenty-Five theme, like many modern WordPress themes, relies on specific menu locations. If your menu isn’t showing up on the live site, it’s possible that it’s not assigned to the correct menu location. Solution:

    1. Go to WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Menus.
    2. Make sure you’ve created a Primary Menu and assigned it to the correct Menu Location:
      • Under Menu Settings, check the box for Primary Menu (this is the location where the main navigation should appear).
    3. Save the menu and refresh your website to check if the menu appears.

    2. Check for Responsive Design Issues

    The Twenty Twenty-Five theme is designed to be fully responsive. This means the menu might behave differently depending on the screen size (desktop vs. mobile). On mobile, the menu often switches to a hamburger-style menu, and sometimes it might not display properly if there’s an issue with the mobile theme behavior. Solution:

    1. Check on a desktop and mobile:
      • If it works fine on the desktop but not on mobile, the issue might be related to CSS or a JavaScript error.
      • Try inspecting the website using the browser’s developer tools (right-click > Inspect). Check for any hidden menu elements or JavaScript errors that could prevent the menu from appearing.
    2. Check for Custom CSS:
      • Go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS and look for any custom rules that might hide the navigation on mobile. Sometimes custom CSS can unintentionally hide elements or affect the layout.

    3. Custom JavaScript or Plugin Conflict

    Since Twenty Twenty-Five uses JavaScript for some of its interactions (like the mobile menu toggle), a JavaScript error or a plugin conflict could prevent the menu from showing on WordPress.com. Solution:

    1. Check for JavaScript Errors:
      • Open your site in a browser and use Developer Tools (right-click > Inspect > Console) to check for any JavaScript errors that might be preventing the menu from appearing. Errors here could come from plugins or custom code interfering with the default theme behavior.
    2. Disable Plugins Temporarily:
      • Disable your plugins temporarily to check if any of them are interfering with the navigation menu.
      • After disabling plugins, clear your cache and reload the site to check if the menu appears.

    4. Theme Customizer Settings

    There could be a theme setting in the Customizer that controls how the navigation appears on the live site. Sometimes, changes made in Studio might not be applied correctly on WordPress.com. Solution:

    1. Go to Appearance > Customize.
    2. Check the Header or Navigation section to ensure that the correct menu is enabled. The Twenty Twenty-Five theme has options for controlling the appearance of the header and navigation, and sometimes the theme might display a different menu or hide the navigation based on settings.
    3. Check the Site Identity settings to ensure no conflicting header settings are causing issues with the menu display.

    5. Check Menu Visibility Based on User Role

    Sometimes, navigation menus can be restricted based on user roles (like logged-in or logged-out users). If the menu is only visible to certain users, it might not show for visitors who are not logged in. Solution:

    1. Check if your theme or any plugin you are using has settings that restrict the visibility of the navigation menu.
    2. If you’re using a membership plugin or user access plugin, check the settings to ensure the menu is available to all users (or to the right user roles).

    6. Check if the Menu is Disabled for Mobile Devices

    Some themes or plugins allow you to hide the menu on specific devices (e.g., mobile or tablet). This could explain why the menu shows in Studio (which is usually in a desktop view) but doesn’t appear on WordPress.com. Solution:

    1. Check Theme Mobile Settings:
      • Go to Appearance > Customize > Header or Navigation (depending on the theme settings). Some themes allow you to toggle the visibility of the menu on smaller screens.
    2. If you’re using Additional CSS or custom media queries, check to ensure that the menu isn’t being hidden on certain screen sizes.

    7. Publishing vs. Preview Mode

    • Studio Mode could be showing changes because it’s still in a draft or preview mode, while on WordPress.com, the site is live.
    • Solution: Ensure that all changes made in WordPress Studio (such as assigning menus, customizing header, etc.) have been published. Sometimes, previewed changes aren’t reflected until the Publish button is clicked.

    8. WordPress.com Specific Restrictions

    Lastly, there might be some limitations on WordPress.com depending on your plan (Free, Personal, Business, etc.). Free plans on WordPress.com have fewer customization options, and some features might be restricted. Solution:

    • Make sure you’re on a Business plan or higher if you need full control over theme customization (such as custom CSS, custom JavaScript, etc.).
    • If you’re using a free or Personal plan, try switching to a plan that supports more advanced customizations.

    Quick Checklist:

    1. Verify the correct menu location in Appearance > Menus.
    2. Check for JavaScript errors (via Inspect > Console).
    3. Ensure no custom CSS is hiding the navigation (inspect element to see hidden styles).
    4. Check for mobile responsiveness—try on different devices.
    5. Review plugin conflicts—disable plugins temporarily.
    6. Ensure proper menu settings in the Customizer.
    7. Confirm user role restrictions (menus showing for specific users).
    8. Verify theme customization settings in Customizer.
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