This Is How to Move Widget Area to Another Section in WordPress Customizer and Add Controls to It
As a WordPress developer, one of the common tasks you may encounter is the need to customize the placement and behavior of widget areas within the WordPress Customizer. Whether you want to move a widget area to a different section or add additional controls, the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter can be a powerful tool to achieve this.
In this article, we'll dive into the details of how to use this filter to move a widget area to another section in the WordPress Customizer and add custom controls to it.
Understanding the customizer_widgets_section_args
Filter
The customizer_widgets_section_args
filter is a WordPress hook that allows you to modify the arguments used to create the Customizer section for a specific widget area. By using this filter, you can customize the appearance and behavior of the widget area within the Customizer.
The filter function takes three parameters:
$section_args
: An array of arguments for the Customizer section.
$section_id
: The ID of the Customizer section.
$sidebar_id
: The ID of the widget area.
By targeting a specific widget area using the $sidebar_id
parameter, you can then manipulate the $section_args
array to change the location and properties of the widget area within the Customizer.
Step 1: Identify the Widget Area You Want to Customize
Before you can start modifying the widget area, you need to know the ID of the widget area you want to work with. You can find this information by going to the WordPress Appearance > Widgets page and looking at the ID of the widget area you want to customize.
For example, let's say you want to move the "Footer" widget area to a different section in the Customizer. The ID for this widget area might be "footer-widgets".
Step 2: Use the customizer_widgets_section_args
Filter to Move the Widget Area
Now that you have the widget area ID, you can use the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter to move the widget area to a different section in the Customizer. Here's an example:
add_filter('customizer_widgets_section_args', 'customizer_custom_widget_area', 10, 3);
function customizer_custom_widget_area($section_args, $section_id, $sidebar_id) {
if ($sidebar_id === 'footer-widgets') {
$section_args['panel'] = 'my_panel';
$section_args['priority'] = 20;
}
return $section_args;
}
In this example, we're using the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter to check if the $sidebar_id
matches the "footer-widgets" widget area. If it does, we're modifying the $section_args
array to move the widget area to a custom panel called "my_panel" and set the priority to 20.
The $section_args
array contains various properties that you can customize, such as:
'panel'
: The ID of the Customizer panel to which the section should belong.
'priority'
: The priority of the section, which determines its position within the panel.
'title'
: The title of the section.
'description'
: The description of the section.
'active_callback'
: A callback function that determines whether the section should be active or not.
By modifying these properties, you can move the widget area to a different location within the Customizer and customize its appearance and behavior.
Step 3: Add Custom Controls to the Widget Area
In addition to moving the widget area, you may also want to add custom controls to it. This can be useful if you want to provide additional functionality or settings specific to the widget area.
To add custom controls, you can use the customize_register
hook and the WP_Customize_Control
class. Here's an example:
add_action('customize_register', 'customizer_add_widget_area_controls');
function customizer_add_widget_area_controls($wp_customize) {
$wp_customize->add_setting('footer_widget_title', [
'default' => 'Footer Widget Title',
'transport' => 'refresh',
]);
$wp_customize->add_control('footer_widget_title', [
'label' => __('Footer Widget Title', 'your-theme-text-domain'),
'section' => 'footer-widgets',
'type' => 'text',
]);
}
In this example, we're using the customize_register
hook to add a new setting and control to the "Footer" widget area section. The add_setting
method creates a new Customizer setting with the ID "footer_widget_title" and a default value of "Footer Widget Title".
The add_control
method then creates a new Customizer control, associating it with the "footer_widget_title" setting. We're setting the label, the section (which should match the widget area ID), and the type of control (in this case, a text input).
You can add as many custom controls as you need, using different types of controls such as checkboxes, dropdowns, or color pickers, depending on your requirements.
Real-World Example: Moving the "Footer" Widget Area to a Custom Panel
Let's look at a real-world example of how you can move the "Footer" widget area to a custom panel in the WordPress Customizer and add a custom control to it.
Suppose you have a WordPress theme with a "Footer" widget area, and you want to move it to a custom panel called "Footer Settings" and add a control to change the widget title.
Here's the code you can use:
// Move the "Footer" widget area to a custom panel
add_filter('customizer_widgets_section_args', 'customizer_custom_widget_area', 10, 3);
function customizer_custom_widget_area($section_args, $section_id, $sidebar_id) {
if ($sidebar_id === 'footer-widgets') {
$section_args['panel'] = 'footer_settings';
$section_args['priority'] = 20;
}
return $section_args;
}
// Add a custom control to the "Footer" widget area
add_action('customize_register', 'customizer_add_widget_area_controls');
function customizer_add_widget_area_controls($wp_customize) {
$wp_customize->add_panel('footer_settings', [
'title' => __('Footer Settings', 'your-theme-text-domain'),
'priority' => 200,
]);
$wp_customize->add_setting('footer_widget_title', [
'default' => 'Footer Widget Title',
'transport' => 'refresh',
]);
$wp_customize->add_control('footer_widget_title', [
'label' => __('Footer Widget Title', 'your-theme-text-domain'),
'section' => 'footer-widgets',
'type' => 'text',
]);
}
In this example, we're using the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter to move the "Footer" widget area to a custom panel called "Footer Settings" and set its priority to 20.
We're also using the customize_register
hook to add a custom panel called "Footer Settings" and a new control called "Footer Widget Title" to the "Footer" widget area section. The control allows the user to change the title of the footer widget area.
When a user opens the WordPress Customizer, they will now see a new "Footer Settings" panel, and the "Footer" widget area will be located within that panel. They can then use the "Footer Widget Title" control to change the title of the footer widget area.
Get a Free AI Website Audit
Automatically identify UX and content issues affecting your conversion rates with Flowpoint's comprehensive AI-driven website audit.
Conclusion
The customizer_widgets_section_args
filter is a powerful tool for WordPress developers who need to customize the placement and behavior of widget areas within the Customizer. By using this filter, you can move widget areas to different sections, change their priority, and add custom controls to provide additional functionality.
In this article, we've walked through the process of using the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter to move a widget area to a different section and add custom controls to it. We've also provided a real-world example of how you can move the "Footer" widget area to a custom panel and add a control to change the widget title.
By leveraging the customizer_widgets_section_args
filter, you can create a more intuitive and user-friendly Customizer experience for your WordPress users, allowing them to easily manage and customize the widget areas on their website. Flowpoint.ai can help you identify any technical issues that may be impacting your website's conversion rates and generate recommendations to fix them