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Header Elements & Icons

Pro feature

Add functional elements to your header to improve navigation and access to key features. These toggles live in the Site Header section of the Customizer and let you show or hide search, cart, community icons, and the login/register links.

Header Icons Settings Header element toggles in the Site Header section showing search, cart, community, and login options

What You Can Add

BuddyX Pro lets you enable these header elements from the Site Header section:

  • A More Menu overflow toggle for extra menu items
  • A Site Search icon, with a Default or Fullwidth search style
  • A Site Cart icon (when WooCommerce is active)
  • Friends, Messages, and Notifications icons (when BuddyPress is active)
  • Login and Register links for logged-out visitors, with a button style picker

Enabling Header Elements

  1. Go to Appearance > Customize
  2. Open the Site Header section
  3. Toggle on the elements you want
  4. Click Publish

Available Header Elements

Every control below is a Yes / No switch unless noted otherwise.

More Menu

Collapses overflow navigation items into a "more" dropdown so the header stays tidy when the menu is long.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
More Menu ? site_more_menu Yes / No Yes

Site Search

Shows a search icon in the header. When enabled, a second control chooses how the search field expands.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
Site Search ? site_search Yes / No Yes
Site Search Style side_search_style Default, Fullwidth Default

The Site Search Style control only appears when Site Search is set to Yes. Choosing Fullwidth adds a search-fullwidth body class so the search field spans the full header width.

Site Cart (WooCommerce)

Displays a cart icon in the header. This control appears only when WooCommerce is active.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
Site Cart ? site_cart Yes / No Yes

Community Icons (BuddyPress)

When BuddyPress is active, three switches control the community icons for logged-in members.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
Friends Component ? site_friend Yes / No No
Messages Component ? site_message Yes / No Yes
Notifications Component ? site_notification Yes / No Yes

These controls appear only when BuddyPress is active.

Login & Register Links

For logged-out visitors, the header can show links to sign in and register.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
Site Login Link ? site_login_link Yes / No Yes
Site Register Link ? site_register_link Yes / No Yes

Login/Register Button Style

Sets how the login/register links are presented. This control appears only when Site Login Link is set to Yes.

Setting Setting ID Options Default
Login/Register Button Style site_header_button_style Icon+Text, Only Icon, Only Text, Icon+Text Button, Icon Button, Text Button Icon+Text

What Visitors See

  • Logged Out: Login and Register links (styled per the button-style control)
  • Logged In: the community icons you enabled (Friends, Messages, Notifications) plus the account menu

Recommended Setups by Site Type

Online Store

Enable: Site Search + Site Cart
Search Style: Default
Buttons: Icon+Text login/register

Why this works: shoppers can search products and reach the cart, while login and register stay clear for new customers.

Community Platform

Enable: Site Search + Friends + Messages + Notifications
Search Style: Fullwidth
Buttons: Icon+Text Button login/register

Why this works: members can search and stay on top of friend requests, messages, and notifications from the header.

Blog / Magazine

Enable: Site Search + More Menu
Search Style: Default
Buttons: Only Text login/register

Why this works: readers can search and browse a long menu without clutter.

Common Questions

Which elements should I enable? Only enable what your visitors will use. A store needs the cart; a blog may only need search.

Why don't I see the cart or community toggles? The Site Cart toggle appears only with WooCommerce active. The Friends, Messages, and Notifications toggles appear only with BuddyPress active.

Where is the dark mode toggle? The dark/light mode toggle is not a Site Header control. It lives under Appearance > Customize > Site Skin (see the Dark Mode documentation).

Can I change the search style after enabling it? Yes. Set Site Search to Yes, then pick Default or Fullwidth under Site Search Style.

Related Settings

Got a question? We're a friendly team - happy to help.