---
title: How to Customize the Header of Your Website
description: "Customizing your website's header helps strengthen your branding and improves navigation for visitors. The header appears at the top of every page and is one of the most important areas of your website."
url: "https://thewebops.com/help-center/website-design-branding/how-to-customize-the-header-of-your-website/"
updated: "2026-05-13"
category: "Website Design & Branding"
---

# How to Customize the Header of Your Website

#### What Is the Header?

The header is the top section of your website, visible across all pages. It commonly includes:

- Navigation menus
- Call-to-action buttons
- Optional elements like off-canvas menus

A well-structured header helps visitors quickly find important pages and actions.

#### How to Access Header Customization

To edit the header:

1. Log in to your **WordPress Dashboard**
2. Go to **Appearance → Customize**
3. When the customizer opens, click **Header**

You will now see the header editor with a live preview of your website.

**Note:** Available options depend on your active theme.

#### Understanding the Header Editor

The header editor is divided into two main tabs:

##### Elements

Controls **what appears** in the header and **how elements are arranged**.

##### Design

Controls **how the header looks**, including width and spacing.

#### Header Presets

At the top of the Header settings, you'll find **Header Presets.**

##### What Header Presets Do

- Apply predefined header layouts
- Control how elements are distributed across rows and columns
- Allow quick layout changes without manual rebuilding

You can choose a preset and then customize individual elements afterward.

#### Header Rows and Layout Structure

The header is built using rows and columns.

- Each row can contain multiple columns
- Each column can hold one or more elements
- You can visually manage these rows directly in the preview

This structure allows layouts such as:

- Menu centered with buttons on the right
- Minimal headers with fewer elements
- Balanced layouts across desktop and mobile

#### Header Elements

Under the **Elements** tab, you can add, remove, and manage header components.

#### Primary Menu

Controls the main navigation menu displayed in the header.

- Choose which menu is shown
- Update menu items and order via menu settings

#### Button

Adds a call-to-action button to the header.

- Commonly used for actions like "Contact", "Get Started", or "Shop"
- Can link to internal pages or external URLs

#### Off-Canvas Menu

Adds a hidden menu that slides into view when activated.

- Often used for mobile navigation
- Helps keep the header clean on smaller screens

**Note:** Logo and site title settings are handled in a separate article and are not covered here.

#### Header Types

Some themes support different header behaviors.

#### Transparent Header

A **Transparent Header** allows the header to sit on top of page content, such as hero images.
 If a page uses a transparent header, you may see a notice indicating this, with an option to customize the transparent header separately.
 Transparent headers are commonly used for:

- Landing pages
- Hero sections
- Modern, visual-first designs

#### Header Design Settings

Switch to the **Design** tab to control the visual appearance of the header without changing its content.

#### Header Width

The **Width** setting controls how wide the header content appears.
 You can choose between:

- **Full Width**: The header stretches across the entire screen width.
- **Content Width**: The header content aligns with the main page content width.

Use **Full Width** for wide, modern layouts, or **Content Width** for a more structured design.

#### Header Margin

The **Margin** setting controls the space around the header.
 You can adjust margins for:

- Top
- Right
- Bottom
- Left

Margins help you:

- Add space between the header and page content
- Fine-tune vertical and horizontal spacing
- Improve overall layout balance

You can link margins to apply the same value to all sides or unlink them to customize each side separately.

#### Saving Your Header Changes

When you're done customizing the header:

- Click **Publish** to apply the changes
- Or use **Save Draft** to continue editing later

#### Helpful Tips

- Preview your header on multiple pages
- Test how the header looks on mobile and tablet views
- Avoid overcrowding the header with too many elements
- Use buttons only for key actions