How to Navigate the Elementor Interface

In your WordPress Dashboard, navigate to Pages > All Pages. Hover over the page you want to edit and click Edit with Elementor. The Elementor editor will load with the left panel open (defaulting to the Content tab) and the top bar visible above your canvas.

The Elementor editor consists of four key areas: the Left Panel (containing widgets, settings, and controls), the Main Canvas (your live page preview in the center), the Top Bar (with icons for Structure, Responsive Mode, and other tools), and the Bottom Toolbar (providing quick access to preview options and revision history). Everything you build happens through interaction between the left panel controls and the live canvas preview, with changes appearing instantly.

The left panel contains three main tabs: Elements (showing all available widgets organized by categories like Basic, Pro, General, and Site), Settings (for page-level configurations), and element-specific tabs when you select a widget. Each widget has three sub-tabs: Content (what appears on the page), Style (visual appearance like colors and fonts), and Advanced (spacing, positioning, and effects). Use the search bar at the top of the Elements tab to quickly find specific widgets rather than scrolling through all available options.

Click the Structure icon (tree-like icon) on the top bar to open the Navigator panel, which displays your page's hierarchical structure. Alternatively, right-click any element on the canvas and select Structure, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + I (Windows) or Cmd + I (Mac). The Structure window shows how sections contain columns, which in turn contain widgets, giving you a bird's-eye view of your page architecture.

In the Structure window, click once on any element name (such as Section, Column, or Heading). The canvas will scroll to that element, and its edit panel will open in the left panel under the Content and Style tabs. This method is particularly useful for locating hidden or deeply nested elements within complex page layouts.

Every Elementor page is built from Sections (horizontal rows that divide the page), which contain Columns (vertical divisions within sections), which in turn hold Widgets (actual content elements). Click the blue Add New Section button or plus icon to start building. Select your desired column layout (single column is ideal for beginners), and a blue section will appear with a column inside. You can adjust column width by dragging the handle that appears between columns when you hover over them.

From the Elements tab in the left panel, drag widgets (such as Heading, Image, Text Editor, or Button) into your columns on the canvas. Each column can hold multiple widgets stacked vertically. Click on any widget to select it and customize its content, style, or layout. The live preview updates instantly as you make changes, allowing you to see exactly how your page will appear to visitors.

Select any widget on the canvas to reveal its edit panel in the left sidebar. Use the Content tab to edit the actual text, images, or other content. Use the Style tab to control visual appearance including typography, colors, spacing, borders, and shadows. Use the Advanced tab to manage margins, padding, motion effects, backgrounds, responsive controls, and custom CSS. Beginners should focus primarily on Content and Style tabs initially, exploring Advanced settings as they gain confidence.

Access Responsive Mode via the bottom panel or top bar to preview and adjust your design for different devices—desktop, tablet, and mobile. You can tweak font sizes, spacing, element visibility, and other properties for each device individually to ensure your layout looks perfect everywhere. This is essential for creating mobile-friendly websites that work across all screen sizes.

Once you've finished designing, click the Update or Publish button in the top bar to save your changes. You can also save your design as a template for reuse across your WordPress site by right-clicking a section or column and selecting Save as Template. With Elementor Pro, you gain access to the Theme Builder, which allows you to design global site parts like headers and footers that appear consistently across your entire website.