How to Add a Custom Sidebar in Hello Elementor Theme (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you’re using the Hello Elementor theme, you might have noticed that it doesn’t natively support sidebars. Unlike themes like Astra, which offer built-in sidebar options, Hello Elementor follows a minimalistic approach—meaning fewer default features.

But what if you need a sidebar for widgets, ads, or additional navigation?

In this guide, I’ll show you how to add a fully functional custom sidebar in the Hello Elementor theme using a simple PHP code snippet.

Why Doesn’t Hello Elementor Have a Sidebar?

Hello Elementor is designed as a lightweight, performance-optimized theme for Elementor users. Since Elementor allows drag-and-drop page building, the theme intentionally avoids extra features like sidebars to keep it fast and clean.

However, many users still need sidebars for:
✔ Blog layouts
✔ E-commerce filters (WooCommerce)
✔ Advertisement spaces
✔ Custom widget areas

Luckily, we can manually add a sidebar with a few lines of code.

Method: Add Sidebar Using Code Snippets Plugin

Since editing theme files directly can lead to data loss during updates, we’ll use the Code Snippets plugin for safe implementation.

Step 1: Install Code Snippets Plugin

1. Go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New.
2. Search for “Code Snippets” and install it.
3. Activate the plugin.

Step 2: Add the Sidebar Registration Code

1. Go to Snippets → Add New.
2. Give it a title (e.g., “Custom Sidebar for Hello Elementor”).
3. Select “PHP Snippet” as the code type.
4. Paste the following code:

function custom_sidebar() {
    register_sidebar( array(
        'name'          => __( 'Custom Sidebar', 'post_sidebar' ),
        'id'            => 'custom-sidebar',
    ));
}
add_action( 'widgets_init', 'custom_sidebar' );

5. Click “Save Changes and Activate.”

Step 3: Check Your New Sidebar

1. Go to Appearance → Widgets.
2. You should now see “Custom Sidebar” available.
3. Drag and drop widgets into it.

How to Add Multiple Sidebars

If you need more than one sidebar, modify the code like this:

function custom_sidebars() {
    $sidebars = array(
        'custom-sidebar'     => __('Custom Sidebar', 'custom-sidebar'),
        'footer-sidebar-1'   => __('Footer Sidebar 1', 'custom-sidebar'),
        'footer-sidebar-2'   => __('Footer Sidebar 2', 'custom-sidebar'),
        'blog-sidebar'       => __('Blog Sidebar', 'custom-sidebar'),
    );

    foreach ($sidebars as $id => $name) {
        register_sidebar(array(
            'name'          => $name,
            'id'            => $id,
        ));
    }
}
add_action('widgets_init', 'custom_sidebars');

Now, you’ll have two sidebars in Widgets → Appearance.

If you want to use code snippet suggested by Elementor itself as explained here. Use code given below:

if (function_exists("register_sidebar")) {
  register_sidebar();
}

if you want to create multiple sidebars using this method than use this code:

if (function_exists("register_sidebar")) {
  register_sidebar();
  register_sidebar();
  register_sidebar();
}

How to Display the Sidebar in Elementor

1. Edit a page with Elementor.
2. Drag the “Sidebar” widget from the panel.
3. Select your custom sidebar from the dropdown.

✅ Done! Your sidebar will now appear on your page.

Final Thoughts

While Hello Elementor doesn’t include sidebars by default, adding them is easy with a few lines of PHP. Using the Code Snippets plugin ensures your changes stay safe during updates.

FAQs

❓ Can I add different sidebars for different pages?
Yes! Use conditional logic plugins or Elementor Pro’s Theme Builder to assign sidebars dynamically.

❓ Will this slow down my site?
No, the code is lightweight and won’t affect performance.

❓ Can I style the sidebar?
Absolutely! Use Customizer → Additional CSS or Elementor’s styling options.

Watch the Full Video Tutorial

By following this guide, you can unlock full sidebar functionality in Hello Elementor without switching themes!