Theme headers versus Elementor header templates in Plumbit

Understand header ownership#

Open the Customizer's Header panel and inspect the relevant area: Main Header, Top Header, Sticky Header, or Mobile Header. Each area exposes a layout-type control with Theme Options and Elementor. The selected provider owns that area's output.

In Theme Options mode, the theme selects its visual header variant and uses the theme's locations and settings. In Elementor mode, the selected published Header record is rendered when a valid template is selected. Do not infer ownership from a template's name or from a menu assignment.

When Theme Options owns the header#

Theme Options mode uses the Header Customizer controls for the design and logo, together with the menu assigned to Plumbit's Main Menu location. Use the Header Type, top-header layout, sticky variant, and mobile controls in their respective Customizer sections. The theme mobile output reads the separate Mobile Menu location. Follow How to configure the Plumbit theme header and How to configure the Plumbit mobile header for those workflows.

When Elementor owns the header#

Plumbit's Header templates are separate Elementor-editable records. They do not depend on Elementor Pro Theme Builder display conditions. The template selected in Plumbit's header controls supplies the corresponding header area.

Use the relevant layout type's Choose a Header control to select a published Header record. Header records are stored under the WordPress Headers post type. Open the selected record in Elementor to edit its content and navigation widgets. Plumbit's Header Nav Menu widgets render the theme's Main Menu location. Plumbit's Header Mobile widgets render the separate Mobile Menu location. These widgets do not provide a separate saved-menu selector.

Mobile and Sticky Header areas have their own layout-type and Choose a Header controls, so each can use its own provider and selected Header record. If an Elementor provider is selected without a valid Header record, Plumbit renders no Elementor header for that area; it does not silently switch back to the theme header.

Global settings and page-level overrides#

The Page Sections Meta Box exposes matching provider and template controls for Top Header, Main Header, Mobile Header, and Sticky Header on supported singular content types. It also has a separate Page Header Layout Type for the title/banner system. When a page-level control supports inheritance, leaving it unset allows the corresponding global setting to apply. Where a matching page-level override is available, use it for a deliberate exception.

Before replacing a global header, record any page-level provider or template override. One page can therefore use a different header source without changing the global Header settings.

Switch providers safely#

1. Record the current state#

   Write down the provider, chosen Header post, theme Header Type, logo, Main Menu, Mobile Menu, and sticky state.

2. Confirm the target source#

   Check that the intended theme variant or published Header post exists before changing the provider.

3. Preview representative output#

   Check desktop, sticky, mobile, homepage, normal page, post, and a page with a page-level override.

4. Publish after checking duplication#

   Confirm that one header source is visible at each breakpoint. Do not delete the old template as a first step.

Common ownership mistakes#

• Editing Customizer settings while Elementor owns the visible area.
• Editing an Elementor Header template while Theme Options mode is active.
• Changing a menu location when the selected Header widget reads another location.
• Changing a global header while a page-level provider or template override is active.
• Confusing the site header with the Page Header/title area.
• Allowing theme and Elementor output to render simultaneously.

Expected result#

You can identify the active header owner, edit the correct source, preserve menu ownership, and avoid duplicate output when global or page-level settings differ.

When to contact support#

Send the affected URL, provider and template state, page-level override state, menu assignment, viewport, screenshot, Plumbit version, Plumbit Extensions version, WordPress version, PHP version, and any console or PHP-log evidence. Do not delete templates or send passwords. See Getting support for Plumbit.

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