How to Remove Primary Navigation from the WooCommerce Storefront Homepage: A Beginner’s Guide
So, you’re using the popular WooCommerce Storefront theme and want to declutter your homepage by removing the primary navigation menu? You’re in the right place! Many online store owners, especially those focusing on landing pages or specific product promotions on their homepage, find the primary navigation redundant and desire to remove it. This guide provides a straightforward, beginner-friendly approach to achieving this, without requiring advanced coding knowledge.
Think of it like this: imagine a physical storefront. Sometimes you want to guide people directly to a specific product, so you remove all the distracting signage pointing them elsewhere and just highlight the item you want them to see. Removing the primary navigation from your homepage is like doing that online.
Why Remove the Primary Navigation from the Homepage?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s quickly cover the “why.” Here are a few common reasons:
- Improved Focus: A cleaner, more focused homepage can direct visitors’ attention to your core message or call to action. This is especially useful for promotional campaigns or single-product landing pages.
- Reduced Clutter: Removing unnecessary elements can make your website look more professional and less overwhelming, especially for new visitors.
- Enhanced User Experience: In some cases, a simplified homepage provides a better user experience, particularly if you’re guiding users through a specific sales funnel.
- Mobile Optimization: On smaller screens, every pixel counts. Removing redundant navigation elements can improve the mobile viewing experience.
- `display: none;` is a CSS rule that hides the specified element (in this case, the primary navigation).
- `.home #primary-navigation` targets the element on the homepage only.
Method 1: Using a Child Theme (Recommended)
The safest and most recommended method is to use a child theme. A child theme ensures that any customizations you make won’t be overwritten when you update the Storefront theme. If you edit the Discover insights on How To Import Product From Any Website With Woocommerce parent theme directly and then update, all your changes will be lost!
If you don’t already have a child theme, you’ll need to create one. It’s easier than it sounds!
1. Create a New Folder: On your server, navigate to `wp-content/themes/`. Create a new folder named `storefront-child`.
2. Create a Stylesheet: Inside the `storefront-child` folder, create a new file named `style.css`.
3. Add the Required CSS: Add the following code to `style.css`:
/*
Theme Name: Storefront Child
Theme URI: https://example.com/storefront-child/ (Replace with your website URL)
Description: Storefront Child Theme
Author: Your Check out this post: How To Add A A United Kingdom Zone To Woocommerce Name
Author URI: https://example.com (Replace with your URL)
Template: storefront
Version: 1.0.0
*/
@import url(‘../storefront/style.css’);
#primary-navigation {
display: none;
}
Important: Replace the placeholder URLs with your actual website information. `Template: storefront` is crucial; it tells WordPress this is a child theme of Storefront.
4. Activate the Child Theme: In your WordPress admin, go to Appearance > Themes and activate the “Storefront Child” theme.
5. Target the homepage: We only want to target the homepage, add the `.home` class to the css selector, if it is set on `body` tag.
.home #primary-navigation {
display: none;
}
6. Verify: Visit your homepage. The Explore this article on How To Add A Sub Menu Woocommerce primary navigation should now be gone! If not, clear your browser cache.
Explanation:
Method 2: Using a Plugin (For Those Who Don’t Want to Code)
If you’re not comfortable working with code, you can use a plugin to add custom CSS to your WordPress site. A popular choice is “Simple Custom CSS.”
1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin. Search for “Simple Custom CSS” (or a similar plugin) and install and activate it.
2. Add the CSS: Go to Appearance > Customize. You should see a “Custom CSS” section. Add the following CSS code:
.home #primary-navigation {
display: none;
}
3. Save and Publish: Click “Publish” to save your changes.
4. Verify: Visit your homepage. The primary navigation should be gone! If not, clear your browser cache.
Explanation: The plugin allows you to add custom CSS to your site without directly editing theme files, which is safer. Again, `.home #primary-navigation` hides the navigation only on the homepage.
Method 3: Editing the `functions.php` File (Advanced & Not Recommended Directly)
Warning: This method is more advanced and carries a higher risk of breaking your site if you’re not careful. It’s strongly recommended to use a child theme and place the code there, to prevent changes from being overwritten during theme updates. Directly editing the parent theme’s `functions.php` is highly discouraged.
1. Access the `functions.php` File: Using a file manager or FTP, navigate to your Storefront theme’s folder (`wp-content/themes/storefront/`). Find the `functions.php` file. Make a backup of this file before editing!
2. Add the Code: Add the following code to the *end* of the `functions.php` file (or, better yet, to your child theme’s `functions.php`):
function storefront_remove_homepage_navigation() { if ( is_front_page() ) { remove_action( 'storefront_header', 'storefront_header_widget_region', 40 ); remove_action( 'storefront_header', 'storefront_primary_navigation_wrapper', 42 ); remove_action( 'storefront_header', 'storefront_primary_navigation', 50 ); remove_action( 'storefront_header', 'storefront_primary_navigation_wrapper_close', 68 ); } } add_action( 'wp', 'storefront_remove_homepage_navigation' );
3. Save the File: Save the `functions.php` file.
4. Verify: Visit your homepage. The primary navigation should be gone! If not, clear your cache.
Explanation:
- `is_front_page()` checks if the current page is the homepage.
- `remove_action()` removes the actions that display the primary navigation in the `storefront_header` hook. Storefront uses actions to Explore this article on How To Change Product Image Size Woocommerce build its header.
- `add_action()` hooks your custom function (`storefront_remove_homepage_navigation`) to the `wp` action, which runs after WordPress is loaded.
Why this is not recommended directly:
* Theme Updates: As mentioned earlier, updating the Storefront theme will overwrite any changes you make directly to its files.
* Complexity: This method requires understanding WordPress action hooks and theme structure, which can be overwhelming for beginners.
* Error Prone: A small mistake in the `functions.php` file can break your entire site.
Important Considerations
- Caching: After making any changes, clear your browser cache and any website caching plugins you have installed. Sometimes cached versions of your site can prevent changes from appearing immediately.
- Testing: Always test your changes on a staging site (a copy of your live site) before implementing them on your live site. This allows you to catch any errors without affecting your visitors.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Double-check that your website looks good on mobile devices after removing the navigation. You might need to add alternative navigation methods for mobile users.
By following these methods, you can easily remove the primary navigation from your WooCommerce Storefront homepage and create a more focused and visually appealing experience for your visitors. Remember to choose the method that best suits your comfort level and always back up your website before making any changes! Good luck!
