---
title: "How to Create a Side Menu in Elementor?"
url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-side-menu-in-elementor/
date: 2023-10-27
modified: 2026-09-11
lang: en
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "Are you looking to create a side menu in Elementor? A side menu lists your pages in a column at the side of the page, which suits shops and sites..."
image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Create-a-Side-Menu-in-Elementor_-1024x536.jpg
word_count: 545
---

# How to Create a Side Menu in Elementor?

## 

- The Plus Addons for Elementor Navigation Menu widget creates a Vertical Side Menu in Elementor, and the menu can stay always open or open from a title bar on hover or click.
- Open Direction controls submenu placement: Left opens submenus to the right of a left-side menu, and Right opens submenus to the left of a right-side menu.
- Vertical Side Title Bar is on by default, and it supports Normal, Hover, and Click states plus Title Link, Prefix Icon, and Postfix Icon options.

Are you looking to create a side menu in Elementor? A side menu lists your pages in a column at the side of the page, which suits shops and sites with many categories.

With the Navigation Menu widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor, you can build a side menu that is always open, or one that opens from a title bar on hover or click.

*To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Navigation Menu widget, [click here](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/navigation-menu-widget-settings-overview/).*

***Requirement - This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor, make sure it's installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.***

[LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-builder/header-builder/navigation-menu/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text)

Table Of Contents

## Before You Start

- **Edition:** **Pro** — the Navigation Menu widget is part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. The free **Navigation Menu Lite** widget does not have this option.- **Widget to enable:** Navigation Menu, switched on under **The Plus Addons > Widgets**.- **A WordPress menu** under **Appearance > Menus**, if you use the **Default** menu type.

## Step 1: Choose Vertical Side Menu

Add the Navigation Menu widget to a sidebar, page or template. In **Layout**, choose the **Menu Type**. **Menu Direction** is a row of three pictures — **Horizontal Menu**, **Vertical Menu** and **Vertical Side Menu**, in that order. Hover over a picture to see its name. Choose the third one, **Vertical Side Menu**.

## Step 2: Set the submenu direction

In **Content**, pick your menu, then set **Open Direction**. The name is the side of the page your menu sits on:

- **Left** (default) — submenus open to the *right* of the menu. Use it for a menu on the left of the page.- **Right** — submenus open to the *left* of the menu. Use it for a menu on the right of the page.

![Open Direction in the Content section of a Vertical Side Menu](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/navigation-menu-open-direction.webp)

Then choose **Menu Hover/Click** and **Menu Effects** for the submenus.

## Step 3: Set up the title bar

**Vertical Side Title Bar** is on by default. It adds a bar above the menu. **Title Bar Hover/Click** decides what it does:

- **Normal** — the menu is always open; the bar is just a heading.- **Hover** — the menu opens while the mouse is over the bar or the menu.- **Click** — each click on the bar opens or closes the menu. Turn on **Default Open Click** to start with it open.

![Title Bar Hover/Click set to Click, with Default Open Click below it](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/navigation-menu-title-bar.webp)

**Title** sets the bar text (default “Navigation Menu”), **Title Link** makes it a link, and **Prefix Icon** and **Postfix Icon** add icons before and after the text. Style the bar in **Style > Vertical Side Title Bar**.

> *With **Click**, a Title Link is not followed — the click opens and closes the menu instead.*

![A side menu opened from its title bar on the published page](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/navigation-menu-result-side.webp)

## Limitations

- **Pro only.** Navigation Menu Lite has no Vertical Side Menu.- **One Open Direction per widget.** All submenus open the same way.- **Wrong side = cut-off submenus.** A menu on the left with Open Direction **Right** opens its submenus off the screen.

## Troubleshooting

### Submenus open off the screen

Set **Open Direction** to the side of the page the menu is on: Left for a left menu, Right for a right menu.

### Clicking the title bar does nothing

Check **Title Bar Hover/Click** is set to Click, and look in the browser console for JavaScript errors from another plugin.

## Related Docs

- [Navigation Menu widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/navigation-menu-widget-settings-overview/)- [Create a side mega menu](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-side-mega-menu-in-elementor/)- [Create a vertical menu](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-vertical-menu-in-elementor/)