Do you need a different gallery on every post without building a different page each time? An ACF Gallery field stores images against the post itself, so one Elementor template can show whatever that post holds.
The Gallery Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor reads an ACF Gallery field directly — you name the field and the widget does the rest.
To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Gallery Listing widget, click here.
Requirement – This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor, make sure it’s installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.
Before You Start
- Edition: Pro — the ACF Gallery source is part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. In the free plugin the option is visible but shows an upgrade notice instead of its settings.
- Also required: ACF Pro, installed and activated. The Gallery field type is a Pro feature of ACF; the free version of ACF does not have it.
- Also required: a post type whose posts already have images in that field — an empty field renders an empty gallery.
- Widget to enable: Gallery Listing, switched on under ThePlus Settings > Widgets.
How this fits together
| Piece | Does what |
|---|---|
| ACF Gallery field | Stores the images, per post |
| Elementor template | Lays out the post once |
| Gallery Listing widget | Reads the field by name and renders the images |
Because the images live on the post, adding a photo later means editing the post — not the template.
Step 1: Create the ACF Gallery field
In the WordPress admin go to ACF > Field Groups and click Add New. Name the group, then add a field with Field Type set to Gallery and give it a Field Label. Leave Return Format and Library at their defaults.
You can add a Gallery field to an existing field group instead of creating a new one.
Step 2: Assign the group to a post type
In the group’s Settings, set the location rule to the post type you want — for example Post to show the field on all blog posts. Save the group, and copy the field name; the widget needs it in step 4.
Step 3: Add images to your posts
Open a post. The gallery field now appears on the edit screen — add the images that belong to that post. Do this for at least a couple of posts before moving on, otherwise there is nothing to see when you build the template.
Step 4: Point the widget at the field
In your Elementor template, drag in the Gallery Listing widget, pick a layout in Content > Layout, then open Content > Content and set Select Option to ACF Gallery.
Step 5: Enter the field name
A Gallery Field Name box appears. Type the ACF field name you copied in step 2 — the field name, not its label. They are usually different: a label of Project Photos normally has the name project_photos.
What It Looks Like
Settings Reference
| Setting | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Select Option | Content > Content | Normal, Repeater (Pro), ACF Gallery (Pro) |
| Gallery Field Name | Content > Content | The ACF field name, not its label |
| Layout | Content > Layout | All four layouts work with an ACF source |
| Display Image Size | Content > Extra Options | Same sizing controls as any other source |
Limitations
- ACF Pro is required. The Gallery field type does not exist in free ACF.
- The ACF Gallery source is Pro in The Plus Addons too. Both plugins need their paid version.
- The field name must match exactly. There is no picker and no validation — a wrong name renders nothing, with no error.
- Name, not label. This is the single most common mistake with this widget.
- It only works in a dynamic context. On a static page there is no current post, so there is no field to read. Use it inside a single-post template or a listing loop.
- Per-image categories are not available. The category filter needs the Repeater source; ACF supplies images only.
Troubleshooting
The gallery is empty
Work through these in order: the Gallery Field Name matches the ACF field name exactly; the field group’s location rule covers this post type; and the post you are previewing actually has images in that field.
It works on one post and not another
That post’s gallery field is empty. The field is per post, so each one needs its own images.
Nothing renders on a normal page
There is no current post for ACF to read from. The widget needs a dynamic context — a single-post template, or a loop item.
I entered the field label and it did not work
Use the field name. In ACF the label is the human-readable text; the name is the lowercase, underscored key shown beneath it.
