---
title: "How to Set Elementor Accordion Closed by Default [3 Easy Steps]"
url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/set-elementor-accordion-closed-by-default/
date: 2024-01-17
modified: 2026-09-11
lang: en
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "Do you want your accordion to start with every item closed? A closed accordion is short and tidy, and visitors open only the answer they need. The Accordion widget from..."
image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/How-to-Open-A-Specific-Accordion-by-Default-in-Elementor_-1024x536.jpg
word_count: 250
---

# How to Set Elementor Accordion Closed by Default [3 Easy Steps]

## 

- The Accordion widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor controls the default open state with Active Tab, and it works in the free plugin.
- Set Content > Extra Option > Active Tab to 0, and every accordion item stays closed on page load.
- Active Tab choices run from 1 to 20, and the post says Expand & Collapse Button in Pro lets visitors open everything.

Do you want your accordion to start with every item closed? A closed accordion is short and tidy, and visitors open only the answer they need.

The Accordion widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor controls this with **Active Tab**, and it works in the free plugin.

*To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Accordion widget, [click here](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/elementor-accordion-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-widget/accordion/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text)

## Before You Start

- **Edition:** Free — works in the free plugin and in Pro.- **Widget to enable:** Accordion, switched on under **The Plus Addons > Widgets**.

https://youtu.be/S2fpN63Lnzk?t=1385

## Steps

- Add the Accordion widget and your items.- Go to **Content > Extra Option > Active Tab**.- Choose **0**.

![Active Tab set to 0 in the Extra Option section](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/accordion-active0.webp)

Publish. Every item is now closed until a visitor clicks one.

## All Active Tab Choices

| Choose | On page load |
| ------ | ------------ |
| 0 | Every item closed |
| 1 (default) | The first item open |
| 2, 3, … 20 | That item open |
| All Open | Every item open |

## Limitations

- **Up to 20.** You can pick items 1 to 20; an item after the 20th can’t be the one that starts open.- **After loading, one item at a time.** Even with All Open, clicking works one item at a time. To let visitors open everything, add the [Expand & Collapse Button](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/expand-close-elementor-accordion-button/) (Pro).

## Quick Summary

- Add the Accordion widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor.- Open Content > Extra Option.- Set Active Tab to 0.

## Related Docs

- [Accordion widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/elementor-accordion-widget-settings-overview/)- [Open the accordion on hover](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/elementor-accordion-on-hover/)- [Accordion vs toggle](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/elementor-accordion-vs-toggle/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Why does my Elementor accordion open with the first item by default instead of starting closed?**
A: That happens when Active Tab is left on the default value of 1, which opens the first item on page load. For a closed start, The Plus Addons for Elementor uses Active Tab = 0 in the Accordion widget. That setting works in the free plugin, so the fix is about changing the initial state, not adding extra code. If you want the widget-level settings context, [Accordion widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/elementor-accordion-widget-settings-overview/) is the relevant reference.

**Q: How do I make an Elementor accordion closed by default without coding?**
A: The clean no-code setup is to add the Accordion widget, open Content > Extra Option > Active Tab, and set it to 0. In The Plus Addons for Elementor, that makes every item closed until a visitor clicks one. This is useful when you want a short, tidy layout and don’t want to force an answer open before the user chooses it.

**Q: Does Elementor accordion closed by default work in the free version of The Plus Addons for Elementor?**
A: The closed-by-default behavior works in the free plugin. The page states that Active Tab controls this in the Accordion widget and that it works in the free plugin. That matters because you do not need Pro just to start with all items closed. Pro only comes up later for a different feature: letting visitors open everything with the Expand & Collapse Button.

**Q: What does Active Tab = 0 do in an Elementor accordion?**
A: Active Tab = 0 means every accordion item starts closed on page load. In The Plus Addons for Elementor, that is the setting used for a tidy collapsed layout where visitors open only what they need. It is different from Active Tab = 1, which opens the first item by default, and from All Open, which starts everything expanded.

**Q: What are the active tab options for an Elementor accordion?**
A: The page lists four starting states: 0 for every item closed, 1 for the first item open, 2 through 20 for a specific item open, and All Open for every item open. That range matters because only items 1 to 20 can be chosen as the initially open item. If you need more control over how users expand content later, [Expand & Collapse Button](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/expand-close-elementor-accordion-button/) is the related option mentioned on the page.

**Q: What are the limitations of opening an Elementor accordion by default?**
A: Two limits are called out. First, only items 1 to 20 can be selected as the one that starts open, so anything after the 20th cannot be chosen as the initial active item. Second, even with All Open, clicking still works one item at a time after loading. If you want visitors to expand everything manually, The Plus Addons for Elementor points to [Expand & Collapse Button](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/expand-close-elementor-accordion-button/) as the Pro option.