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How to Fix Elementor Infinite Scroll Not Working
Infinite scroll is a fantastic feature for enhancing user experience on your WordPress website, especially for blogs, portfolios, and e-commerce stores. It allows new content to load automatically as users scroll down the page, eliminating the need for pagination and keeping visitors engaged. When your Elementor infinite scroll not working as expected, it can be frustrating and negatively impact user interaction.
Whether you’re using Elementor Pro’s Post Widget with infinite scroll, a third-party add-on, or a custom implementation, encountering issues is not uncommon. From blank spaces where content should be, to pagination appearing instead of the automatic load, or even a complete breakdown of the page functionality, these problems can seem daunting. But don’t worry, you’re in the right place!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into why your Elementor infinite scroll not working and provide you with actionable, step-by-step solutions to get it running smoothly again. We’ll cover everything from simple caching issues to more complex compatibility problems, ensuring you have all the tools to diagnose and fix the issue.
Understanding Elementor Infinite Scroll Functionality
Before we jump into fixes, let’s quickly understand how infinite scroll typically works. When enabled, your website detects when a user reaches the bottom of the page (or close to it) and then uses AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) to fetch more posts or products from the server without fully reloading the page. This new content is then dynamically appended to the existing content.
Elementor Pro offers built-in infinite scroll functionality for its Post Widget, typically found under the “Pagination” option where you can select “Load On Scroll” or “Infinite Scroll.” Many third-party Elementor add-ons and themes also integrate similar features for various content types like portfolios, galleries, and WooCommerce product listings.
Why Your Elementor Infinite Scroll Not Working: Common Causes
Several factors can prevent your Elementor infinite scroll not working correctly. Understanding these potential culprits is the first step toward a solution:
- Caching Issues: Outdated or improperly configured caching can interfere with dynamic content loading.
- Plugin Conflicts: Other plugins, especially those altering queries, JavaScript, or AJAX requests, can clash with Elementor's infinite scroll.
- Theme Conflicts: Your WordPress theme might have its own JavaScript or styling that conflicts.
- Incorrect Elementor Widget Settings: Misconfigurations within the Elementor Post Widget itself.
- JavaScript Errors: Errors in your website’s JavaScript can halt infinite scroll functionality.
- Server Configuration: Less common, but sometimes server-side settings can impede AJAX requests.
- Outdated Software: An old version of Elementor, Elementor Pro, WordPress, or your theme can lead to compatibility issues.
- Custom Code Issues: If you’ve added custom CSS or JavaScript, it might be interfering.
- WooCommerce Specifics: For WooCommerce archives, additional factors related to product queries can play a role.
Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix Elementor Infinite Scroll Not Working
Let’s dive into the practical solutions to get your infinite scroll back on track. We recommend trying these steps in the order presented, as they progress from simpler, common fixes to more in-depth troubleshooting.
Solution 1: Clear Caches – The First Line of Defense
Caching is a common reason for dynamic elements like infinite scroll to misbehave. Your website might be serving an old, cached version of the page, leading to your Elementor infinite scroll not working.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Clear Browser Cache: Start by clearing your browser’s cache. Hard refresh the page (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R) or clear all browser data.
- Clear WordPress Cache Plugin: If you use a caching plugin like WP Super Cache, WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, or W3 Total Cache, clear its cache entirely. There’s usually a “Clear Cache” or “Purge All Caches” button in your WordPress admin bar or the plugin’s settings.
- Clear Server/Host Cache: Many hosting providers (like Hostinger) offer server-side caching. Log into your hosting control panel (e.g., hPanel) and look for an option to clear the server cache.
- Clear CDN Cache (if applicable): If you’re using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare, make sure to purge its cache as well.
After clearing all caches, revisit your page and test the infinite scroll again.
Solution 2: Verify Elementor Widget Settings
Double-check the settings of the Elementor widget you’re using for content display (e.g., Posts Widget, Portfolio Widget, or a WooCommerce Products widget).
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Edit the Page with Elementor: Open the page where the infinite scroll is failing in the Elementor editor.
- Select the Relevant Widget: Click on the widget that’s supposed to have infinite scroll (e.g., the “Posts” widget).
- Navigate to Pagination Settings: In the left-hand panel, go to the “Content” tab, and then look for the “Pagination” section.
- Confirm Infinite Scroll/Load On Scroll: Ensure that “Load On Scroll” or “Infinite Scroll” (the exact wording may vary depending on Elementor version or add-on) is selected. If it was already selected, try switching it to “Numbers” or “Previous/Next,” save, then switch it back to infinite scroll and save again.
- Check Query Settings: Sometimes the query itself might be too restrictive or pull too few results per page, preventing the scroll from triggering effectively. Review the “Query” settings to ensure they are correct and not limiting results excessively.
- Update and Test: Update the page and check if the infinite scroll is fixed.
Refer to Elementor’s official documentation for detailed guidance on the Post Widget and its variations: Elementor Help Center.
Solution 3: Check for Plugin and Theme Conflicts
Conflicts between themes or plugins are a very common reason for JavaScript-dependent features like infinite scroll to fail. This is often the prime suspect when your Elementor infinite scroll not working.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Backup Your Website: Before making any changes to plugins or themes, always create a full backup of your WordPress website. This is crucial for easy restoration if something goes wrong. Hostinger users can easily create backups via hPanel.
- Switch to a Default Theme:
- Go to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.
- Activate a default WordPress theme like “Twenty Twenty-Four” or “Twenty Twenty-Three.”
- Test your page with infinite scroll. If it starts working, your old theme is likely causing the conflict. Contact your theme developer for support or consider rebuilding the conflicting sections with Elementor.
- Deactivate Plugins One by One:
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Deactivate all plugins except Elementor, Elementor Pro (if you have it), and any essential plugins like WooCommerce if your issue is on a shop page.
- Test your page with infinite scroll.
- If it now works, reactivate your plugins one by one, testing the infinite scroll after each activation, until you find the conflicting plugin.
- Once identified, consider replacing the conflicting plugin, looking for an alternative, or contacting its developer for a fix.
Solution 4: Update Elementor, Elementor Pro, WordPress, and Theme
Outdated software can lead to known bugs and compatibility issues. Keeping everything updated is a fundamental best practice for a stable WordPress site.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Backup Your Website: Again, always back up before major updates!
- Update WordPress Core: Go to Dashboard > Updates and update WordPress if a new version is available.
- Update Elementor and Elementor Pro: Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. Check for available updates for Elementor and Elementor Pro and update them.
- Update Your Theme: Go to Appearance > Themes. If an update is available for your active theme, update it.
- Clear Cache: After all updates, clear all types of caches (browser, plugin, server, CDN) as described in Solution 1.
- Test: Check your infinite scroll functionality.
Solution 5: Debug JavaScript Errors
JavaScript errors can silently break functionality on your site. Your web browser’s developer tools are invaluable for identifying these.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open Developer Tools:
- In Chrome/Firefox: Right-click on your page and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element.”
- Go to the “Console” tab.
- Monitor for Errors:
- Reload the page with the console open.
- Scroll down to trigger the infinite scroll.
- Look for any red error messages in the console. These messages often point to the file and line number where the error originates.
- Interpret Errors:
- “Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property…” or similar: Often indicates an issue with a script trying to access an element that doesn’t exist or a function that isn’t defined.
- If the error points to a specific plugin or theme file, it strongly suggests a conflict.
- If you see Elementor-related errors, try solutions like regenerating Elementor files (see Solution 6).
- Consult a Developer: If you identify complex JavaScript errors and are unsure how to proceed, provide the error messages to a developer or on support forums.
Debugging JS errors can be tricky, but it’s a powerful way to pinpoint issues when your Elementor infinite scroll not working.
Solution 6: Regenerate Elementor Files (CSS & Data)
Sometimes Elementor’s CSS and data files can become corrupted or outdated, impacting widget behavior.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Go to Elementor > Tools in your WordPress dashboard.
- Under the “General” tab, find “Regenerate CSS & Data.”
- Click the “Regenerate Files & Data” button.
- Under the “Advanced” tab, try switching the “CSS Print Method” to “External File” or “Internal Embedding” and test if the infinite scroll starts working. Switch back if it doesn’t help or causes other issues.
- Clear Cache: Again, clear all caches after this step.
- Test: Verify if your infinite scroll is now functioning.
Solution 7: Increase PHP Memory Limit
While less common for infinite scroll specifically, low PHP memory can cause various WordPress functionalities to fail, especially when dealing with complex queries or many posts.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Access your
wp-config.phpfile: You’ll need to connect to your website via FTP/SFTP or use your hosting provider’s file manager (e.g., Hostinger’s File Manager in hPanel). The file is located in your WordPress root directory. - Edit
wp-config.php: Add the following line just before the line that says/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );If it’s already there, try increasing the value (e.g., ‘512M’).
- Save and Upload: Save the changes and upload the modified file back to your server.
- Alternatively, edit
php.inior.htaccess: Some hosts allow you to increase memory limits throughphp.ini(look formemory_limit = 256M;and increase it) or by addingphp_value memory_limit 256Mto your.htaccessfile. Consult your hosting provider’s documentation or support if you’re unsure. - Clear Cache and Test.
Solution 8: Review Custom Code or Hooks
If you’ve added custom code snippets, either directly in your theme’s functions.php file, via a custom plugin, or using a plugin like Code Snippets, they might be interfering.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Temporarily Remove Custom Code: Deactivate any custom plugins or remove recent code snippets you’ve added that relate to queries, loops, or JavaScript.
- Isolate and Test: If removing the code fixes the issue, gradually reintroduce parts of the code, testing each time to identify the problematic section.
- Seek Expert Review: If you’re not a developer, consider having your custom code reviewed by someone experienced.
Solution 9: WooCommerce Specific Adjustments (If Applicable)
If your Elementor infinite scroll not working on WooCommerce product archives or shop pages, there might be specific WooCommerce settings or plugin conflicts at play.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Check WooCommerce Settings: Elementor widgets pulling WooCommerce data often rely on WooCommerce’s underlying product query. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Display (or similar depending on WooCommerce version) and ensure there are no settings that conflict with dynamic loading.
- WooCommerce Add-ons: If you use specific WooCommerce add-ons for filtering, sorting, or product display, temporarily deactivate them as per Solution 3 to check for conflicts. Plugins that heavily modify product queries (like advanced filters) are common culprits.
- Elementor Pro’s WooCommerce Widgets: Ensure you are using the dedicated Elementor Pro WooCommerce widgets (e.g., Products Archive) and that their settings are correctly configured for infinite scroll.
- Theme Compatibility: Some older themes might not be fully compatible with Elementor’s dynamic WooCommerce content.
For more insights, refer to the official WooCommerce Documentation.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting: Elementor Infinite Scroll Not Working
Beyond the primary solutions, here are some specific scenarios and how to address them when your Elementor infinite scroll not working:
1. Infinite Scroll Loads Only Once, Then Stops
- Cause: Often a JavaScript error or a conflict that prevents subsequent AJAX calls.
- Troubleshooting:
- Check your browser’s console for JavaScript errors (Solution 5).
- Temporarily disable other plugins (Solution 3), especially those that modify front-end interactions or load their own scripts.
- Ensure Elementor and Elementor Pro are up to date (Solution 4).
- Clear all caches (Solution 1).
2. Pagination Numbers Appear Instead of Infinite Scroll
- Cause: The infinite scroll setting might be overridden or not correctly applied.
- Troubleshooting:
- Re-check the Elementor widget’s pagination settings (Solution 2), ensuring “Load On Scroll” or “Infinite Scroll” is selected and saved.
- Make sure no other plugin or theme setting is forcing pagination to numbers.
- Clear caches thoroughly (Solution 1).
3. Content Loads, But with Incorrect Styling
- Cause: CSS conflicts or cached CSS files.
- Troubleshooting:
- Clear all caches, especially server and CDN caches (Solution 1).
- Regenerate Elementor CSS & Data