“`html

body { font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 900px; padding: 20px; }
h1, h2, h3 { color: #0056b3; }
h1 { font-size: 2.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; }
h2 { font-size: 2em; margin-top: 40px; }
h3 { font-size: 1.5em; margin-top: 30px; }
p { margin-bottom: 1em; }
ul, ol { margin-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 20px; }
li { margin-bottom: 0.5em; }
code { background-color: #eee; padding: 2px 4px; border-radius: 4px; font-family: monospace; }
pre { background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; border-radius: 5px; overflow-x: auto; }
.note { background-color: #e6f7ff; border-left: 5px solid #007bff; padding: 15px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 5px; }
.tip { background-color: #fff3cd; border-left: 5px solid #ffc107; padding: 15px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 5px; }
.warning { background-color: #f8d7da; border-left: 5px solid #dc3545; padding: 15px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 5px; }
a { color: #007bff; text-decoration: none; }
a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }

Fix Elementor Responsive Design Not Working Issue

In today’s mobile-first world, a website that doesn’t adapt to different screen sizes is like a storefront with boarded-up windows – it simply won’t attract visitors. If you’re an Elementor user and find your website’s responsive design isn’t behaving as expected, you’re not alone. The “Elementor responsive not working” problem is a common frustration for many. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you get your site looking pixel-perfect on every device.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through a series of troubleshooting steps and solutions to diagnose and fix why your Elementor responsive design isn’t working. From basic checks to advanced configurations, we’ll cover everything you need to make your website truly mobile-friendly.

Understanding Elementor Responsive Design

Before diving into fixes, let’s quickly review how Elementor handles responsiveness. Elementor provides powerful tools to control how your content appears on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. These include:

• Responsive Modes: Elementor offers dedicated editing modes for desktop, tablet, and mobile, allowing you to fine-tune designs for each breakpoint.
• Breakpoint Control: You can set custom breakpoints (PRO feature) in Elementor settings to match your design needs.
• Responsive Options per Element: Almost every Elementor widget, column, and section has responsive settings for visibility, alignment, padding, margin, and more.
• Ordering: You can change the order of columns on mobile devices.

When these features aren’t translating correctly to the live site, it indicates an issue we need to address.

Initial Checks for Elementor Responsive Not Working

Let’s start with the basics. Often, the solution to “Elementor responsive not working” is simpler than you think.

1. Clear Caches (Browser, WordPress, CDN)

Cache is a double-edged sword. While it speeds up your site, outdated cache can prevent changes, especially responsive ones, from appearing. Always clear all caches after making design adjustments.

How to Clear Caches:

1. Browser Cache:
   • Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.
   • Firefox: Go to Options > Privacy & Security > Clear Data.
   • Safari: Go to Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All.

   Alternatively, use incognito/private browsing mode for testing.

2. WordPress Caching Plugins: If you use plugins like WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache, or WP Rocket, find their “Clear Cache” or “Purge All Cache” option in your WordPress dashboard.
3. Server-side Cache: If your hosting provider (like Hostinger!) offers server-level caching, you might need to clear it from your hosting control panel (e.g., hPanel).
4. CDN Cache: If you use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare, log into your CDN account and purge the cache.

2. Test in Elementor’s Responsive Mode

Ensure your responsive settings are actually configured within Elementor.

Steps:

1. Edit your page with Elementor.
2. Click the Responsive Mode icon (usually a desktop monitor) at the bottom of the editor panel.
3. Switch between Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile views.
4. Check if elements are hidden/shown correctly, and if padding/margin adjustments are applied for each breakpoint.

3. Check for Custom CSS Overrides

Custom CSS can sometimes override Elementor’s responsive settings, especially if it doesn’t use proper media queries.

Where to Look for Custom CSS:

• Elementor Custom CSS: Check individual widgets, columns, sections, or the page-level custom CSS (found under “Advanced” tab -> “Custom CSS”).
• WordPress Customizer: Go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS.
• Child Theme Stylesheet: If you’re using a child theme, check its style.css file.
• Plugins: Some plugins might inject custom CSS.

/* Example of problematic CSS without media query */
.my-element {
    width: 500px !important; /* This will force a 500px width even on mobile */
}

/* Example of responsive CSS */
@media (max-width: 767px) { /* Target mobile devices */
    .my-element {
        width: 100% !important; /* Make it full width on mobile */
    }
}
    

Comprehensive Solutions to Fix Elementor Responsive Not Working

1. Update Elementor and WordPress

Outdated software can lead to compatibility issues and unexpected behavior, including problems with Elementor responsive design controls. Always ensure everything is up-to-date.

Steps:

1. Backup Your Site: Before any major update, always create a full backup of your website. Hostinger users can easily do this via hPanel.
2. Update WordPress Core: Go to Dashboard > Updates in your WordPress admin.
3. Update Elementor and Elementor Pro: Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins, then locate Elementor and Elementor Pro and click “Update Now” if available.
4. Update Your Theme: Ensure your WordPress theme is also up to date.
5. Update Other Plugins: Update any other third-party plugins.

2. Theme Compatibility Issues and Responsive Behavior

Your WordPress theme plays a crucial role in your site’s overall responsiveness. Some themes might have their own responsive CSS that conflicts with Elementor, or they might not be fully compatible.

Troubleshooting Theme Compatibility:

1. Switch to a Default Theme: Temporarily activate a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four or Hello Elementor (Elementor’s official theme).
2. Test Responsiveness: Check if your Elementor responsive issues persist with the default theme.
   • If the issue resolves, your theme is likely causing the conflict. Contact your theme developer for support or consider switching to a more Elementor-friendly theme like Hello Elementor or Astra.
   • If the issue remains, the problem lies elsewhere.

3. Plugin Conflicts Affecting Elementor Responsive Not Working

Just like themes, other plugins can interfere with Elementor’s functionality, including its responsive settings. This is a common culprit when Elementor responsive not working is reported.

How to Isolate Plugin Conflicts:

1. Backup Your Site: Crucial step before deactivating plugins.
2. Deactivate All Plugins (Except Elementor and Elementor Pro): Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins. Select all plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro, choose “Deactivate” from the bulk actions dropdown, and apply.
3. Check Responsiveness: Test your site’s responsive design again.
   • If the issue is gone, a deactivated plugin was the cause.
   • To find the problematic plugin, reactivate them one by one, checking your site’s responsiveness after each activation, until the problem reappears.
4. Resolve Conflict: Once identified, you can either replace the conflicting plugin, look for an alternative, or contact the plugin developer for a fix.

4. Verify Elementor Responsive Settings (Detailed Check)

Sometimes, it’s just a missed setting within Elementor itself.

a. Column Ordering for Mobile

If columns appear in the wrong order on mobile, check this setting:

1. Edit your page with Elementor.
2. Select the Section containing the columns.
3. Go to the “Advanced” tab.
4. Under “Responsive,” find the “Reverse Columns” option. Ensure it’s set correctly for Tablet and Mobile.

b. Hiding Elements on Specific Devices

If an element is missing on a certain device, you might have hidden it inadvertently.

1. Select the specific widget, column, or section.
2. Go to the “Advanced” tab.
3. Under “Responsive,” check the “Hide On Desktop,” “Hide On Tablet,” and “Hide On Mobile” options. Make sure they are correctly configured.

c. Adjusting Widths, Margins, and Paddings

Elementor allows unique values for width, margin, and padding for each device breakpoint.

1. Select the widget, column, or section.
2. Go to the “Layout” or “Style” tab, depending on the element.
3. Look for settings where you can click the (responsive icon).
4. Switch between Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile modes in the Elementor editor, and adjust values (e.g., column width, padding, margin) specifically for each device.

d. Image Sizes and Responsiveness

Large images that aren’t optimized can break responsive layouts.

1. Ensure you’re using appropriate image sizes.
2. In Elementor’s Image widget, check “Image Size” and “Width/Max Width” settings.
3. Consider using Elementor’s built-in image optimization features or a dedicated image optimization plugin.

5. Recheck Global Elementor Settings

Global settings can sometimes influence responsive behavior.

a. Breakpoints

If you’ve custom-configured breakpoints, ensure they are correct.

1. Go to Elementor > Settings > Advanced.
2. Under “Breakpoints,” choose your desired settings. If you use custom breakpoints, ensure they are set up logically.
3. After any changes, save and clear all caches.

b. Lightbox Settings

If your responsive issues involve images or galleries not displaying correctly in a lightbox on mobile, check your Lightbox settings.

1. Go to Elementor > Settings > Integrations.
2. Check “Lightbox” settings.

6. Regenerate CSS & Data

Sometimes Elementor’s CSS files can become corrupted or outdated. Regenerating them can solve display issues.

Steps:

1. Go to Elementor > Tools > General.
2. Click “Regenerate Files & Data.”
3. Click “Sync Library” (if applicable).
4. Clear all caches (WordPress, server, CDN, browser) as mentioned earlier.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting for Elementor Responsive Not Working

1. Elementor Responsive Not Working Due to Configuration Errors

This often occurs when responsive settings are misconfigured at different levels (widget, column, section, global).

• Check inherited values: Remember that settings cascade. A section’s padding on desktop might be inherited by columns on mobile unless you explicitly override it. Always check the responsive icons in the Elementor editor.
• Container vs. Section: If you’re using Elementor Flexbox Containers, their responsive options work differently than traditional Sections/Columns. Ensure you’re familiar with Flexbox Container responsive settings like Direction, Wrap, Align Items, and Gap.

2. Custom Code Conflicts

Any custom HTML, CSS, or JavaScript added via Elementor’s Custom HTML widget, custom code snippets, or header/footer builders can break responsiveness if not written carefully with media queries.

3. External Scripts and Embeds

If you’ve embedded content from third-party services (e.g., maps, videos, social feeds), their embedded code might not be responsive, causing layout breaks.

• Solution: Look for responsive embed options from the service. Many services provide responsive iframe code. For YouTube, ensure the “responsive” option is checked. For maps, use custom CSS to ensure the iframe scales.

/* Basic responsive iframe CSS */

.responsive-iframe-container {

    position: relative;

    padding-bottom: 56.25%; /* 16:9 aspect ratio */

    height: 0;