How to Fix Elementor Mobile View Not Working

Understanding Why Your Elementor Mobile View Might Not Be Working

Before diving into solutions, it’s helpful to understand the common culprits behind an Elementor mobile not working issue. These often include:

• Caching Conflicts: Old cached data preventing updated mobile styles from loading.
• Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Third-party plugins or your active theme interfering with Elementor’s responsiveness.
• Incorrect Elementor Settings: Overlooked or misconfigured responsive settings within Elementor itself.
• Custom CSS Issues: Custom code inadvertently breaking mobile layouts.
• Outdated Software: An old version of Elementor, WordPress, or your theme leading to compatibility problems.
• Server-Side Issues: Less common, but sometimes server settings can influence how assets are loaded.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix Elementor Mobile Not Working

1. Always Start with Clearing Cache and Browser Data

This is often the simplest yet most effective solution when your Elementor mobile not working. Cached data can prevent your browser or server from displaying the most recent version of your mobile design.

How to Clear Your Cache:

1. Elementor Cache:
   • Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
   • Navigate to Elementor > Tools > Regenerate CSS & Data. Click the Regenerate Files button.
   • Then, go to Elementor > Tools > General > Sync Library. Click the button.
2. WordPress Caching Plugins: If you use plugins like WP Super Cache, LiteSpeed Cache, or WP Rocket, clear their cache directly from their settings panel 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, cPanel). Look for options like “Purge Cache” or “Flush Cache.”
4. Browser Cache:
   • Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Select “Cached images and files” and choose a time range.
   • Firefox: Go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data.... Check “Cached Web Content.”
   • Incognito/Private Mode: Test your site in an incognito or private browser window to bypass local browser cache.

After clearing all relevant caches, refresh your mobile view and see if the issue with Elementor mobile not working persists.

2. Verify Elementor’s Responsive Settings

Elementor provides powerful responsive controls. Sometimes, an oversight in these settings can cause problems.

How to Adjust Elementor Responsive Settings:

1. Access Mobile View in Elementor Editor:
   • Open the page you’re editing with Elementor.
   • At the bottom of the left sidebar, click the Responsive Mode icon ().
   • Select Mobile from the top bar to preview and edit for mobile devices.
2. Check Section/Column/Widget Visibility:
   • Select the section, column, or widget that isn’t displaying correctly.
   • Go to the Advanced tab in the Elementor sidebar.
   • Expand the Responsive section.
   • Ensure that “Hide on Mobile” is not enabled unless you intentionally want to hide that element.
3. Review Responsive Sizing and Spacing:
   • For elements like text, images, or sections, switch to mobile view.
   • Adjust properties like `width`, `height`, `padding`, `margin`, and `font size` specifically for mobile. Elementor allows you to set different values for desktop, tablet, and mobile.
   • Look for the mobile icon next to input fields (e.g., ) to ensure you’re editing mobile-specific values.
4. Ensure Global Responsive Breakpoints are Correct:
   • Go to your WordPress Dashboard > Elementor > Settings > General. (This might be in Elementor > Settings > Advanced depending on your Elementor version).
   • Sometimes, custom Global Breakpoints can affect how your layout transitions. Ensure they are set logically. For more details, refer to Elementor’s official documentation on Responsive Mode.

3. Check for Plugin and Theme Conflicts

Conflicts are a very common reason for an Elementor mobile not working properly. A plugin or your theme might be injecting CSS or JavaScript that overrides or interferes with Elementor’s mobile styling.

How to Identify Conflicts:

1. Switch to a Default WordPress Theme:
   • Go to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Activate a default WordPress theme like “Twenty Twenty-Four” or “Twenty Twenty-Three.”
   • Check if your Elementor mobile view works correctly with the default theme. If it does, your current theme is likely the culprit.
   • Remember to switch back to your original theme after testing.
2. Deactivate Plugins (One by One):
   • Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
   • Deactivate all plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro (if you have it).
   • Check your mobile view. If the issue is resolved, reactivate your plugins one by one, checking the mobile view after each activation, until you find the conflicting plugin.
   • Once identified, look for alternative plugins, check for updates, or contact the developer.

For more detailed guidance on troubleshooting plugin conflicts, Hostinger offers excellent tutorials on general WordPress troubleshooting.

4. Update Elementor, WordPress, and Your Theme

Outdated software is a breeding ground for bugs and compatibility issues. Always keep your core WordPress files, Elementor, Elementor Pro, and your active theme updated to their latest versions.

How to Update:

1. Backup Your Website: Before any major updates, always create a full backup of your WordPress site. This is crucial for recovery if something goes wrong. Hostinger provides easy backup solutions within hPanel.
2. Update WordPress Core: Go to Dashboard > Updates.
3. Update Elementor and Elementor Pro: You’ll usually find update notifications under Plugins > Installed Plugins or Dashboard > Updates.
4. Update Your Theme: Check Appearance > Themes or Dashboard > Updates. Some premium themes might require manual updates or specific license keys.

After updating, clear all caches again and re-check your Elementor mobile not working issue.

5. Review Custom CSS and JavaScript

If you’ve added custom CSS or JavaScript to your Elementor pages, theme, or a custom plugin, it might be negatively impacting the mobile view.

How to Debug Custom Code:

1. Elementor Custom CSS:
   • Edit the specific section, column, or widget in Elementor.
   • Go to the Advanced tab, then Custom CSS.
   • Temporarily remove or comment out any custom CSS. Look for media queries (e.g., @media (max-width: 767px) { ... }) that might be misbehaving.
2. Theme Custom CSS:
   • Check Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS.
   • Temporarily remove or comment out custom CSS here.
3. Child Theme (if applicable): If you’re using a child theme, examine its style.css or other relevant files for conflicting code.
4. Inspect Element (Browser Developer Tools):
   • Open your website on desktop and shrink your browser window to mobile size, or use your browser’s device emulation tool (usually accessed by pressing F12 or right-clicking and selecting “Inspect”).
   • Select the problematic element and look at the “Styles” tab in the developer console. This will show you all CSS rules applied to that element and their specificity, helping you identify what rule might be overriding Elementor’s defaults.

6. Reinstall Elementor (As a Last Resort)

If none of the above solutions work, a fresh reinstallation of Elementor can sometimes resolve deep-seated issues that prevent Elementor mobile not working. Make sure to back up your site first!

How to Reinstall Elementor:

1. Backup Your Entire Website: Seriously, don’t skip this step.
2. Deactivate and Delete Elementor:
   • Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
   • Deactivate Elementor and Elementor Pro.
   • Click Delete for both plugins. Don’t worry, your pages built with Elementor data are stored in the WordPress database and should typically remain intact.
3. Install Elementor Anew:
   • Go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “Elementor” and install/activate it.
   • If you have Elementor Pro, download the latest version from your Elementor account and upload it via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
4. Regenerate CSS & Data: After reinstallation, go to Elementor > Tools > Regenerate CSS & Data.
5. Clear all caches (as detailed in Solution 1) and check your mobile view.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting Elementor Mobile Not Working

Images Not Displaying or Scaling Correctly on Mobile

Sometimes, images might appear too large, too small, or cut off when your Elementor mobile not working for images.

• Solution:
  • Select the Image widget in Elementor, switch to mobile view.
  • Under Style > Width, use percentage units (`%`) or `vw` (viewport width) instead of fixed pixels (`px`) for responsive scaling.
  • Ensure Max-width is set to 100% in most cases.
  • Check if any custom CSS is forcing fixed dimensions for images.

Content Overlapping or Breaking Layout on Mobile

This often happens with complex layouts or when padding/margins are not set responsively.

• Solution:
  • Use Elementor’s Navigator (bottom left corner icon, looks like a stack of papers) to easily select nested elements.
  • Switch to mobile view and adjust Padding and Margin settings for sections, columns, and widgets for mobile specifically. Often, reducing padding on mobile can solve spacing issues.
  • Consider using Elementor’s Flexbox Container for more robust and predictable responsive layouts.
  • For columns within a section, ensure their width is set to 100% on mobile if you want them to stack vertically, or appropriate percentages if you want them side-by-side.

Fonts Appearing Too Large or Small on Mobile

Text readability is crucial for mobile users.

• Solution:
  • Select the text widget or heading widget.
  • Go to Style > Typography > Size.
  • Click the mobile icon next to the size input and set a mobile-specific font size.
  • Consider using `em` or `rem` units for font sizes, which scale relative to the root font size, offering better responsiveness. You can also define global font sizes in Elementor > Site Settings > Global Fonts and adjust them for different devices.

Elementor Mobile Hamburger Menu Not Working

A non-functional mobile menu is a major usability flaw.

• Solution:
  • Check Elementor Pro Nav Menu Widget Settings: Ensure your breakpoint for the mobile menu is correctly set in the widget’s settings.
  • Plugin Conflict: Deactivate other plugins (especially menu-related or caching plugins) to see if they interfere.
  • Custom CSS/JS: Overriding Elementor’s default menu behavior with custom code can break it. Temporarily remove custom snippets.
  • Theme Conflict: Your theme might have its own mobile menu system that conflicts with Elementor’s. Test with a default WordPress theme.

Page Takes Too Long to Load on Mobile

Slow loading times on mobile can also be perceived as Elementor mobile not working correctly, leading to high bounce rates.

• Solution:
  • Optimize Images: Use efficient image formats (WebP), compress images, and ensure they are sized appropriately for their display area. Plugins like Smush or Imagify can help.
  • Minimize CSS and JavaScript: Use caching and optimization plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache) to minify and combine scripts.
  • Enable Lazy Loading: This defers loading of images and videos until they are about to enter the viewport. Elementor has a built-in lazy load option for images.
  • Choose a Fast Hosting Provider: A good host like Hostinger provides optimized servers for WordPress, significantly improving load times.
  • Reduce External Scripts: Limit the use of third-party scripts that can slow down your site.

Tips and Best Practices for Elementor Mobile Design

• Design Mobile-First: Instead of designing for desktop and then adjusting, try designing your mobile layout first. This approach often leads to better mobile experiences.
• Use Elementor’s Global Styles: Set up global colors, fonts, and typography. This ensures consistency and makes site-wide mobile adjustments much easier. Go to Elementor > Site Settings.
• Leverage Flexbox Containers: If you’re building new pages, consider using Elementor’s Flexbox Containers. They offer superior control over layout and responsiveness compared to traditional sections and columns.