How to change page width?

  • bootiecothran · Member ·

    Hi, I’m somewhat of a newbie, and expect this should be a simple question… My website, using the MistyLook theme, appears too narrow on a computer, with the content in the center of the page and wide, blank margins on the right and left. I’d rather utilize all that wasted space and have the page go from one side of the screen to the other, as most websites do, adapting to whatever size the viewer’s browser is.

    Can someone please point me in the right direction of a) if this is possible using a pre-defined, free theme as I have, and b) where to start? I’m open to changing themes, if necessary.

    Many thanks!

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • chaitanyamsv · Staff ·

    MistyLook theme is a dated and discontinued theme. It can be widened only using custom CSS that is part of Premium and Business plans.

    The only cost-free way to widen your site is to change to one of the free themes available at https://theme.wordpress.com/

    Feel free to change the filter options that appear by clicking on Find a Theme button and pick a free theme that you would like.

  • kathrynwp · Staff ·

    Misty Lake is the updated version of MistyLook, which as chaitanyamsv pointed out, is a very old and retired theme. You can have a look at it here:

    https://mistylakedemo.wordpress.com/

    Misty Lake is wider, and a responsive theme too, so it adjusts automatically to mobile devices.

  • bootiecothran · Member ·

    Awesome, thanks Kathryn. I switched to that theme. One quick additional question… The sidebar items are faded until the mouse is over them. Do you know if there is an option somewhere to have the sidebar items NOT be faded like that?

  • kathrynwp · Staff ·

    Sure – add this to your custom CSS panel in the Customizer:

    .widget-area, .entry-meta, .format-quote .entry-title, .format-quote .entry-title a, .format-aside .entry-title, .format-aside .entry-title a, .header-image img, .entry-content img, .comment-content img, .widget img, .entry-thumbnail img {
    opacity: 1;
}

    Let me know how it goes.

  • bootiecothran · Member ·

    Beautiful and easy! Thanks so much. It’s great to get such personalized help! Ok, one final question and I promise I’m done… I notice my sidebar of widgets only shows on the blog page, and I think I might like it to show on the other pages, too, but I don’t see any option to do that. Is that easily done? Many thanks.

  • chaitanyamsv · Staff ·

    It looks like all your pages, except Blog page, are using Full-Width Page template. If you wish side bar on all your pages, then you will have to change the page template of rest of your pages to Default Template.
    Here is how:

    1. Head to your All Pages dashboard screen https://bootiecothran.wordpress.com/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=page

    2. Click Edit corresponding the page you want to display the sidebar on.

    3. Change the page template to Default Template. This support guide tells you how to change the page template: https://en.support.wordpress.com/pages/page-attributes/#template

    You can also bulk edit all your pages in a go by selecting all of them as shown in this screencast: https://cloudup.com/c7s2HBZvtjY

    Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

    And, feel free to ask as many questions as you wish. We are here to help our lovely users like you :)

  • bootiecothran · Member ·

    Okay, great, I understand a lot more now about how it works and am in good shape. Great help, thanks so much, friends!

  • kathrynwp · Staff ·

    Glad you’re set.

    Thanks for chiming in, Chaitanya!

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