Elementor is a fantastic WordPress page builder plugin. It changed the website building experience forever by letting you design your website the way you want. So it's only natural that since the launch of Elementor a lot of people have been wondering if it is possible to use Elementor without a theme.
Also read our guide on: How to add phone number link in Elementor
Can you use Elementor without a theme?
No, you cannot use Elementor without a theme. You need at least a blank WordPress theme, for create a website using Elementor. Elementor cannot create a website alone without theme. Alternatively, you can use Elementor's Canvas page template to remove all elements of a WordPress theme, like header, footer, and sidebar, to create a new page. But even with this method, you will still need to use a WordPress theme.
See also: How to Add Custom CSS to Free Elementor
Let's understand why Elementor needs a theme and how you can reduce your theme dependency if you want to only use Elementor to design your website. But, before we start, let's understand first ...
Why does WordPress need a theme?
The WordPress theme is basically the framework that gives structure and defines the basic design elements of a website like fonts, colors, etc.
In other words, a WordPress theme creates a shell in which all your website content resides, like header, footer, sidebar, content area, menus, etc.
Read also: How to open Elementor popup from URL or menu
And generally, all WordPress themes control the design of header, footer, sidebar, menu, etc.
So you are left with the basic content area where you can place your content. And this content area can be created using WordPress Gutenberg Blocks or using a page builder plugin like Elementor.
Here is a diagram to illustrate which areas can be built using a page builder plugin like Elementor.
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As you can see, Elementor can only control specific parts of the page. It can't control the entire page unless the theme allows it or you are using Elementor's Canvas template.
More on that in a second. But first…
Now that you know why WordPress needs a theme and what part of the page Elementor can control, let's talk about why Elementor can't replace a theme.
Read also How to create an audio playlist with Elementor
Why can't Elementor replace a WordPress theme?
As you can see in the diagrams above, Elementor can only control the content area of ​​the page. There is a caveat to this though. We will discuss this in a moment.
But, from the above diagrams, you can conclusively say that Elementor needs a WordPress theme to work. He can not create a website only.
See also: How to create an audio playlist with Elementor
Like any other WordPress plugin, Elementor can only improve the functionality of WordPress. It cannot replace basic WordPress functionality, like a WordPress theme.
It also cannot control fonts, font sizes, colors, etc. on the website.
In short, Elementor cannot replace a theme.
Now that said, let's talk about the caveat that I just spoke about.
Elementor comes with a page template called Canvas.
You can read more about the Canvas model here.
This page template will erase all theme elements like header, footer, and sidebar, and give you full control over the page.
You can use this template to design a page as per your requirement.
But, it is not ideal to use this template as such as most modern themes allow you to hide the header, footer, sidebar or at least give you enough options to design them as you want.
In addition, this template can only be used page by page. This means that it cannot replace all of the website-wide theme elements at once.
You can use this page template to get full control over a specific page you edit and design that page the way you want with Elementor. However, this page template cannot replace a WordPress theme.
And if you really want to use Elementor without a theme, you can use the method below.
How to use Elementor without a real WordPress theme?
Elementor posted Hello Theme that you can use with Elementor.
It's a simple theme. What I mean is this theme is not like other typical WordPress themes.
This is really an empty theme, so it will allow you to use Elementor to design every aspect of your website.
If you don't want to use any WordPress theme with Elementor, you can try the Hello theme.
You can get the Hello theme here on the WordPress theme repository.
It will allow you to design your website with Elementor without getting in the way like other themes would.
But, at the end of the day, you're still using a WordPress theme.
You can't stop using a theme because WordPress needs a theme to work.
The day WordPress moves away from themes, maybe that day you can use Elementor without a theme.
But for now, you need to use a theme with Elementor.
Why isn't it a bad idea to use a theme with Elementor?
I know some WordPress themes are too overwhelming to use and often don't provide a streamlined experience for using Elementor.
But, there are some great WordPress themes like Astra, GeneratePress, etc. that behave very well with Elementor.
Using such themes will give you all the control you need to design your website and give you the freedom to use Elementor on all parts of your website. You will be able to use Elementor without any obstacle.
Read also: How to install Elementor on WordPress
That's why it's not such a bad idea to use themes.
Just make sure you're not using themes that will attempt to control every aspect of your website.
An ideal theme for Elementor is one that will give you enough design freedom to use Elementor wherever you want.
End thoughts!
Contrary to what a lot of people say, you can't use Elementor without a theme.
WordPress needs a theme to function properly, and therefore Elementor cannot replace a theme. However, there are some themes that will give you enough flexibility to use Elementor wherever you want to use it.
Using such themes is not a bad idea.
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Discover also some themes and premium WordPress plugins
You can use other WordPress plugins to give a modern appearance and to optimize the handling of your blog or website.
We offer you here some premium WordPress plugins that will help you do that.
1. WordPress GDPR
WordPress GDPR is the one and only notification plugin you need to make your blog GDPR compliant. Instead of using a bunch of different tools to get things done, WordPress GDPR does all the work on its own. Before you dive in completely, you can first check out its demonstration videos and finally see the simplicity of the plugin.
With a single plugin, you can set up a privacy policy and all other GDPR tools that a modern website needs. In addition, all your users will be able to manually configure the privacy settings and even fix them later.
See also our article on How to become a successful blogger and make money with WordPress
WordPress GDPR also provides a feature that allows your users to delete all data. WordPress GDPR is indeed compatible with WooCommerce, Facebook Pixel, Hot Jar, Contact Form 7 and BuddyPress to name a few.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
2. SalesPower
To get the most out of your WooCommerce online store, SalesPower is a fantastic WordPress plugin that you shouldn't miss. It is a versatile and powerful extension with many different features. Where to start ?
Well, let's take a quick look at some of the features that you have access to when working with SalesPower.
Instead of letting your visitors leave your website, create an exit pop-up and win them over. You can use it for special offers and to capture their emails for future marketing campaigns. Marketing by email.
Discover How to add a query monitor to WordPress
What's more, you can also effortlessly set up cross-sells and upsells with SalesPower. Instead of sealing the deal and buying just one product, you can now push similar items, give them an exclusive deal and sell more products.
In conclusion, there is a lot going on when using SalesPower, which gives you a chance to take your online stores to new heights.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
3. Algori PDF Viewer Pro for WordPress Gutenberg
This new WordPress plugin allows you to easily embed and display PDF documents on your website. It will allow your visitors to easily view and interact with your PDF files directly on your website or blog.
If you do not want your visitors to leave your website to view PDF files from your competitors, get Algori PDF Viewer, upload and view your PDF files easily with just one click.
Read also our list of 5 WordPress plugins to share the content of your blog
Choose from a variety of viewing options and make printing, downloading and many other PDF options available to all your users.
Your visitors will be delighted to have this chance to view and interact with your PDF content in a beautiful viewer.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
Recommended Resources
Find out about other recommended resources to help you build and manage your website.
- Elementor: How to Add Pagination
- How to add a WooCommerce store on Facebook
- How to fix the login error with the WordPress database
- How to create a dating website with a free WordPress plugin
- How to manage email notifications on WordPress
Conclusion
Here is ! That's it for this article which will help you understand why using Elementor without a WordPress theme is almost impossible right now. Do not hesitate to share with your friends on your favorite social networks.
However, you will also be able to consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on the WordPress blog creation.
And if you have any suggestions or remarks, leave them in our section Comments.
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