Title: Can’t edit sidebars
Last modified: August 19, 2016

---

# Can’t edit sidebars

 *  [alda](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alda/)
 * (@alda)
 * [18 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-edit-sidebars/)
 * Hello,
 * I’m new to WordPress and have been fiddling with my template, trying to get it
   the way I want it. I’ve done ok with the header, however I’ve now moved to the
   sidebars and nothing seems to be working. I get that I can add widgets and that’s
   fine; however, my right sidebar, for example, already has a search form set up,
   and when I add a search widget to my left sidebar it just adds an extra one. 
   When I try to remove the code from the right sidebar, nothing happens. Similarly,
   when I try to move features from the right sidebar to the left, nothing happens.
 * So – first of all, I should probably ask: am I right to be editing the files 
   shown as right.php and left.php, respectively? And if so, is there a different
   trick to it than just moving code from one to the other?
 * Thanks!
 * Alda
    [http://www.newsite.aldasigmunds.com](http://www.newsite.aldasigmunds.com)

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [hakre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hakre/)
 * (@hakre)
 * [18 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-edit-sidebars/#post-733522)
 * Hi Alda, it would help if you post the name and homepage of the theme you are
   modifying. The two default themes have no left.php or right.php shipping with
   them.
 * In general there are widgets (the modern way to solve and configure sidebars)
   and there are the “classic” sidebar parts. If you want to use the search widget,
   then remove the search part from the “classic” sidebar. That should do the job.
 *  [haochi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/haochi/)
 * (@haochi)
 * [18 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-edit-sidebars/#post-733540)
 *     ```
       Theme Name: Simple Themes One
       Theme URI: http://www.refueled.net/wordpress-themes/
       ```
   
 * [@hakre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hakre/): The theme’s info are generally
   in the theme’s CSS file.
 * #1: Yes.
    #2: If you are trying to move the sidebar from right to left, cut the
   following code from right.php to left.php, ideally above `<?php wp_list_categories('
   title_li=<h2>Categories</h2>'); ?>`.
 *     ```
       <li><h2>Search</h2>
       <?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/searchform.php'); ?>
       </li>
       ```
   
 *  [hakre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hakre/)
 * (@hakre)
 * [18 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-edit-sidebars/#post-733548)
 * [@haochi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/haochi/): now after you said it….
   😉

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Can’t edit sidebars’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 3 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [hakre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hakre/)
 * Last activity: [18 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-edit-sidebars/#post-733548)
 * Status: not resolved

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