3 Simple Methods to Set Elementor Accordion Closed by Default + 10 FREE Accordion Templates
🤔 The Problem & the Known Solutions Upfront: When using the Elementor's Accordion widget, the “first item” or rather say the “first slide” of the accordion is open by default & the context is readable. I know, most of us don’t like it.
To put salt on the burn, Elementor doesn’t provide any settings to close that “opened” or rather say “active” slide of the accordion.
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Hence you might have Googled – “How to make the accordion closed by default” & probably landed on this blog post. I can honestly say that this is the only blog post you’ll need to read.
👉 Take a look at these Accordion Templates where all the simple & modern-looking accordions are closed by default & it's done with the help of one-click toggle settings.
After researching, trying & testing myself, I’ve found 3 simple methods by which you’ll be able to close the accordion. They are…
I can assure you that by the end of this post, you'll know
- 3 different methods to set elementor accordion closed by default (with & without code)
- How you can supercharge your accordions & extend their functionality
- Handy tips on creating appropriate layouts for the accordion widget
- And lastly, a few ready-made accordion templates (for free)
So without further ado, let's dive in…
3 Researched, Tried, and Tested Methods to Set Elementor Accordion Closed by Default
📝 Transparency Note: My blog is reader supported & hence some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. Here's full affiliate disclosure (that people don't read 🙄)
Method 1: Create a Duplicate Accordion Item to Make Elementor Accordion Closed by Default (Using CSS Code)
Let’s start with steps right away…
Step 1: Duplicate the very first accordion item
(please note – I'm talking about the first item, not the whole widget)
For example, let’s say you’ve 4 accordion items, so just duplicate the very first item
& make the total amount of accordion items 5.
Step 2: Copy any of the below-provided CSS code
CSS Code 1 (Recommended)
.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item:first-of-type {
display: none;}
.elementor-accordion {
border-top: 1px solid #D4DFF2C7;
}
CSS Code 2 (This too works)
.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item:nth-child(1) {
display: none;
}
.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item:nth-child(2) {
border-top: 1px solid #D4DFF2C7 !important;
}
IMP Note: Both of the above-provided CSS codes will function the same i.e.
hide the first accordion item.
The display none property wipes the top border of the second item, so to get it back, make sure to include the border-top CSS code & replace your border color against #D4DFF2C7.
Step 3: Navigate to the Advanced settings of the accordion widget & paste any of the above CSS codes inside the Custom CSS option.
Need a visual guide? Here's a quick video that demonstrates how to close the accordion using the CSS method, JavaScript method & the one-click toggle setting…
Once you’re done adding the CSS code, Update the page & see the magic.
The very first accordion item (duplicated one) will be hidden & the rest will start as closed by default which is exactly what we needed.
😥 Spoiler Alert: You’ll need the Elementor Pro to be able to implement the above method. The custom CSS code is just one of the many advanced features you'll have access to with the Elementor Pro version.
Let me be honest with you. If you're using Elementor, it's just a matter of time until you'll need to upgrade to the pro version.
So my friend, why not invest today? If you're not yet convinced,
I invite you to compare the free version with the pro version.
You'll see exactly what you're missing out on, and why Elementor Pro is the logical choice & why over 10M+ users are using it to build amazing websites. Why not you?
→ Get Elementor Pro today & try it for a month and then decide if you want to keep it or not as they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee with no strings attached.
Method 2: An HTML Widget that helps you Keep Elementor Accordion Closed by Default (Using JavaScript Code)
Step 1: Copy the below-provided Javascript code…
<script>
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
var delay = 100; setTimeout(function() {
$('.elementor-tab-title').removeClass('elementor-active');
$('.elementor-tab-content').css('display', 'none'); }, delay);
});
</script>Step 2: Just above your accordion widget, place an “HTML Widget” from the elements panel & paste the above-provided Javascript code inside the HTML Code.
Step 3: Once done, publish or update the page, see it live & shout – Yes, I got the shit done! Just kidding, that’s all you need to set the elementor accordion start as closed.
Pro Tip: If you're using multiple accordion widgets on your website and you want the same functionality, simply add the above-provided Javascript code in the Elementor > Custom Codes to make the code work on all the pages/posts.
Please note that custom codes, custom fonts, etc. are a premium feature available only to Elementor Pro users.
If you need such features & functionality, give Elementor Pro a shot & if you don't like it, you're covered by their 30-day money-back policy.
Method 3: Use the Simple One-Click Toggle Settings to Set Elementor Accordion start as closed (Using Addons)
Although both of the above methods work, I wanted to achieve this (keeping the first slide closed) without code, so I tried several different Elementor accordion widgets from the most popular elementor addons.
Out of all, the ElementsKit accordion widget is the best as it comes with over 25+ beautifully designed, ready-to-import accordion templates.
It offers a one-click setting to keep the first slide as closed or opened and also, settings on individual items of the accordion to keep them active/inactive.
What I liked more about ElementsKit, is that it offers ready-to-import elementor accordion & other 500+ templates for faster workflow.
Settings Offered:
Addon & Widget Info:
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Using addons can be a good option because you don't have to add any scary javascript or CSS code & additionally, you get more features & functionality which doesn’t come with both Elementor Free as well as the Elementor Pro version.
With this, all of the 3 methods to close the elementor accordion are now in front of you, so act now & feel free to try the one that feels more convenient to you.
If you're okay with downloading the addon, here's a free gift for you…
9+ Modern Accordion Templates with One-Click Toggle Settings | FREE Download
Long story short, I've created a handful of accordion (templates) that I personally use on my website & I'm more than happy to provide those templates to you without any cost.
If you're interested & willing to use my templates,
use the below link to preview & download the templates.
A Few Handy Tips on Accordion Layouts & Correct Placement for Conversions
I know this section isn’t required but just felt like sharing it, so here I go…
Pro Tip: The layout I would personally use & recommend for accordions is a narrow layout with a width of 600 px to 1100 px & not wider than that.
It’s not a hard & fast rule but that’s what I’ve observed on popular websites. Feel free to extend the width but still keep it a bit narrow.
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Yup, it’s just for a better user experience.
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I hope you got my point.
Now talking about the placement of the accordion widget, most of the folks place them at the bottom of the page just before the footer.
Well, that’s almost correct but you’ll need to put little more effort.
But based on my observations, the ideal place to put your accordion widget is at the bottom of the page before a call to action.
Pro Tip: Right after the accordion section/widget, you must add a call to action to get more conversions, especially on your landing pages bcoz that’s what the big players do.
Take a look at Elementor’s pricing page itself…
Right after the FAQ Section, there’s a call to action for “Get Cloud Website Builder”
Understood the fundas? Was this information of some value?
If so, I want you to read the next section for me…
Elementor Folks, A Small Request
For the problem “how to keep elementor accordion default closed” there were already several articles on the Google SERP but still only the JavaScript method was stuffed in most of the articles.
Hence, I researched, tried & tested myself & then compiled all of the above methods along with some tips to provide more solutions & more value to the community.
So, if you found this blog post helpful, a comment along with a social share will encourage me to write more & write better.
Also, if you’re planning to purchase any of the products (which is not an endorsement but a recommendation) then I would highly appreciate using my affiliate links because those little commissions keep the sidebar clean, I hope you got the drift 🙂
Now let me answer some of the FAQs.
FunFact: I’m not using any accordion or toggle widget for the FAQ section on this blog post, instead, I’m using Rank Math’s FAQ Schema block as I'm writing this post using the default Gutenberg editor & also for SEO purposes 😉
FAQs | Accordion Widget
Should I keep accordion items closed or open?
Keeping the accordion items (especially the first one) closed or open is completely up to you. Most web designers/creators keep the first slide of the accordion closed to get some user interaction while some keep it open by default.
There's no hard and fast rule for this, so feel free to design your own as you like.
What is the difference between toggle and accordion in Elementor?
Elementors Toggle & Accordion widgets are somewhat identical in terms of UI and functionality.
The difference is when an Elementor-based page is loaded, all the Toggle widget items are closed/collapsed whereas, with the accordion widget, only the first item is expanded/open & rest all the other items remain closed/collapsed.
Also, with the accordion, only one item of the accordion will be opened at a time whereas the items in the toggle can be opened & kept open all at once.
How do you make the accordion stay closed by default in Elementor?
There are 3 simple methods to keep the accordion stay closed by default in Elementor. Out of 3, two of the methods require you to add a little CSS/Javascript code (provided above) to make it close.
The third & easy method is using the one-click settings offered by third-party add-ons such as ElementsKit to keep your accordions closed.
What is Image Accordion in Elementor?
In simple words – Image accordion lets you display multiple images in an accordion style with stunning hover effects & animations.
Sadly Elementor itself doesn't offer an Image Accordion widget but other third-party add-ons offer such unique widgets.
A few of them are ElementsKit Image Accordion, Essential Addons Image Accordion, ElementsPack Image Accordion & Powerpack Image Accordion, etc. give you the flexibility to highlight multiple images in one place with many different unique styles where you can set custom titles, subtitles, descriptions, call to action, etc.
It's one of those interactive & creative widgets that will amaze your website visitors.
Wrapping Up
Did the first method of adding CSS code work for you or the second one?
If any of the methods did work, can you please comment below so that fellow elementor folks know that this content piece is not outdated?
Although I’ve added all the useful information I know about accordions, I’ll continue to add more & keep this content even more thorough & fresh.
Thanks for giving it a read & if you’ve reached down here, I want you to know that you’re an awesome reader & you're gonna have an awesome weekend 😎
📙 Insightful reads that can transform the way you use Elementor…
Seems like you’re good at hitting those share buttons, especially the Facebook one 😉
Thank you! I used method one and it worked flawlessly.
Most welcome Kate!
I’m glad to hear that 🙂
How to start with all open?
If you’re using Elementor Pro for that, you might need to use code to make all the accordion start open.
But there’s a option you get in some of the addons like ElementsKit & few others, where you simply have a toggle option to keep all the accordions start open.
Feel free to checkout the options available.
The CSS-trick works wonders! I’m quite creative with CSS but NEVER thought of this hack! Thank you so much, you really helped me out! ^_^
Thanks for the great article. On my website neither the new javascript, nor the css works. I guess, because the css selector names have changed.
Hey Christine, so sorry to hear that.
The CSS method works for most, it’s strange that it didn’t worked for you.
And about the CSS selector names, I think it’s still the same, so give it a try.
I used method 1.
BUT now every time i use the accordion, i get the first item is closed, even if I want it open. I am unable to change that.
If this is the case then consider using the second method of adding CSS code because it works for most.
And if you wanna use the first method then consider checking & applying the code once again. It should work fine.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Kuldeep
I added the word “selector” (no quotation marks, no dot at the beginning, just the word and a space) before pasting the CSS code (1st method). This way it only affects the selected accordion. Hope it helps! Thank you Kuldeep Rathore!
Most welcome Stefdann & thanks for your input.
Hi, I tried the HTML option and it is only working on the edit page, but not in the visible one. Did anyone have the same problem?
Hey Maru, so sorry to hear that.
It shouldn’t be the case as adding JavaScript code does works, you can try setting var delay= 600.
And if it still doesn’t works, try the CSS method as it works for the most people.
I hope this helps.
CORRECTION: As others have mentioned, method #2 (javascript) doesn’t work anymore. Elementor probably changed something because it worked before. But there is an easy fix, (some people already write it here, but I want to make it clear what to change).
This is the correct code; the only change is the “var delay = 100” was changed to “var delay 600” :
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
var delay = 600; setTimeout(function() {
$(‘.elementor-tab-title’).removeClass(‘elementor-active’);
$(‘.elementor-tab-content’).css(‘display’, ‘none’); }, delay);
});
var delay = 100, 600, 1200 all works but still, this javascript code has some issues & it stops working at some point.
It’s better to use the CSS code which is easy to understand & more importantly, works for most.
Anyway, I appreciate your valuable input.
Excellent, I’ve tried a few things that were supposed to work but none did. The only thing, is that now just above the first visible item, there’s a very thin line going across the top…how do I get rid of that? There are no borders on my accordion widget items.
Hey David, thanks for dropping a quick comment.
I just checked your site & found that you’re using the code while keeping the borders to 0px & that’s why there’s a thin line on the top.
No worries, you can do two things to solve this.
First is, to enable the border (1-2px) from the accordion widget settings & change the border color from this #D4DFF2C7 to this #FF914D in the Custom CSS code.
This way you’ll have a nice solid border on your accordion items.
Secondly, if you don’t want any borders then simply remove the “border-top” property from the CSS code.
Doing this will give you a plain simple accordion without borders.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Kuldeep
Thank you. I used the css and it worked just fine.
I’m Glad it helped.
Thanks for taking a min & dropping this comment, it means a lot.
Wishing you the best of luck with your business this new year.
Best,
Kuldeep
Yes, I used the first CSS Code 1 (Recommended) option and it worked perfectly. Thanks
Thanks Llyod for your quick comment.
I’m Glad that it helped you.
A lot more solutions coming this 2023, stay tuned 😉
Regards,
Kuldeep
I’d like to set my second slide to be active instead of the first. Is this possible? I’m not very JS literate.
Yes, it’s possible.
I’m not a power user too so I can’t provide you a quick CSS or JS Code but I can suggest using ElementsKit addons at the moment.
ElementsKit offers 3 unique accordion widgets with capabilities to set any accordion slide as closed/opened.
Lastly, I would like to share that Christmas deals are live, so if you’re looking to grab any of the Elementor addons, now is the best time.
Feel free to give it a quick look – https://kuldeeprathore.com/christmas-new-year-wordpress-deals/
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Kuldeep
Thank you for that one, it’s Working!
Glad it helped 🙂
For those of you looking for a fix to the custom accordion delay you just need to modify the delay. It looks like Elementor adjusted their accordion with a delay to make the first one active. A delay of 1200 seems to fix it. It has a little flicker, but it’s better than not working 🙂
var delay = 100;
Hopefully, that helps someone!
Thank you Ben for your valuable Input.
And ya, it’s helpful for all of us.
Wishing you the best of luck with your design & WordPress services.
Once again thanks for adding more value & information to this post.
Have a great week ahead.
Cheers,
Kuldeep
Yeah for me I adjusted to 600 as the script wasn’t working when the delay was too short (100).
Awesome Simon for your input.
Feel free to play around with the delay.
var delay = 100;
var delay = 600;
var delay = 1200;
All works fine.
This was working beautifully up until a few days ago. Any idea if something has changed, and maybe this snippet needs fine tuning?
Hey Sasser, thanks for your comment.
Yes, you’re right. Maybe this snippet needs a checkup now.
I’ll look into the issue & come up with more solutions soon (once I’m back from a vacation)
Until then, if you’re comfortable adding a new addon, I would advise you (just like many others) to use the ElementsKit accordion widget.
It offers simple one-click toggle settings to keep the accordions in an active or closed state.
Click here to check out some of the demos & features of the widgets provided by ElementsKit & see if it fulfills your end goal.
Even the free version will do the job, so feel free to check it out.
I hope this helps & I’ll get back to you soon.
Cheers,
Kuldeep
I added the code on one Elementor pop-up (no not to Elementor in general via custom code) It worked fine on the accordion on the pop-up. However it also was applied on accordions on other pages…which I did not want it to. What to do?
Hey Charlotte, thanks for sharing your issue in detail.
So sorry to hear that but worry not.
I’ll look into the issue & come up with more solutions soon (once I’m back from a vacation)
Until then if you’re comfortable adding a new addon, I would advise using the ElementsKit accordion widget.
It offers simple one-click toggle settings to keep the accordions in an active or closed state.
Click here to check out some of the demos & features of the widgets provided by ElementsKit & see if it fulfills your end goal.
I hope this helps & I’ll get back to you soon.
Cheers,
Kuldeep
I used the code and it worked great, but seems after the elementor upgrade it stopped working, or is it just my website?
Keep good tips like these coming 😀
Hey Soren, can I know which version you’re currently on?
Also, can you share your website URL or the page where you’re using accordions?
The first code method works for most of the versions.
If you’re comfortable adding a new addon, I would advise using the ElementsKit accordion widget.
It offers simple toggle settings to keep the accordion active or closed.
Click here to Check out some of the demos & features of the widgets provided by ElementsKit.
I hope this helps & thanks for your kind words 😀
Thanks!
Most welcome brother. I’m Glad that it worked for you.
Thank you, Kuldeep for the Tutorial!
Great Resource.
I’m Glad it worked for you Noah.
And honestly, would like to thank you for the quick comment, it will encourage others to give it a try 😀
Cheers,
Kuldeep