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For a block theme, add or select a Navigation block in the header, set its overlay visibility to Mobile or Always, then save and preview the site. You can customize the overlay template for the opened panel. Classic themes can render a menu with wp_nav_menu(), but that function alone does not create a slide-out drawer; a plugin or additional theme development is needed.
Choose the right method for your WordPress theme
| Method | Best fit | What it provides | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navigation block | Block themes using the Site Editor | Core overlay visibility controls and an editable overlay template | Assign the menu to a Navigation block, save, and inspect the front end |
| Responsive Menu plugin | Site owners who prefer plugin configuration over custom drawer code | The WordPress.org listing describes an off-canvas slide-in panel and configurable entry direction and animation | These are vendor-listed capabilities; verify compatibility and behavior on your site |
Theme development with wp_nav_menu() |
Classic themes or developers needing theme-level control | WordPress menu rendering | The function does not, by itself, provide the drawer toggle, styling, or interaction behavior |
Add the slide-out panel with the Navigation block
This is the most direct starting point when your theme supports the Site Editor. WordPress documents the Navigation block and related settings in its Navigation block guide.
- In the WordPress dashboard, open Appearance → Editor to launch the Site Editor.
- Open the template part that contains site navigation, commonly Header. Select its existing Navigation block, or insert one.
- Choose an existing menu for the block or create a menu there. A menu managed in the Site Editor will not appear on the site merely because it exists; it must be assigned to a Navigation block in a template part.
- With the Navigation block selected, find Overlay or Overlay settings in the block settings and set Overlay visibility to Mobile to collapse the navigation on smaller screens, or Always to show a menu toggle at every size.
- Set the toggle presentation to an icon or the text labels “Menu” and “Close,” according to the available controls in your WordPress version.
- To change what appears after opening the panel, edit the Navigation block’s overlay template. Add or arrange the desired content, then save your changes.
- Preview the front end at the sizes where the overlay should appear. Confirm that the toggle opens and closes the panel and that the links lead to the intended destinations.
Review submenu and accessibility behavior
Navigation block submenu settings can allow opening on hover or click. Consider touch as well as mouse use when choosing the interaction. Check that keyboard users can reach the toggle, open and close the panel, and move through its links; do not assume that changing the overlay setting alone verifies accessibility. WordPress’s block-theme accessibility guidance discusses accessible navigation and responsive support, but custom menus still need to be reviewed in their actual theme and configuration.
Use a plugin when you want configured off-canvas behavior
The Responsive Menu listing on WordPress.org says the plugin can use an existing WordPress menu and display it as a hamburger menu with an off-canvas slide-in panel. It lists entry from the left, right, top, or bottom, with slide or push animation options. These are capabilities described by the plugin listing, not independent test results.
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After installing and configuring a menu plugin, preview the actual site and check that its panel works with your theme, existing navigation, and other active plugins. Confirm the chosen direction and animation, and make sure the menu remains usable on touchscreens and with a keyboard. Plugin controls and compatibility can change, so check the current listing and your own installation rather than assuming every option works identically on every site.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Build a drawer in a classic theme
For classic theme development, WordPress provides wp_nav_menu() to display a navigation menu. Its arguments include options for selecting the menu and its container; see the official function reference.
Rendering menu links is only one part of a slide-out panel. A complete implementation also needs a toggle, panel styling, and interaction behavior that opens and closes the drawer. The function reference does not provide that complete implementation, so treat wp_nav_menu() as the menu-rendering route, not a ready-made drawer. Use a suitable plugin or develop and validate the additional theme code for your site.
Quick Recap
Save and verify the result
- Save the Site Editor or plugin changes before judging the front end.
- Check the menu at both narrow and wide viewport sizes, especially if you selected Mobile visibility.
- Test the toggle, panel contents, submenu interaction, and navigation links on the actual theme.
- Try touch and keyboard input, not only a mouse, before relying on the menu for site navigation.
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