Do you want to learn how to add a top and search bar in Astra theme? You are in the right place to get detailed guidelines to include these elements in your site header.
It is good that you are using the Astra theme to build your business site and want to design a magnificent header to attract a massive audience.
Before diving into the Astra theme tutorial, let me consolidate the benefits of making an attractive header for your professional WordPress website.
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Table Of Contents
- Why Design an Attractive Site Header?
- Steps To Add A Top Bar Menu In Astra Theme
- Steps To Add Search Widget In Astra Theme
- Video Tutorial To Customize Astra Header
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it possible to add a top bar in the free version of Astra?
- Can I include a Search Icon in the Mobile menu?
- How to show the email or phone number in the WordPress top bar?
- Wrapping Up
- Why Use Pro Version To Enable Top Bar & Search Icon In Astra?
- Other Astra Theme Tutorials
Why Design an Attractive Site Header?
The Header is the first element that your visitors see. It should be streamlined so they can clearly understand your business or the service you offer.
Additionally, an engaging website header is crucial in building a positive impression and can help increase sales. Moreover, it will reinforce your brand identity and improve user navigation.
Out of all, it is an ideal place to include your prominent Call-To-Action or contact details that will encourage your audience to take action immediately.
So, how do you add a top bar and search bar in WordPress? Let’s get into the topic!
Let’s see how to include the Astra WordPress theme top bar now!

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Customize
Step 2: Go to the Astra Header Builder section. For your understanding, I’m adding the elements to the Astra top bar. I include “HTML” and a “Button” in the middle of the Header section. Look at the image below!

After including these elements, let’s start setting the preferences. Here is an image for your reference.

Step 3: To make the design changes, click the Header area settings (Marked in the following image)

Step 4: Click the icon to access the settings on the left, as shown here.

Step 5: In the General header setting, you can change the height of the top bar section. Under the Design tab, you will get the background color settings. Here is the screenshot for your understanding.

Step 6: Now, let’s customize the HTML section. Just click the section as shown in the image below.

By selecting, you will get the settings on your left. Now, you can add the text for your Top bar. Check the picture below!

Step 7: After entering the text, modify the text color through the design section as shown here.

Step 8: Next, let me customize the button section. To do so, you need to choose that section like the image below.

After selecting, you will get the following settings on your left.

1. Button text – Enter your preferred text for the button on the Top bar
2. Button link – Insert the target URL
3. Link rel – Fix the nature of the link as nofollow or noopener or noreferrer
4. Button Size – Set the button size as small, medium, large, or extra large
After including all these details, you may change the design with the help of the Design section, like

Pick your desired color, Border width, and radius for your Astra top bar button.
Let’s look at the output! So, we

Steps To Add Search Widget In Astra Theme
Check the simple steps to include search feature in Astra theme!
Step 1: Log in to your WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Customize section.
Step 2: Go to the “Header Builder” section, where you can add a search section; refer to the image below.

Step 3: Select that element after including the search section and start your Astra theme customizations. I will do some settings for your understanding.

As you can see above, it is likely that you will pick your Search Width and Height by choosing the “Search Box” option under the Search Style section.
Step 4: You may also enable this live search option to get live article suggestions when your audience searches for something on your site.

This is the output. You can see the Astra theme search bar placement, refer to the image below!

Step 5: If you want, you can customize the search box design. Check the following settings,

Here, you can change the search box icon color, its background & border color. Also, adjust the radius and width of the Astra search box border. The following is the example image.

Video Tutorial To Customize Astra Header
For your easy understanding, I have created a video tutorial to add a top and search bar to the Astra theme. Watch now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to add a top bar in the free version of Astra?
Yes, it is possible! However, please note that customization options are limited in the free version. For advanced features, get the Astra premium copy.
Yes, you can add a search icon in the mobile menu by using either the free or the pro version.
How to show the email or phone number in the WordPress top bar?
You have to use either the “Text” or “HTML” widget to display your email or phone number in the top bar.
Wrapping Up
A well-designed site header makes navigation easy and clear for your visitors. As it is their first interaction, you can gently push them to react to your CTAs and boost conversions.
With the help of the Astra header builder options, you can create a stunning web page beginning, which will help you grab your readers’ attention.
I hope you are clear with the customization settings to add a top and search bar in the Astra theme, suitable for your site design. If you need any WordPress header customization help, leave a comment.
Why Use Pro Version To Enable Top Bar & Search Icon In Astra?
If you are using the Astra free version, consider upgrading it to its pro version for the following reasons.
| Feature | What Free Version Offers | What Pro Unlocks |
| Above Header (Top Bar Section) | Settings are limited. It constrains what you can place there. | Provides a dedicated Above Header module to place contact info, social icons, announcements, or a search box in that section. |
| Header Elements & Widget Slots | Provides some essential elements, such as a logo, primary menu, and search, but offers fewer widget, HTML & button slots. | Several widget, HTML, button elements to place in the header, more options for styling and layout. |
| Advanced Search Features | Basic search icon placement is free, but with limited styles and behavior. | Includes advanced search styles: live search, full-screen search, search styles, ability to customize placeholder text, and control how search behaves on mobile vs desktop. |
| Responsive Controls | Limited control of search or top bar layout per device (desktop/mobile). | Better responsive settings! What to show/hide in mobile vs desktop, different layouts or styles per device. |
| Sticky & Transparent Headers | Only basic header behavior; sticky headers and transparent headers are not available. | Contains sticky header functionality (the header stays visible on scroll), a transparent header and custom behavior on scroll. |
| Flexibility & Customization | Less control over spacing, alignment, number of sections/rows in the header. | Many rows (above, below, merged headers), more layout options, spacing, margins, and color customization to match your brand and design. |
Other Astra Theme Tutorials
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