How to Edit the Footer in WordPress

Editing your WordPress footer usually comes down to one of three routes. If you’re on a modern block theme, go to Appearance then Editor and select the footer template part. If your theme still uses widgets, head to Appearance then Widgets and drop content into the footer widget areas. And if you need full control, such as changing the actual code, you’ll be editing footer.php through Appearance then Theme File Editor or, better, through a child theme so your changes survive updates. Below is a proper walkthrough of each, plus what to actually put in there once you’ve got access.

Why the footer matters more than people think

A lot of site owners treat the footer as an afterthought, something to fill with a copyright line and forget about. That’s a mistake. Your footer sits on every single page, which makes it one of the most consistently viewed parts of your site. It’s prime real estate for things like contact details, opening hours, social links and navigation to pages that don’t fit your main menu. I’ve seen small business sites lose a surprising chunk of enquiries simply because the phone number wasn’t visible anywhere below the fold.

Method 1: using the Site Editor for block themes

If your theme supports full site editing, such as most default WordPress themes from 2022 onwards, go to Appearance then Editor. You’ll see Templates and Template Parts. Click on Footer under template parts and you can add, remove or rearrange blocks directly, including paragraphs, social icons, navigation menus and images. Changes save instantly and there’s no code involved.

Method 2: widgets for classic themes

Older or non block themes usually rely on widget areas. Go to Appearance then Widgets, find the footer widget zone (sometimes there are two or three columns) and drag in the widgets you want, such as a text widget for your address or a menu widget for quick links. This is the simplest route if you’re not comfortable with code.

Method 3: editing footer.php directly

For deeper changes, such as adding tracking scripts or custom HTML that widgets can’t handle, you’ll need footer.php. Always duplicate your theme first or use a child theme, because editing the parent theme directly means losing your changes the next time it updates. Once set up, go to Appearance then Theme File Editor, select footer.php and make your edits, checking the live preview before you publish.

What to actually include in your footer

This is where a lot of businesses waste the opportunity. If you’re running an agency or service business, your footer is a good place to link out to your core service pages, the ones that convert, not just your blog. For example, a marketing agency might use its footer to link to its PPC marketing agency page alongside its SEO services page, giving visitors an easy route to the services they came looking for regardless of which blog post they landed on. You might also add links to more specific offerings such as a Google Ads agency London page, a Facebook ads agency London page or a LinkedIn advertising London page, so that whichever channel someone is researching, they’re one click away from the right page.

If your business also runs training or broader campaigns, footer links to something like Google Ads training or a social media advertising agency page work well too. None of this needs to be flashy. A simple text list under a heading such as Services does the job.

A quick word of caution

Before you touch footer.php, back up your site. It sounds obvious but it’s the step most people skip, right before they lock themselves out with a stray bracket. A basic backup plugin or your host’s built in snapshot tool takes two minutes and saves hours of panic later.

FAQs

Where is the footer.php file located in WordPress?

It sits inside your active theme’s folder, usually under wp-content/themes/your-theme-name/footer.php.

Can I edit the footer without using a plugin?

Yes. Both the Site Editor and Widgets methods are built into WordPress core, so no plugin is required for basic footer changes.

How do I stop footer.php changes disappearing after an update?

Use a child theme. Any edits made directly to a parent theme’s files get overwritten the moment that theme updates.

Ready to make your footer work harder

Your footer shouldn’t just sit there quietly. Once you’ve got the basics sorted, take a proper look at what’s in it and whether it’s actually helping visitors find what they need. If you’d rather have someone else handle the technical side of your website while you focus on running your business, get in touch with Flow20 and we’ll take it from there.