How to use Theme Page Templates in BuddyBoss

Introduction

The BuddyBoss Theme includes several page templates that let you customize the layout and appearance of your pages. Templates help you control whether pages display sidebars, appear full width, or expand to full screen without headers or footers. This tutorial explains how to use Theme Page templates.

Tutorial Video

Default Template

The Default Template displays page content with an optional sidebar.

How It Works

• By default, the template includes a page sidebar area.
  
• To add widgets, go to Appearance > Widgets and place them in the Page Sidebar.
  
• If no widgets are added, the layout automatically switches to full width.
  

Sidebar Position

• Go to BuddyBoss > Theme Options > Sidebars.
  
• Select whether the Page Sidebar appears on the left or right.
  

This option is useful if some pages require sidebars while others don’t.

Full Width Page Template

The Full Width Template removes the sidebar entirely, leaving only the page content.

Full Screen Page Template

The Full Screen Template removes the header, footer, and sidebar, allowing content to extend across the entire screen.

Customizing Full Screen Pages

• Adjust padding to control spacing:
  
  • Example: Set padding to 5 for near edge-to-edge layout.
    
  • Example: Set padding to 50 for more spacing around content.
    

Example: Using with Private Network

1. Go to BuddyBoss > Settings and enable Private Site.
   
2. Copy the URL of your full-screen page.
   
3. Add the URL under Public Website Content exclusions.
   
4. Now logged-out users can access that page, even if the rest of the site is private.
   

This is useful for making pages like a Privacy Policy, About Us, or Marketing Landing Pages visible while keeping community content private.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: Why is my sidebar not showing on the Default Template?
A: Ensure you’ve added widgets to the Page Sidebar under Appearance > Widgets.

Q: Can I move the sidebar to the left side?
A: Yes. Go to BuddyBoss > Theme Options > Sidebars and change the sidebar position.

Q: Why does my full-width template still show a sidebar?
A: Double-check that you selected the Full Width Template for that page.

Q: Can I make some pages public while the site is private?
A: Yes. Add those page URLs to the Public Website Content exclusions in BuddyBoss Settings.