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How to Create a WordPress Vertical Toggle Menu?

Updated On : September 13, 2026By : Reading Time : 1 minute

Key Takeaways

  • Nexter Blocks Navigation Menu block creates a side menu or sidebar toggle menu on a WordPress website.
  • Menu Layout section selects Vertical Toggle, and the Type section selects the appropriate option before choosing or creating the menu.
  • Toggle Open section offers three options, Normal, Hover, and Click, while the Toggle Bar toggle adds a toggle bar with Title, URL, Prefix Icon, and Toggle Icon fields.
Table of Contents

A vertical toggle menu keeps a long list of pages or categories tucked behind a title bar until visitors need it.

The free Navigation Menu block in Nexter Blocks has a Vertical Toggle layout for this.

For every Navigation Menu setting in one place, see the Navigation Menu block guide.

LIVE BLOCK LINK

Before You Start

  • Edition: Free — works in Nexter Blocks (free) and with Nexter Blocks Pro.
  • Block to enable: Navigation Menu, switched on under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard.

Steps

  1. Add the Navigation Menu block, choose a Type and set Menu Layout to Vertical Toggle.
  1. Keep Toggle Bar on and pick Toggle Open: Normal (always open), Hover or Click.
Toggle Bar settings with Toggle Open set to Click
  1. Enter the bar Title, an optional URL, and choose a Prefix Icon and Toggle Icon. Save.
A vertical toggle menu opening from its title bar

How It Behaves

  • With Click or Hover, only the title bar shows until visitors click or hover over it; then the stacked menu appears.
  • Style the bar on the Style tab under Toggle SideBar.
  • It works in the free plugin and with Pro.

Limitations

  • With a URL set, clicking the bar title can take visitors to that link. Leave URL as # for a pure toggle.

Troubleshooting

The menu is always open

Toggle Open is set to Normal. Choose Click or Hover.

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Related Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need before creating a WordPress vertical toggle menu?

Nexter Blocks has to be installed and activated first, because the Navigation Menu block is part of Nexter Blocks. That matters because the vertical toggle menu is built from that block, not from a separate menu plugin. The tutorial also says the block is added to a header template, and the header template can be created with the free Nexter Builder.

How do I make a vertical toggle menu in WordPress instead of a normal horizontal menu?

The key setting is Menu Layout. In the Navigation Menu block, select Vertical Toggle there, then choose or create the menu from the Type section. That combination turns a standard navigation into a side menu or sidebar toggle menu, which is useful when a site has lots of categories or content sections.

Why isn't my vertical toggle menu showing up on the site?

The most common blocker is that Nexter Blocks is not installed or activated, since the Navigation Menu block depends on it. Another issue is placement: the tutorial adds the block to a header template, so if it is not in the header template, it will not behave like the intended toggle menu. The Nexter Builder note matters here because that is how the header template is created.

Should I use hover or click for a vertical toggle menu?

Hover works when you want the menu to appear on mouseover, while Click is better when you want explicit user control over opening and closing. The Toggle Open section also includes Normal, which keeps the menu always visible. For side menus with lots of links, Click usually feels safer because it avoids accidental opens while moving across the page.

Can I change the title and icons on a WordPress vertical toggle menu?

The Title field changes the toggle bar label, and the Prefix Icon and Toggle Icon sections let you swap out both icons. That gives you control over how obvious the menu trigger looks, which matters on crowded layouts where users need a clear visual cue. The URL field also lets you add a link for the toggle bar itself.

Where can I see an example of the Nexter navigation menu block before building it?

The page points to a LIVE BLOCK LINK for the Navigation Menu block. That is useful if you want to confirm how Vertical Toggle behaves before wiring it into your own header template. The same page also links to click here for the complete feature overview documentation.

Last reviewed: September 14, 2026

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