---
title: "How to set close or open specific Accordion Item in WordPress?"
url: https://nexterwp.com/docs/openclose-wordpress-accordion-bydefault/
date: 2023-02-08
modified: 2026-08-26
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "What It Does The Nexter Blocks Accordion block has a Default Active Tab setting that controls which item, if any, is already open the moment the page loads. Why It..."
image: https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/openclose-wordpress-accordion-bydefault-1024x519.jpg
word_count: 623
---

# How to set close or open specific Accordion Item in WordPress?

## Key Takeaways

- Nexter Blocks Accordion block uses the Default Active Tab setting to control which item opens on page load, or to keep all items closed with 0.
- Default Active Tab works by position, not by name or ID, so 1 opens the first item, 2 opens the second item, and reordering items can change which one opens.
- The setting lives in Extra Option and applies at the block level, so every item in that Accordion block follows the same default state.
- Nexter Blocks Accordion block supports FAQ pages, product pages, and knowledge base pages with either one item open by default or every item collapsed.

## What It Does

The Nexter Blocks Accordion block has a Default Active Tab setting that controls which item, if any, is already open the moment the page loads.

## Why It Matters

By default, the first accordion item opens automatically on page load. That is not always what a page needs: an FAQ page might want a different question highlighted first, and a specs or feature list often reads cleaner with every item closed until the visitor picks one. This setting lets you choose either outcome instead of accepting the block's default.

## What You Get

Either one specific accordion item open on page load, or all items closed on page load, your choice, set once in the block settings.

*For the full settings overview of the Nexter Blocks Accordion block, [see this guide](https://nexterwp.com/docs/add-accordion-in-wordpress/).*

## Capabilities

- Choose which accordion item, by position, opens automatically on page load.

- Keep every item closed by default instead.

- Applies at the block level, so every item in that Accordion block follows the same setting.

## How It Works

The setting lives under the Accordion block's **Extra Option** tab, in the **Default Active Tab** dropdown. It works by position, not by name or ID: select **0** to keep all items closed by default, or select a number to open the accordion item in that position (1 for the first item, 2 for the second, and so on). If you do not change this setting, the block keeps its own default of opening the first item.

[LIVE BLOCK LINK](https://nexterwp.com/nexter-blocks/?from=tpblocks&utm_source=tpag&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text)

## How to Use It

**Before you start:** this setting is part of the Nexter Blocks Accordion block, so Nexter Blocks needs to be installed and activated.

- Add the Accordion block to your page and select it.

- Go to **Extra Option > Default Active Tab**.

- From the dropdown, choose **0** to keep all items closed by default, or choose the position number of the item you want open on load.

- Publish or preview the page to confirm the right item (or no item) opens on load.

![Nexter Blocks Accordion Extra Option panel showing the Default Active Tab dropdown](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/accordion-layout-default-active-tab-new.png)

Also check: [How to open Accordion Tabs on hover in WordPress](https://nexterwp.com/docs/wordpress-accordion-on-hover/).

## Use Cases

- FAQ pages where one item should open by default to highlight the most common question.

- Product pages with collapsible feature sections that should all start closed.

- Knowledge base pages where all accordion items start collapsed for a cleaner layout.

## Limitations

- The dropdown selects by position (1st item, 2nd item, and so on), not by a name or a stable ID. If you reorder the accordion items later, the number you set may now point to a different item, so it is worth re-checking this setting after reordering.

- The setting applies to the whole Accordion block. You cannot have it evaluate differently for different visitors or devices.

- This only works with the Nexter Blocks Accordion block. It does not extend to other accordion-style blocks or plugins.

## Troubleshooting

- **The wrong item opens on load.** The dropdown counts by position, not by the item's title. Count the accordion items from the top starting at 1 and match that number, rather than guessing based on the item's label.

- **An item opened before is now showing closed, or a different item is open.** This usually means the accordion items were reordered, added, or removed after Default Active Tab was set. Since the setting tracks position, not the specific item, re-open the setting and pick the correct number again.

- **Nothing opens by default even though a number is selected, or the accordion behaves oddly on load.** This has been reported before on iPad and other tablets running Nexter Blocks, even when the same page works correctly on desktop and phone. If you hit this, confirm you are on the latest Nexter Blocks version, then contact support with your device and browser details.