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Troubleshooting Gutenberg Navigation Block Issues on Mobile

20 threads Sep 7, 2025 Plugin → Gutenberg

Content

Many users of the Gutenberg editor and Full Site Editing (FSE) themes report a common and frustrating problem: the navigation block, particularly the hamburger menu, fails to work correctly on mobile devices. This issue can manifest as menus not expanding, submenus not appearing, or taps being unresponsive. Based on community reports and solutions, this guide will help you diagnose and fix these problems.

Common Symptoms

  • The hamburger icon is visible but does not open the menu when tapped.
  • Submenu items do not expand or are unclickable on mobile.
  • The menu works on desktop but is completely or intermittently broken on mobile.
  • Menu items appear as a blank white space when opened.

Why This Happens

Mobile navigation issues are rarely caused by a single factor. The most common culprits are:

  • Plugin Conflicts: A plugin's JavaScript or CSS can interfere with the navigation block's functionality.
  • Theme or Gutenberg Bugs: Specific versions of a theme or the Gutenberg plugin can introduce bugs that break mobile menus.
  • Caching: Aggressive caching mechanisms may serve outdated JavaScript or CSS files that prevent the menu from working.
  • Styling Issues: Incorrect color settings can make a menu appear broken (e.g., white text on a white background).
  • Local Environment Quirks: Some users report issues specific to local development setups like XAMPP.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Problem

1. Perform a Conflict Test

The first and most critical step is to rule out conflicts with other plugins or your theme.

  1. Install and activate the Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin.
  2. Go to Tools > Site Health > Troubleshooting and enable troubleshooting mode. This will deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme only for you, while visitors see your normal site.
  3. In this mode, check if the mobile menu works. If it does, the problem is a conflict.
  4. Re-enable your plugins one by one, testing the menu after each activation, to identify the culprit.
  5. Finally, switch back to your theme to confirm it is not the source of the issue.

2. Check for Styling Problems

If the menu opens but appears blank, it could be a simple color clash. A common fix is to ensure your mobile menu text color contrasts with its background. You can add custom CSS to resolve this. For example:

@media (max-width: 599px){
    .wp-block-navigation__responsive-container .wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content {
        color: black;
    }
}

Add this code to your theme's Additional CSS section (Appearance > Customize) or in the Site Editor's styles panel.

3. Clear All Caches

If you use a caching plugin (e.g., WP Rocket) or server-level caching, clear all caches completely. Also, clear your browser cache and test in an incognito/private window to ensure you are seeing the latest version of your site.

4. Update Everything

Ensure your WordPress core, theme, and the Gutenberg plugin (if used) are updated to their latest versions. The Gutenberg team is constantly fixing bugs, and your issue may have been resolved in a recent update.

5. Test in a Different Environment

If the problem only occurs on a local development site (e.g., XAMPP) but works on a live server, the issue may be specific to your local setup. Try testing on a different browser or device to see if the problem persists.

Conclusion

Mobile navigation problems are typically solvable through systematic troubleshooting. Start with a conflict test, as this identifies the cause in most cases. If the issue is related to a specific bug in the Gutenberg plugin, keeping it updated is your best defense. For persistent problems, checking the official WordPress support forums for similar reports can provide additional insights and solutions.

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