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Troubleshooting Sticky Header Background and Shrink Issues After Updates

28 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Sticky header effects for elementor

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Users of the 'Sticky Header Effects for Elementor' plugin have occasionally reported issues after updating, particularly with two core functionalities: the header background not changing color on scroll and the header shrink effect stopping. This guide will help you understand why these problems occur and provide the most common solutions.

Common Problems and Their Causes

Based on community reports, the two most frequent update-related problems are:

  1. Transparent Background on Scroll: After an update (notably mentioned with version 1.7), the header's background remains transparent when it becomes sticky instead of switching to the solid color configured in the plugin settings. Threads suggest this was often linked to missing variables in the plugin's code after an update.
  2. Shrink Effect Not Working: The header and/or logo fail to shrink upon scrolling after an update. Users reported this issue starting with versions 1.4.3 and again with the 1.7.x branch. This can be caused by a conflict with the new code, CSS that is too aggressively optimized, or the physical dimensions of a logo image preventing a smooth transition.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix These Issues

If you encounter either of these problems, work through the following steps.

Step 1: The First and Easiest Fix - Clear Caches

Before doing anything else, clear all caching on your site. This includes:

  • Your WordPress caching plugin (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache).
  • Your browser cache.
  • Any server-level or CDN caches (e.g., Cloudflare).

Outdated cached CSS or JavaScript files are a common culprit for styling issues after an update.

Step 2: Check for Conflicts

Temporarily disable any CSS/JavaScript optimization, concatenation, or minification plugins (e.g., Autoptimize). As noted in one thread, even if the problem persists after disabling, it helps isolate the issue. If the sticky header works with these plugins off, you will need to adjust their configuration, often by excluding the plugin's files (she-header.js) from optimization.

Step 3: Roll Back to a Previous Version

This is the most widely reported and successful solution from the community. If a new update breaks your header, reverting to the version that worked is a reliable fix.

  • Many users found version 1.6.9 to be a stable release that resolved these specific bugs.
  • You can roll back using a plugin like "WP Rollback" or by manually installing an older version from the WordPress plugin repository.

Step 4: Investigate Specific Scenarios

For Shrink Issues: If your logo isn't shrinking, check its dimensions. A very tall logo image might be preventing the header from shrinking smoothly. Try uploading a smaller logo image and see if that resolves the issue.

For Transparent Header Issues: The 'Sticky Header Effects for Elementor' team suggests using Elementor's display conditions. Create one header with the transparent effect enabled for your homepage and a second, duplicate header with the effect disabled for all other pages. This can prevent conflicts on pages where the effect isn't needed.

Conclusion

Update-related bugs, while frustrating, are often resolved by clearing cache, checking for optimization conflicts, or temporarily rolling back the plugin. The community has consistently found version 1.6.9 to be a stable release for these particular functionalities. Always remember to test updates on a staging site first before applying them to a live website.

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