Troubleshooting Sticky Position Issues in the Twenty Twenty-Four Theme

Many users of the Twenty Twenty-Four theme have encountered a common frustration: the "Sticky" position setting for blocks, particularly in headers and sidebars, doesn't seem to work as expected. This article explains the likely causes and provides the most effective solutions to get your sticky elements working.

The Problem: Sticky Setting Has No Effect

Users report applying the "Sticky" position option to blocks (like a header Group block or a sidebar) within the Site Editor, only to find the element continues to scroll with the page content instead of remaining fixed in place. This issue has been observed across different types of blocks and can sometimes be inconsistent, working on desktop but not on mobile or tablet views.

Why This Happens

Based on community reports and testing, the issue can stem from one of two primary causes:

1. A Known Bug: There appears to be a bug within the Gutenberg editor itself that prevents the sticky positioning from being applied correctly through the interface. This is a theme-agnostic issue that has been tracked in official GitHub reports.
2. Plugin Conflict: A conflicting plugin can sometimes interfere with the theme's styles and scripts, preventing the sticky JavaScript or CSS from functioning properly.

How to Fix Sticky Positioning

Solution 1: The CSS Workaround (For Headers)

If the built-in sticky option fails, a reliable fix is to add a small amount of custom CSS. This is especially effective for making a header sticky.

1. Navigate to Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS.
2. Paste the following code into the CSS editor:

   header.wp-block-template-part {
       position: fixed;
       width: 100%;
       z-index: 9;
   }
   

3. Click Publish to save your changes. This will pin the header to the top of the viewport. You may need to add top-margin to your page's content to prevent it from loading underneath the fixed header.

Solution 2: Check for Plugin Conflicts

Before assuming it's a bug, it's crucial to rule out conflicts with other software on your site.

1. Deactivate all your plugins.
2. Check if the sticky position option now works correctly.
3. If it does work, you have a plugin conflict. Reactivate your plugins one by one, checking your site after each activation, to identify which one is causing the problem.

Solution 3: Adjust Your Template Structure

For issues with sidebars and content flow, the order of blocks in your template can be important. The Sticky function may work best for blocks at the top level of the hierarchy. For a sidebar that appears after comments on mobile, try structuring your template in this order within a Group block:

1. Main Content
2. Sidebar
3. Comments

This structure can help with the natural flow of content on different screen sizes.

Conclusion

The non-functional sticky option is a known hurdle for many Twenty Twenty-Four users. The most direct solution is to use the provided CSS workaround for headers. Always perform a plugin conflict test to rule out other causes, and consider your template structure for complex layouts. For ongoing updates on the core bug, the community tracks progress on the WordPress Gutenberg GitHub repository.