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Why Your SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle CSS Might Load in the Footer (And How to Fix It)

38 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Siteorigin widgets bundle

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If you've noticed the CSS for your SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle loading in the footer instead of the header, you're not alone. This can cause a frustrating visual issue where page elements shift around as the styles are applied late. Let's explore why this happens and the most common steps to resolve it.

Why This Happens

The SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle uses the standard WordPress function wp_enqueue_style to load its frontend styles. By default, this function should output CSS links in the <head> section of your HTML. However, this expected behavior can be altered by other factors on your WordPress site.

Common Solutions

1. Perform a Plugin Conflict Test

The most common cause of this issue is a conflict with another plugin. Many plugins are designed to optimize site performance by deferring or moving CSS loading, which can sometimes have unintended side effects.

  1. Temporarily deactivate all your plugins except for the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle (and Page Builder if you use it).
  2. Check your site's page source to see if the CSS now loads in the header.
  3. If it does, reactivate your plugins one by one, checking after each activation, to identify the conflicting plugin.
  4. Once identified, check the settings of the conflicting plugin for options related to CSS loading or optimization that you can adjust.

2. Check Your Theme

Some themes also include performance optimization features that can alter how and when stylesheets are loaded. Check your theme's documentation or settings panel for any options related to CSS handling, such as 'Defer CSS' or 'Optimize Stylesheets'.

3. Review Caching and Optimization Plugins

If you use a caching or performance optimization plugin (e.g., Autoptimize, W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket), its settings are a prime suspect. Look for settings that:

  • Aggregate CSS files
  • Defer render-blocking CSS
  • Optimize CSS delivery
  • Change the order of stylesheet loading

Temporarily disabling these specific features can help you pinpoint the cause.

Conclusion

While the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle is designed to load its CSS correctly in the header, other plugins and themes can interfere with this process. A systematic approach to disabling other elements of your site is the most reliable way to identify the root cause. For developers creating custom widgets, ensuring you use the register_frontend_styles method correctly will guarantee your styles are enqueued using WordPress best practices.

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