Every feature in Essential Elements is a module. You switch each one on or off on its own, and each one has its own settings page.
Available modules
| Module | Category | Plan | Settings page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progress Bar | Reading | Free | Essentials → Progress Bar |
| Reading Time | Reading | Free | Essentials → Reading Time |
| Scroll to Top | Navigation | Free | Essentials → Scroll Top |
| Custom Scroll Bar | Design | Free | Essentials → Scroll Bar |
| Announcement Bar | Marketing | Pro | Essentials → Announcement Bar |
| Click to Chat | Engagement | Pro | Essentials → Click to Chat |
| Content Protection | Security | Pro | Essentials → Content Protection |
The Dashboard
Essentials → Dashboard is the plugin’s home screen. It shows:
- How many modules are active and how many are available.
- A Your Modules grid with each module’s status. Active modules have a Configure link, and inactive ones have an Enable Module link.
- Quick links to Browse Modules and Settings.
- A sidebar with links to Read the Docs, Get Support and (without Pro) Upgrade Now.
The Modules screen
Essentials → Modules lists every module as a card with its icon, title and description.
- Switch a module on or off with the toggle on its card. The change saves instantly over AJAX and a notice confirms it. If the change can’t be saved (for example, your session expired), the toggle flips back so the screen never shows a state that wasn’t saved.
- Configure appears on active modules and opens the module’s settings page. A module’s settings page only appears in the Essentials menu while the module is switched on.
- Filter by category: use the buttons at the top (All, Reading, Navigation, Design, Marketing, Engagement, Security) to narrow the list. Only categories that contain at least one module are shown.
Pro modules on the free plugin
Without Pro, the Announcement Bar, Click to Chat and Content Protection appear as locked cards marked Pro, with an Unlock with Pro link, so you can see what’s available. Once Pro is installed and active, the lock disappears and they work exactly like the free modules. See Pro Features.
What "switched off" really means
A module that’s switched off:
- Loads no CSS and no JavaScript on your site.
- Adds no markup and runs no frontend code.
- Keeps its settings, so switching it back on restores your configuration exactly.
A module that’s switched on loads only its own small stylesheet and, where it needs one, a small script written in plain JavaScript with no jQuery. Scroll handling is throttled so scrolling stays smooth.
Default state
All modules start switched off after a fresh install, and each module’s settings are filled in with sensible defaults. Switch one on and it works straight away, even before you visit its settings page.
Related
- Settings, Import & Export
- Developer Reference: register your own modules.