How to Create a Custom Divi Header Layout

The default Divi header is functional, but it rarely reflects the full creative vision of your brand. Using Elegant Themes' powerful Theme Builder, you can replace that stock header with a fully custom Divi header that matches your design perfectly — no coding required. This guide walks you through every step, from planning your layout to publishing it live.

Why Build a Custom Divi Header?

Divi's built-in header customizer gives you color, font, and layout controls, but it has hard limits. You cannot freely position elements, add custom modules like countdown timers or icon rows, or create drastically different headers for different page types. A custom Divi header built through the Theme Builder removes all of those restrictions.

With a custom header you can:

• Design transparent or sticky headers with gradient backgrounds
• Add promotional bars, social icons, or phone numbers above the nav
• Use different headers for your blog, shop, or landing pages
• Integrate Divi's full module library — buttons, images, sliders, and more

Step 1 — Open the Divi Theme Builder

Navigate to Divi → Theme Builder in your WordPress dashboard. You will see a canvas showing your site's global template structure. At the top, click Add Global Header to begin. If you want a header that only applies to specific pages, click the gear icon on an existing template to set its assignment rules instead.

Once you click "Build Global Header," you are taken into the Divi Builder in a special header-editing mode. The canvas is blank — everything you place here will appear above every page on your site.

Step 2 — Structure Your Header Layout

Start by adding a Section. For most headers, a Fullwidth Section works best because it spans edge to edge. Inside that section, add a Row with the column configuration that fits your design — a common choice is a three-column row: logo on the left, navigation in the center, and a CTA button on the right.

If you want a top announcement bar, add a second section above your main header row. Give it a contrasting background color and place a single Text module inside it. This two-section approach is clean and easy to maintain.

Step 3 — Add Your Logo and Navigation Menu

In the left column, insert an Image module and upload your logo. Set its max-width to something like 160px and align it to the left. For the navigation, Divi provides a dedicated Menu module. Drop it into your center or right column, select your WordPress menu from the dropdown, and choose your preferred menu style — inline, centered, or with a hamburger toggle for mobile.

The Menu module inside the Theme Builder supports sticky behavior natively. Enable Make Sticky in the module's Advanced → Sticky Options tab to keep your custom Divi header fixed at the top as users scroll.

Step 4 — Style Your Header Visually

Click the Section settings to set a background. You can use a solid color, a CSS gradient, or even a background image with an overlay. For a modern dark theme, a gradient from #0f1117 to #1a2340 creates a sleek professional look without a single image file.

Style your Menu module's link colors, hover states, and font under the Design tab. Consistent typography — matching the fonts used in your Divi child theme — is essential for a polished result. Set active link colors to match your brand accent so visitors always know where they are.

Step 5 — Configure Mobile Responsiveness

Switch to tablet and phone preview modes using the icons at the bottom of the builder. Divi's Theme Builder respects the same responsive controls you use everywhere else. Hide the three-column layout on mobile by adjusting column stacking, and ensure your Menu module's hamburger icon is properly styled and visible. Test that logo image scales correctly — set it to max-width: 100% on mobile if needed.

Step 6 — Assign and Publish Your Header

When your design is complete, click Save in the top right of the builder, then return to the Theme Builder canvas. Your global header will now show a preview thumbnail. Click Save Theme Builder at the top of the canvas to push the custom Divi header live across your entire WordPress site.

If you want to disable the default Divi header so they do not conflict, go to Divi → Theme Options → Header & Navigation and set the header style to "Centered" or simply let the Theme Builder override take full precedence — it will automatically suppress the legacy header when a Theme Builder header is active.

Tips for Taking It Further

Once you have the basics working, consider these enhancements for your Divi theme header workflow:

• Export your header layout as a JSON file from the Theme Builder to reuse it in Divi child themes on other projects
• Use Divi's built-in conditions to show a special header only on WooCommerce product pages
• Add a Button module styled as an outlined pill for a high-converting CTA in the header
• Combine the Theme Builder header with a custom Divi footer for a fully branded site template

Building a custom Divi header through the Theme Builder is one of the highest-leverage design moves you can make in Elegant Themes' ecosystem. It gives you pixel-level control without touching a line of PHP, and the results are immediately visible across every page of your WordPress site.