Adding widgets on both sides of Blogger header

This tutorial is in response to requests from readers. Some readers asked how to add a widget on each side of the header as pictured below, while others asked how to place multiple widgets on the right side of the header.

This tutorial will answer both questions. It’ll show you how to add any number of widgets into the header area, and arrange them in any way you like (as long as it’s horizontal :) ).

It’s an improved version of my previous tutorial on similar customization: Add banner, Adsense or search box in header, as it doesn’t require the addition of a new widget container i.e. section.

1. Unlock the header section

You probably notice that you can’t add widgets to the header section in Page Elements (for new interface: Layout). The reason for that is because it is locked. Blogger by default limits the header section to only one widget (the header).

Fortunately we can unlock it pretty easily. Go to Design > Edit HTML (for new interface: Template > Edit HTML) and look for this line:

<b:section class='header' id='header' maxwidgets='1' showaddelement='no'>

replace it with this:

<b:section class='header' id='header' maxwidgets='' showaddelement='yes'> 

What the new code does is removes the widget count limit, and adds the Add-A-Gadget link in the section.

2. Add widgets and get the IDs

Go to Page Elements and add in your widgets via Add-A-Gadget. Arrange them according to how you want them to appear on the actual blog. The topmost widget here will appear farthest to the left on the blog, and the bottommost one will appear farthest to the right. 

Once the widgets are saved, check the widget IDs by following this tutorial: How to find Blogger a widget ID. You need to know the IDs so you can address the widgets individually when styling them in the next step.

 

3. Add CSS code

By now you’ve added the widgets in the header, but they are stacked on top of each other. In this step you will make the widgets appear side by side, add margins or paddings etc. Note: The horizontal layout will not be reflected in Page Elements i.e. the widgets will still appear to be stacked vertically.

1. Go to Template Designer > Advanced > Add CSS (for new interface: Template > Customize > Advanced > Add CSS), enter the code below and press Enter key. Or you can paste it right before ]]></b:skin> in Edit HTML.   
   

   .header .widget  { 
   border: 1px solid; 
   display:inline-block;
   *float: left; 
   height: 200px; 
   overflow: auto; 
   margin: 10px 5px !important;
   vertical-align: top;
   }
   
   .header #Header1 { 
   width: 50%; 
   } 
   
   .header #widgetID1, .header #widgetID2 { 
   width: 20%; 
   } 
   

2. Replace widgetID with the widget ID you get in previous step. Pay attention to the width property -you can set the widths to any values as long as the sum of all the widths, paddings, margins and borders of the widgets do not exceed the width of the header section. Otherwise the rightmost widget will be pushed below the rest of the widgets.
3. Look at the preview pane while doing the adjustment, your goal is for the widgets to align nicely as pictured above.
4. Click Apply To Blog button when done.

Enjoy!