Why Can't I Edit Certain Sections?

Why Some Parts of Your Website Seem Locked

If you’ve noticed that certain parts of your website can’t be edited — perhaps a section doesn’t have an edit button, you can’t change the text, or an area doesn’t respond when you click on it — this is usually by design, not a bug.

Your website is built with a combination of editable content areas and fixed template elements. Understanding the difference will help you know what you can change yourself and when you’ll need to ask InnerMedia for help.

Template-Controlled Sections

Many parts of your website are controlled by the theme template rather than the page content. These elements appear consistently across multiple pages and are managed centrally to keep your site looking professional and consistent.

Common template-controlled areas include:

• Header — the logo, main navigation menu, and any top bar with phone numbers or social links
• Footer — contact details, address, links, logo, and copyright text
• Sidebar — any content panels that appear alongside your main content
• Page banners — hero images or heading areas at the top of pages (these may use a separate banner field rather than the main content editor)
• Global elements — call-to-action bars, cookie notices, alert banners, or testimonial carousels that appear on multiple pages

These areas are designed to be managed from a central location (usually Appearance → Menus, Appearance → Widgets, or Theme Settings) rather than within each individual page. This means a change in one place updates the element across your entire site.

User Role Restrictions

WordPress has different user roles with different levels of access. Depending on your role, you may not have permission to edit certain content:

• Administrator — full access to everything (InnerMedia typically holds this role)
• Editor — can edit all pages and posts, manage media, and publish content
• Author — can create and publish their own posts, but can’t edit pages or other people’s content
• Contributor — can write posts but can’t publish them (they go to review)

If you’re logged in as an Author or Contributor, you won’t see the option to edit pages at all — only posts. If you need a higher level of access, please contact InnerMedia support and we can update your user role.

See our full guide on Managing User Roles & Permissions for more detail.

Reusable Blocks and Synced Patterns

Some content on your pages may be a Reusable Block (also called a Synced Pattern in newer versions of WordPress). These are content blocks that are shared across multiple pages — when you edit one, it updates everywhere it appears.

You’ll recognise a Reusable Block because:

• It has a purple border or purple icon in the editor
• When you click on it, you may see a message about it being a synced pattern
• Editing it warns you that changes will apply to all pages where it’s used

If you need to make a change to a Reusable Block, you can — but be aware it will change on every page that uses it. If you only want to change it on one page, you’ll need to detach or convert it to a regular block first (look for this option in the block toolbar). See our article on Using Reusable Blocks for full guidance.

Custom Fields and Advanced Content Areas

Some content on your website is managed through custom fields rather than the standard WordPress editor. These are specially built input areas that ensure content is displayed correctly in your design.

Examples include:

• Staff profiles — name, role, photo, and bio might each have their own field
• Testimonials — quote, author, and source in separate fields
• Banner images — a dedicated field below or beside the main editor
• Call-to-action buttons — button text and link URL as individual fields

These fields usually appear below the main content editor when you edit a page. If you scroll down past the main editing area, you’ll often find additional fields for this type of content.

If you can’t find where to edit a particular element, it may be managed through custom fields that aren’t visible to your user role, or it may be hardcoded into the template. In either case, get in touch with InnerMedia support and we’ll help you make the change.

What You Can Always Edit

Even with template restrictions, there’s plenty you can change yourself:

• Main page content — text, headings, images, buttons, and links within the editor
• Blog posts — create, edit, and publish news and blog content
• Media — upload, replace, and organise images and documents
• Navigation menus — add, remove, and reorder menu items (if you have Editor access or above)
• Forms — manage form fields, notifications, and submissions (via Gravity Forms or WPForms)

If you’re ever unsure whether something can be edited, try clicking on it in the editor. If it’s editable, you’ll see editing options appear. If not, it’s likely a template element — and InnerMedia can help.