Joomla: I created a module, but it isn’t on the website

You created a module, it is published, and it isn’t on the website.

Three things have to line up — and it is usually the second one that is missing.

1. Status

The most obvious one. In the module list, the status must be Published (the green tick).

2. Menu assignment

This is the one everyone misses.

Open the module and go to the Menu Assignment tab. There is a drop-down with these options:

• On all pages — it shows everywhere
• No pages — it shows nowhere
• Only on the pages selected — you have to tick which ones
• On all pages except those selected

The default is sometimes “Only on the pages selected” with nothing selected. Then the module is published, but there isn’t a single page it appears on.

Choose On all pages if you want it everywhere.

3. A position the template actually has

The module is assigned to a position such as sidebar-right. But if the template has no such position, the module has nowhere to be shown.

How to see the positions

Open the website with ?tp=1 at the end:

your-site.com/?tp=1

That shows all the positions with their names, right on top of the website. Then you know exactly what goes where.

It has to be enabled first: System → Templates → Options → “Preview Module Positions” set to Enabled. Switch it off when you are done.

The order to check in

1. Status — Published
2. Menu assignment — on which pages
3. Position — whether the template has it
4. Access level — Public

If the template has the position and the module still isn’t there

Some templates hide a position when it is empty, or show it only on certain pages. Check the template’s settings.

And clear the cache — System → Clear Cache.