Enabling and disabling a row

What the row status means

In the Grid list, every standard row has an on or off toggle and information about the number of Joomla positions and their live usage. An active row renders on the canvas. An inactive row is not a valid drag target for a module and its content does not appear in the preview.

The mainbox is an exception. It is a mandatory structural area containing the componentbox and remains preserved. It cannot be disabled like a standard section. The left and right sidebars are structural rows: they can be activated or deactivated, but cannot normally be dragged into a different zone.

Safe status switching

1. Open Grid and check the number of positions and modules for the row. An empty row is the safest candidate to disable.
2. Click directly on the on/off toggle. Clicking the rest of the row item only selects it and scrolls the canvas to it.
3. If the row contains modules, read the confirmation dialog. Cancel the action if you are unsure whether you want to remove the content from the configuration.
4. After disabling, check Layers and Preview. The row must not remain an active target for another module.
5. If you want to reuse it, switch the status back to on and verify the positions. Do not automatically assume that all previously inserted modules were preserved.
6. Wait for autosave and optionally use Undo if the result does not match your intent.

Why confirmation is required

A row is not just a visual colored band. It holds Joomla positions and modules. When applying configuration, a deactivated row can clear inserted modules inside its area. Therefore, the user interface requires confirmation before disabling or removing an occupied row.

If you only want to hide a single position (column) on a specific device, do not disable the entire row. Instead, change the visibility for mobile, tablet, or desktop in the responsive position settings.

When to choose another solution

If you only need to hide a single module outside the homepage, change its assignment to all pages or only the homepage. If you want to hide an entire position on mobile only, use responsive position visibility. If you are merely comparing two long-term page variants, create a copy of the entire template in your account.

Disable a row when you genuinely do not want that structural section to participate in the layout. This keeps the meaning of the action clear and reduces the risk of removing content from multiple modules at once due to a temporary visual test.