A Guide to SharePoint Header Options

When customizing your SharePoint site, one of the most impactful design elements is the site header. The header sets the tone for your site, provides quick access to key navigation, and ensures branding consistency. SharePoint offers several configurable options for headers, including layout choices and tick-box settings that affect visibility and functionality.

In this article, we’ll walk through each option available, what it does, and show how it looks in practice.

Header Layout Options

SharePoint provides multiple header layouts to choose from, allowing you to set the look and feel of your site:

• Standard
• A balanced header layout with logo, title, and navigation placed neatly at the top

• Compact
• Reduces vertical space, making it cleaner and more minimalistic. Great for sites with a lot of content.

• Minimal
• Focuses heavily on content, hiding most of the header elements except essentials.

• Extended
• Provides additional space for logos and branding elements.

Header Settings:

Horizontal Navigation Settings

By default, SharePoint headers display with Horizontal Navigation, giving your users an easy way to access top-level links.

However, this navigation can be turned off if you prefer a cleaner look or if you want to emphasize page content over navigation.

This flexibility allows you to adapt the header design depending on your site’s purpose. For example, communication sites might benefit from visible navigation, while landing or campaign-style pages may look better without it.

Navigation Settings:

Header Elements & Tick-Box Options

Beyond layouts, SharePoint lets you fine-tune what appears in the header using simple toggle (tick-box) options:

• Site Logo Visibility
• Control whether the site logo is displayed in the header.
• No Logo

• With Logo

• Site Title Display
• Choose whether the site’s name is shown next to the logo or hidden for a cleaner look.

 

Hub Settings and the Header

If your site is connected to a hub site, the header options expand to include hub-specific settings. These ensure consistency across connected sites and provide a unified navigation experience.

Hub Settings in the Header:

• Hub Site Navigation
• A horizontal navigation bar that appears below or integrated into the header for cross-site navigation.

• Global vs Local Navigation
• Choose whether to show hub navigation only, site navigation only, or both together.

Permissions Required to Customize Headers

Not everyone will see the same customization options. Permissions play an important role in what you can do with headers and hub settings:

• Site Owner (Full Control)
• Can customize the site header layout, toggle all tick-box options, and change logo, title, or background.
• Can also associate or disassociate a site from a hub.
• Hub Site Owner
• Has additional permissions to manage hub navigation, apply hub-wide branding, and control how associated sites inherit hub header settings.
• Site Member (Edit)
• Typically cannot adjust the header. Members can create/edit content but not alter site design.
• Site Visitor (Read)
• No customization permissions. Can only view the site as configured by owners.