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manifest / builders / widget-finder-for-elementor

Widget Finder for Elementor self-updates

Extends Elementor's widget search to surface widgets from installed, inactive, and not-yet-installed plugins. Includes Plugin Manager, Notification Center, and Menu Consolidation.

by dudaster · github.com/dudaster/widget-finder-for-elementor · website

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Install

No release zip yet. The repository archive installs, but the folder name will carry the branch suffix and updates will not flow:

wp plugin install https://github.com/dudaster/widget-finder-for-elementor/archive/refs/heads/main.zip

Ships its own WordPress updater (Plugin Update Checker), so new versions show up under Dashboard → Updates.

Readme github.com/dudaster/widget-finder-for-elementor ↗

Extends Elementor's widget search to surface widgets from installed, inactive, and not-yet-installed plugins.

Description

Widget Finder for Elementor enhances the Elementor editor's widget panel with a powerful search experience that goes beyond the widgets you already have installed.

Key features:

  • Universal widget search — Search across thousands of Elementor widgets, including those from plugins you haven't installed yet.
  • One-click install & activate — Install and activate a plugin directly from the Elementor editor search panel, without leaving your design workflow.
  • Plugin Manager — View and manage all plugins installed via Widget Finder from a dedicated admin page. Deactivate or uninstall them in bulk.
  • Automatic cleanup — Configurable limits automatically deactivate or uninstall unused plugins to keep your site lean.
  • Notification Center — Admin notices are collected in a bell icon instead of cluttering the top of every admin page.
  • Plugin Settings consolidation — Optionally group all Widget Finder-installed plugin menus under a single "Plugin Settings" toggle in the admin sidebar.

Installation

  1. Upload the widget-finder-for-elementor folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory, or install it through the WordPress Plugin Directory.
  2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress.
  3. Open the Elementor editor — a new Widget Finder search panel will appear in the widgets sidebar.
  4. Search for any Elementor widget. Results include widgets from not-yet-installed plugins, shown with an install button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this plugin require Elementor?

Yes. Widget Finder for Elementor is an add-on for the Elementor page builder and requires Elementor to be installed and active.

Will installing plugins through Widget Finder affect my site's performance?

Widget Finder's automatic cleanup feature (configurable in Settings) can automatically deactivate plugins you installed but are no longer using on any page.

Where do I manage the plugins I installed via Widget Finder?

Go to Widget Finder → Plugin Manager in the WordPress admin sidebar.

Can I disable the Notification Center?

Yes. Go to Widget Finder → Settings and uncheck the Notification center option.

Screenshots

  1. Widget Finder search panel inside the Elementor editor.
  2. Plugin Manager — view and manage all Widget Finder-installed plugins.
  3. Settings page.

Changelog

1.7.0

  • Plugin renamed to "Widget Finder for Elementor".
  • Added: automatic updates via GitHub releases (Plugin Update Checker).

1.6.9

  • Fixed: text domain updated to widget-finder-for-elementor throughout.
  • Fixed: input sanitization hardened (wp_unslash, sanitize_key).
  • Fixed: database queries use esc_sql() and $wpdb->prepare() correctly.
  • Added: Notification Center can be enabled/disabled from Settings.
  • Added: Plugin Settings menu consolidation in the admin sidebar.

1.6.0

  • Added: automatic cleanup of unused installed plugins (configurable limits).
  • Added: Notification Center bell icon for admin notices.
  • Improved: Plugin Manager bulk actions.

1.5.0

  • Added: Plugin Manager page to view and manage Widget Finder-installed plugins.
  • Added: Settings page.

1.0.0

  • Initial release.

Upgrade Notice

1.6.9

Recommended update — includes security hardening and WordPress.org compliance fixes.