Blogger (Blogspot): How to Change Your Content Width
Changing your blog's width changes first impressions — it affects readability, layout and how images and ads show up.
It's common to reach a point where your posts feel cramped or the images look cut off. Blogspot (Blogger) ships with a fairly narrow default content column so posts scale well on phones. That default is safe, but not always ideal. If you publish image-forward pieces, portfolio posts, or larger ad units, widening the content area can make a big difference.
I once published a gallery post where each photo felt boxed in. After widening the main column the visuals looked intentional, and time-on-page improved. Widening isn't a universal fix — it must be balanced with mobile responsiveness and widget spacing — but when done thoughtfully, it raises the overall polish of a blog.
Why width matters
Width decisions are not cosmetic — they shape how easily readers follow your text, where ads fit, and how images behave.
Too narrow and the layout feels claustrophobic. Too wide and long lines make reading tiring. Your optimal width depends on content type, image aspect ratios, and whether you prioritize desktop or mobile readers.
- If your blog is primarily text, aim for a body width roughly between 900 and 1100px on desktop.
- If images and visual layouts are the focus, a 1200px+ canvas often looks cleaner.
- Always combine a max-width with percentage-based sizing (for example, max-width: 1200px; width: 95%) so mobile devices scale it down gracefully.
We'll walk two practical approaches: the easy route through Blogger's theme customizer, and the more precise route that edits the template HTML/CSS directly.
Core layout: how Blogger computes the page width
Blogger pages are typically a wrapper that contains a main content column and one or more sidebar columns. The sum of those widths must fit the wrapper.
At a glance the HTML structure is straightforward. Almost every classic template uses an outer wrapper that contains the main content area and the sidebar area. The outer wrapper sets the maximum available horizontal space and the child elements divide it.
<div id="outer-wrapper">
<div id="main-wrapper"> <!-- main content -->
</div>
<div id="sidebar-wrapper"> <!-- widgets -->
</div>
</div>
So when you change #outer-wrapper you must also check that the combination of #main-wrapper + #sidebar-wrapper does not exceed the outer width. Otherwise elements will wrap or overlap.
Method 1 — Use the Theme Designer (beginner-friendly)
The Theme Designer is the safest way for non-technical users to tweak widths without touching code.
Blogger includes a visual Theme/Customize panel that exposes sliders for the overall blog width and side-column widths. This is the quickest place to try ratios and preview how posts and widgets reflow.
Step-by-step
- Sign into Blogger and open the Dashboard.
- Choose Theme from the left menu.
- Under the current theme, click Customize (or Customize Theme).
- Look for Layout / Adjust Width / Advanced options.
- Use the sliders to change the Entire Blog width and the Sidebar width.
- Preview on desktop and mobile, then Save when you're happy.
Note: some themes lock or hide certain options. If your theme does not expose a slider you will need to edit the HTML/CSS directly.
Method 2 — Edit HTML/CSS (intermediate)
Editing the template gives you exact control over widths, margins and responsive rules — but back up first.
This method lets you change IDs or variables inside the template skin. It is ideal when images overflow, ads overlap, or when you want percentage-based rules for better responsiveness.
Before you start
- Always export a theme backup (Theme → Backup/Restore).
- Work on a copy or keep the original CSS in a text file so you can revert quickly.
How to change common width values
Search the template (Edit HTML) for the wrapper widths. Typical rules look like this:
#outer-wrapper {
width: 1100px;
}
#main-wrapper {
width: 760px;
}
#sidebar-wrapper {
width: 300px;
}
Change the numbers, save, and test. If you switch to a percentage-based approach you reduce layout breakage on small screens. For example:
#outer-wrapper {
max-width: 1200px;
width: 95%;
margin: 0 auto;
}
That combination keeps the layout centered, limits the maximum width on large monitors, and scales down on phones.
Tip: Use percentages for child columns so they adapt when the outer width changes.
Common pitfalls to watch for
Making only one change and assuming everything else will follow is the fastest route to layout bugs.
- Broken responsiveness: If the page creates horizontal scrolling on mobile, your max-width or viewport rules need adjustment.
- Image scaling: Make sure images use max-width: 100% so they never overflow their container.
- Ad sizes: Verify that embedded ads (e.g. 728x90, 300x250) adapt; consider responsive ad units where possible.
- Sidebar widgets: Shrinking a sidebar can cause buttons or long labels to wrap awkwardly; test each widget after change.
I experienced this first-hand: after widening a theme I discovered a widget with long labels that wrapped badly. The fix was to adjust the widget CSS and let its contents break more gracefully.
Advanced: use template variables (where available)
Many Blogger templates expose variables like content.width and sidebar.width inside <b:template-skin> — edit those for convenient control.
<b:template-skin>
<Variable name="content.width" default="700px" />
<Variable name="sidebar.width" default="300px" />
</b:template-skin>
Updating these variables and saving will often update multiple rules at once, which is cleaner than hunting through scattered CSS entries.
Putting it all together: a checklist
Work through a quick checklist after any width change to avoid surprises.
- Backup your theme.
- Change widths in Theme Designer or the HTML/CSS.
- Confirm images use max-width:100%.
- Test ad placements and sizes.
- Check the sidebar widgets and adjust padding or font-size if needed.
- Preview on mobile and desktop before saving globally.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions readers most often ask about changing Blogger widths.
Will changing the width affect my Google search ranking?
Width itself doesn't change rankings. But improving readability and mobile usability can indirectly help engagement metrics such as bounce rate and time-on-page — those do matter for SEO.
What if my images get cut off after widening?
Make sure your images use responsive rules and that the image file itself has enough resolution. In CSS: img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } prevents cropping caused by container overflow.
How wide is too wide for desktop?
For long-form text, avoid lines longer than about 75-90 characters. That tends to place comfortable reading widths between roughly 900 and 1400px depending on your type size and layout. If unsure, test with readers or A/B small changes.
Can ads break when I change widths?
Yes — static ad sizes may not fit new columns. Use responsive ad units when possible and preview pages that contain ads after any layout change.
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