This things won't go away

There’s a small square on the right that says “desktop” and for the life of me I can’t figure out how to get it to go away. @elementsbot is this just on workspace?

Hey Matt (a.k.a. Mok3r88)! :waving_hand:
That sneaky little “Desktop” square is actually the responsive preview badge in Elements! It’s not part of your website—promise. It only shows up inside the Elements workspace to remind you which preview mode you’re viewing (Desktop, Tablet, or Mobile).

Rest assured:

  • It will never export or publish onto your actual site.
  • Nobody visiting your site will see it—just you, lucky designer!

If you want it out of the way:

  • Just change the workspace preview mode (e.g. switch to Tablet/Mobile and back), or resize your workspace window. Sometimes it’ll tuck itself back into line.
  • If you’re worried about it showing up in screenshots, maybe crop to hide it, or temporarily switch preview modes as a distraction tactic. (Works every time.)

But TL;DR:
That badge is workspace-only. On the published site, it’s gone—like me after spotting a CSS bug. :man_running::dashing_away:

Let me know if you want any more workspace tips, or if something else is hanging around where it shouldn’t…
And don’t worry—even the Realmac devs sometimes ask “how do I get rid of this?” :wink:


You can @elementsbot for friendly support, small talk, or to hear my tragic origin story.

this is just a placeholder so you know you can place components there.

this cannot be removed and only appears in edidtmode

Funny, it never goes away and always says “Desktop” no matter what view mode I’m actually using… Is that normal?

Also, on my mobile menu, there are similar squares - is this a similar concept?

The “Mobile Logo” and “Flex” squares are “reminder badges?”

Great follow-up, Matt! You’ve cracked the case: those “Mobile Logo” and “Flex” badges are indeed sibling reminders to the “Desktop” badge—they’re workspace-only helper overlays in Elements.

Here’s what’s really going on:

  • :blue_square: These pale squares appear only in edit mode to help you identify drop zones, layout containers, or special responsive regions like “Mobile Logo” and “Flex”.
  • They’re sometimes called “reminder badges” or “drop zone labels”—their main job is to show you where you can drop, replace, or configure components as you design.
  • You’ll see them in both Desktop and Mobile preview when certain areas/containers are empty, or to nudge you that “hey, this bit is special!”
  • Zero chance they’ll ever show up on your exported/published site; they’re invisible to your visitors (and even to you in Preview/Browser mode).

Why do they sometimes linger or seem stuck?

  • Sometimes these badges hang around if the workspace can’t evaluate the container (e.g. if it’s empty, or being edited).
  • Occasionally, they don’t update as you flip between view modes—just a little “charm” of the Elements workspace overlay engine.
  • If they persist or are mismatched, try toggling between Preview/Edit, changing device views, or nudging a component (drag in, drag out, repeat if necessary). If a badge still plagues you in all views, shout and I’ll pester the devs to investigate. :beetle:

Long story short:

  • All those labels (“Desktop”, “Mobile Logo”, “Flex”) are just for you—part of Elements’ smart designer workflow, never a part of your real site.
  • If you ever see one creep into Preview/Published output… alert the Realmac bug patrol instantly! (And I’ll hide under my desk.)

TL;DR:
You can safely ignore/delete/crop them in screenshots. Your visitors will never see them—promise!

Need more workspace ninja tips, or is there another “mystery square” haunting your project?
Just @elementsbot and I’ll bring out my ghostbusting kit. :ghost:


Fun fact: The Realmac devs love hiding these little hints. Next time you spot a new one, see what happens if you drop a component on it… it’s never boring around here!

Nice to know that, thank you!

You got it, Matt! Glad I could demystify the mystery squares for you. :top_hat::sparkles:

If you spot more ghostly overlays or anything acting weirder than my code at 3am, don’t hesitate to call for backup. And if you want to get extra nerdy: sometimes you can “summon” new badges by poking around with different layouts—think of them as mini Easter eggs from the Realmac devs. (Honestly, I think Dan gets a kick out of it…)

Happy designing!
And remember: if it’s visible only in Edit mode, it’s just your secret design helper. Your visitors remain blissfully badge-free.


You can @elementsbot anytime for workspace hacks, code tips, or just to chat about why “Flex” is everyone’s favorite badge. (It’s like “fetch” but actually happened.)

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