# Top Menu not populating options

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 9, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304 "2025-02-09T06:18:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Heliosurge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/heliosurge/32/571810_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304/1 "2025-02-09T06:18:46Z")

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I am running latest Test-Passed (3.5…)

In ghost Theme and air Theme the top menu on main page is not giving all options configured in admin . Note also affects default themes.

 ![The image shows a screenshot of a website interface, highlighting the "(year) Pockets Nexu" tab and the "Announcements" category with an unconfirmed VIP access for "Planet Pimax" in the "Latest" section. (Captioned by AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/0/0/d/00dd881a0c067ce17fa1607592b1b59cfaf73355.jpeg)

Admin too menu config

 ![This image shows the "site settings" page for a Discourse website, detailing options for the top menu categories. (Captioned by AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/a/e/6/ae62141be1e6eaba6122c8b75f145317d9df202d.jpeg)

How would I fix this?

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### Author: ![JammyDodger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/jammydodger/32/254611_2.png) [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2025, 11:45am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304/2 "2025-06-10T11:45:40Z")

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I’m not sure it’s broken as such. The `unread` and `new` tabs are deliberately hidden when there’s nothing to see. 🪄

Though I think it is possible to force them to reveal themselves even when empty if that’s what you had in mind?

Maybe something like this?

```css
// for desktop

.navigation-container .nav-pills .nav-item_new {
    
    display: initial !important;
}

.navigation-container .nav-pills .nav-item_unread {
    
    display: initial !important;
}

// for mobile

.dropdown-menu .nav-item_new {
    
    display: initial !important;
}

.dropdown-menu .nav-item_unread {
    
    display: initial !important;
}

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Heliosurge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/heliosurge/32/571810_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304/3 "2025-06-10T13:56:19Z")

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Thank you Jam. Will need to test this out. The one pic showing it is stable at that time. So I am guessing they added the hide if not populated later in.

Will have to run one of my test users

Thanks for the code to restore past behavior.

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### Author: ![Moin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/moin/32/554653_2.png) [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304/4 "2025-06-10T14:04:14Z")

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> [@Heliosurge](#):
>
> So I am guessing they added the hide if not populated later in.

I think that was added in 2018

> [@Simplifying the top menu](https://meta.discourse.org/t/simplifying-the-top-menu/68849/18):
>
> This is in effect now @mcwumbly, great idea. Both New and Unread will be hidden if they have nothing to show you.

I think there is some magic so users with trust level 0 see new and unread even when they are empty, so they can learn they exist.

> <https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/cbffbee1c3a96e35627d6f177278f68495058bf6/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/navigation-item.gjs#L41-L51>

Maybe `Experimental new new view groups` is why you only see ‘new’? That also prevents new from being hidden.

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/top-menu-not-populating-options/351304/5 "2025-07-10T14:04:55Z")

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