What Is this feature?
This feature is part of the Laser Loader system in Classic Monks. It modifies how the laser-style progress bar behaves or appears on your site. The Laser Loader must be enabled first (see Laser Loader).
Why You Need It
Customizing the laser loader behavior allows you to:
- Match the loader to your site’s design (color, animation, speed)
- Optimize the loader for different devices (desktop vs mobile)
- Create a more professional or branded loading experience
How to Configure this Feature
Step 1: Enable Laser Loader
First, enable the Laser Loader master toggle in the Laser Loader subtab.
Step 2: Navigate to Settings
Click into the Classic Monks plugin settings, then the Interface tab, Laser Loader subtab.
Step 3: Enable the Feature
Toggle on this feature.
Step 4: Save Changes
Click Save Changes.
Step 5: Test
Visit the frontend and navigate between pages. Verify the laser loader behavior matches your configuration.
Configuration Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| This feature | Master toggle. | Off |
What Gets Affected
- The laser loader behavior: modified per this feature
- The page load: unchanged (visual only)
- The user experience: modified for the configured context
What Does NOT Get Affected
- The actual page load time: unchanged
- The page content: unchanged
- The search engine indexing: unchanged
Common Use Cases
Mobile-first sites
If your site is primarily used on mobile, the laser loader may be unnecessary. Mobile users expect fast loads and may find the animation distracting.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
PWA sites already have a smooth loading experience. The laser loader may conflict with PWA loading indicators.
Mobile performance optimization
Mobile devices have limited processing power and often slower connections. A complex loading animation can actually slow down the mobile experience rather than improve it. Disabling the loader on mobile ensures the fastest possible perceived load time.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
PWA sites already have a smooth loading experience built into the PWA framework. Adding a laser loader on top of the PWA loading would create a confusing double-loading experience. Disabling the loader on mobile avoids this conflict.
AMP pages
For sites using AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), the laser loader may conflict with AMP’s own loading indicators. Disabling the loader on mobile ensures AMP pages work as expected.
Troubleshooting
The feature is not taking effect
Cause: The Laser Loader master toggle is not enabled, or a page caching plugin is serving old content.
Fix: Verify both toggles are on. Clear all caching layers.
The laser loader shows on pages where it shouldn’t
Cause: The laser loader is showing on all pages by default.
Fix: Use the cm_laser_loader_excluded_pages filter to exclude specific pages.