Why Won't My Site Work on Mobile? Fixing Responsive Issues

Having a mobile-friendly website is no longer an option but a necessity. Web designers and developers face numerous challenges when adapting a website to function seamlessly across various devices. In this article, we delve into common responsive design issues and provide practical solutions to help you enhance your site’s mobile usability.

Covered in this article

Understanding Responsive Design
Fixing Common Responsive Web Design Issues
Testing and Tools
Shift Towards Mobile-First Web Design
FAQs About Mobile Responsive Issues

Understanding Responsive Design

Responsive design refers to a web development approach that creates dynamic changes to the appearance of a website, depending on the screen size and orientation of the device being used to view it. This practice consists of flexible grids and layouts, images, and an intelligent use of CSS media queries.

Key Responsive Design Issues

1. Unresponsive Layouts: Often, websites appear disorganised on mobile devices, with text overflowing and images not aligning properly. This typically stems from a fixed or static layout that does not adapt to different screen sizes.

2. Poor Image Optimisation: High-resolution images that are not optimised for mobile can slow down page load times significantly, affecting user experience and SEO rankings.

3. Inaccessible Navigation: Menus that work well on desktop may become cumbersome on mobile, requiring redesigns that prioritise ease of navigation on smaller screens.

4. Incorrect Use of Media Queries: Media queries are foundational to responsive design. If not implemented correctly, they can lead to various display issues on mobile devices.

Fixing Common Responsive Web Design Issues

Adjust Layouts with CSS Flexbox and Grid

Implementing modern CSS techniques such as Flexbox and Grid can offer more control and flexibility in your layout structure, allowing for a more seamless adjustment to various screen sizes.

• Flexbox: Enables efficient alignment and distribution of space among items in a container, even when their size is unknown.
• Grid: Provides a more robust framework for designing complex layouts and managing both columns and rows.

Optimise Images for Faster Loading

To ensure that your images do not hinder your site's performance on mobile devices, consider the following practices:

• Compression: Reduce file sizes with tools that maintain image quality.
• Appropriate Formats: Use formats like JPEG for photographs and PNG for graphics with fewer than 16 colours.
• Responsive Images: Implement different image sizes for different devices using the srcset attribute in HTML.

Simplify Navigation

Redesign your navigation to be mobile-friendly by:

• Hamburger Menus: A popular choice for mobile that hides the navigation menu, making it accessible through a single button.
• Touch-Friendly Buttons: Increase button sizes to accommodate finger taps on smaller screens.

Utilise Correct Media Queries

Media queries should accurately target various device characteristics. For instance:




This CSS snippet changes the background colour for devices with a width of 600 pixels or less.

Testing and Tools

Regular testing on multiple devices ensures that your website provides a consistent experience. Utilise tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or BrowserStack for comprehensive testing across different platforms and devices.

Shift Towards Mobile-First Web Design

The shift towards mobile-first web design is not just a trend but a pivotal aspect of modern web development. By understanding the intricacies of responsive design and employing the strategies discussed, web designers and developers can resolve mobile compatibility issues effectively.

At Velocity, we pride ourselves on delivering cutting-edge solutions that ensure your digital presence is robust across all platforms. For more insightful discussions on enhancing your online strategies, visit our blog regularly.

Are you looking to improve your website's responsiveness? Contact Velocity today for expert assistance in crafting a mobile-friendly digital experience that captivates and engages your audience.

FAQs About Mobile Responsive Issues

1. What is Responsive Design?

Responsive design refers to the approach in web development that ensures a website adjusts its layout and content to fit different screen sizes and orientations.

2. Why is Image Optimisation Important for Mobile Sites?

Optimising images reduces their file sizes, improving page load times, which is crucial for mobile users who often have limited bandwidth.

3. How Can Navigation Be Made More Mobile-Friendly?

Simplifying navigation through the use of hamburger menus and larger, touch-friendly buttons can significantly enhance mobile usability.

4. What are Media Queries?

Media queries are a feature of CSS that allows content rendering to adapt to conditions such as screen resolution, device orientation, and platform.

5. Which Tools Can Help Test Mobile Responsiveness?

Tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test and BrowserStack can help developers test their site's responsiveness across various devices and operating systems.