How To Disable Gutenberg Editor: 3 Methods To Get Classic Editor Back

how to disable gutenberg editor in wordpress

Gutenberg Incoming, Brace Yourselves!

The all-new WordPress editor has gone live with the WordPress 5.0. We have already done a whole article explaining to you what it is all about, but if you don’t have time to read it here is a short brief: Gutenberg is a revolutionary drag & drop WordPress editor, based on blocks. It will give you much more freedom to edit your posts and pages without installing page builder plugins, themes or coding. Gutenberg is about to change a lot of things, and all at once, for every WordPress user that updates to 5.0. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you are thinking about how to disable Gutenberg in WordPress, maybe just until you are familiar with the editor.

 

At least at first, this will help you keep your WordPress sites safe in case some compatibility issues occur once you update to a WordPress version with Gutenberg.

Why Would You Want To Disable The Gutenberg Editor In WordPress?

Although it sounds super awesome at first glance, Gutenberg is likely to cause a lot of issues across the web, possibly breaking websites, since it is going to become a part of the WP core. The most likely cause of troubles will be outdated plugins and themes, which are not going to be ready for the new editor.

Developers are working hard to prepare for Gutenberg and most of the themes and plugins are going to be ready when it launches. However, some won’t make it in time, or at all. These will probably cause your site not to look or work as you want it, but in worst cases it can trigger some of the common WordPress errors, breaking your site completely.

To prevent that from happening, it is a good idea to disable WordPress Gutenberg, at least until everything gets tested and updated. This article will specifically talk about that, teaching you how to disable or uninstall Gutenberg WordPress Editor and revert to classic default editor in WordPress.

Also, if you haven’t tried it yet, here is a checklist of things you should do before moving to the WordPress 5.0.

Disabling Gutenberg WordPress Editor Won’t Ruin Your Site

Gutenberg will become a part of the WordPress core, but that doesn’t mean disabling it will ruin the CMS and break down your website. Nothing like that will happen, so don’t worry, your site will be fine if you turn off the new blocks editor. WordPress developers are aware that the new editor will face a lot of resistance, as people are in general reluctant to big changes, and they will make sure you can go without Gutenberg, at least when it launches. But, try to get used to it, the sooner the better, as it is going to be the default method of editing posts and content in WordPress.

In our next section, we will teach you how to safely disable it through different methods.

Step By Step Guide & Methods To Disable Gutenberg Effectively:

  1. Classic Editor Plugin
  2. Disable It With a Plugin
  3. Disable in Code

Method #1: Classic WordPress Editor Plugin

The first method involves installing the Classic Editor WordPress plugin. You can find it on the market, through your WordPress Dashboard. It is the official way of getting rid of Gutenberg, made by WordPress Contributors, and for that reason, it should be your first option:

  • Go to Plugins Add New and search for “Classic Editor”. Click on the Install Now button, then after it’s done on “Activate

classic editor wordpress plugin

  • Now, under the Settings – Writing section, you will have more options, either to completely replace the new editor with the old one or to turn on the dialogue, letting you choose whether if you want to use it or not.

replace gutenberg editor with the classic editor in wordpress

  • You will now have Edit (Classic) option under each post. If you just click on Edit, it will open it in Gutenberg.

classic edit option in wordpress

Method #1.1 Classic editor addon

https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic-editor-addon/

This is for those of you maintaining websites for your clients. This addon will completely hide Gutenberg, and anything related to it. It will make the interface stay as-is, just like you are used to it. If you decide to enable Gutenberg again, you can just remove the plugin.

Method #2: Disable Gutenberg Plugin for WordPress

Your second option is the Disable Gutenberg Plugin. This option you can also find listed on the official market, made by a developer Jeff Star. It will give you more options than the above mentioned Classic Editor Plugin. Here is how to use it:

  • Go to Plugins – Add New and search for Disable Gutenberg. Click Install Now, then immediately Activate.

disable gutenberg plugin

  • The plugin Disable Gutenberg will have its own section in your Settings dashboard. There you will find really a lot of customization options. If you want to disable Gutenberg completely, just tick “Disable Everywhere, which is already the default setting. But once you untick it, you get to see the real power of this plugin. It lets you customize exactly where you want Gutenberg to show. You can allow it per user roles:

settings dashboard disable gutenberg everywhere option

  • Or disable it by post types, templates or Post IDs:

disable for post types

  • Lastly, in the More tools section, you can even disable the “Try Gutenberg” nag. Hide the plugin menu item or completely revert the plugin to the default settings if you messed something up along the way.

disable try gutenberg nag in more tools

  • Confirm any changes you made by clicking on the Save changes button at the bottom of the page.

Method #3: Code

This is only for the technically advanced, as it requires you to code, but you won’t have to install any plugins.

  • To completely disable Gutenberg through the code, you will need to add this line to the functions.php file:

add_filter('use_block_editor_for_post', '__return_false');

  • And if you want to specifically disable for posts:


function digwp_disable_gutenberg($is_enabled, $post_type) {
if ($post_type === 'book') return false; // change book to your post type
return $is_enabled;
}

add_filter('use_block_editor_for_post_type', 'digwp_disable_gutenberg'

Of course, “book” is just an example. You need to enter the code name of the post type for which you want to disable it.

  • To disable the editor in Meta Boxes, enter this line:


__block_editor_compatible_meta_box

Conclusion

Gutenberg is a great update, and we can’t wait for it to go live. Yes, it might cause some issues early on, and that’s why you should consider disabling it. But overall, it is a giant step forward, and kudos to Automattic for making this brave move.

Of course, if you find yourself stuck with moving to Gutenberg, or you have any other issues with your WordPress website, don’t hesitate to contact WordPress Support at FixRunner. Our team of WordPress experts is dedicated to providing prompt and professional help. We will make sure your change to the all-new editor goes smooth and without any downtime. For more WordPress tips check our WordPress blog at WPCollege.

 

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