What Classic Editor changes in your dashboard
Classic Editor brings back the old WordPress "Edit Post" screen, the one used before the block editor: a large TinyMCE writing area with Visual and Text tabs, the formatting toolbar and the meta boxes around it. Plugins that add boxes to that screen or rely on the old editor keep working the way they used to.
The plugin does one thing: it picks the editor. Activated as is, it gives everyone the classic editor and hides the block editor. Under Settings > Writing, an administrator can change the default editor and let each user choose their own. When switching is allowed, the post list shows which editor each item uses, "Edit in classic editor" and "Edit in block editor" links appear, and every post opens in the last editor used on it, no matter who edited it last. On a multisite network, the same choices are made network-wide.
Classic Editor is an official plugin maintained by the WordPress team and is completely free: no paid tier, no account to create. Its page promises support "until 2024, or as long as is necessary," and it still gets fixes, the latest one tidying up the publishing area for WordPress 7.0.
Which sites still benefit from Classic Editor
Classic Editor makes sense when the old editor solves a real problem, not just a habit:
- Sites that depend on older plugins: meta boxes, editor buttons or custom fields built for the classic screen and never adapted to blocks.
- Editorial sites with plain content: posts made of paragraphs, headings and images, written by a team that does not want to change tools.
- Gradual migrations: with users allowed to switch, older content stays classic while new content moves to blocks.
- Multisite networks: the network admin sets the editor for every site, or lets each site decide.
It is the wrong choice for a site built on a block theme: the official documentation says the plugin is not meant for full site editing, which is built entirely on blocks. It is also the wrong path if you want the newest block editor features, which the Gutenberg plugin ships early.
Classic Editor strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Official and free. Maintained by the WordPress team, with no paid upsell and no ads in the dashboard.
- Two settings, nothing more. The default editor and the right to switch take a minute to configure.
- Coexists with blocks. Each post reopens in the last editor used, so you avoid mixing both editors on the same post.
- No weight on the front end. The plugin only runs in the dashboard and adds no script or stylesheet to your pages.
Limitations
- Not for block themes. The Site Editor and templates stay block-based, whatever you choose.
- Widgets are not covered. The widgets screen stays block-based; you need the separate Classic Widgets plugin to get the old one back.
- A frozen editor. Updates are mostly about compatibility: patterns, reusable blocks and new writing features only exist in the block editor.
- A vague support horizon. The official commitment pointed to 2024 "or as long as is necessary," with no end date announced since.
The Classic Editor settings we recommend
The two site settings sit at the bottom of Settings > Writing. On a multisite network where the plugin is network-activated, they move to Network Settings and disappear from individual sites unless the network allows them there.
| Setting | Recommended value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Default editor for all users Settings > Writing | Classic editor (default) | That is why you install the plugin; pick Block editor only if you use it for a transition. |
| Allow users to switch editors Settings > Writing | No (default); Yes during a migration | With No, everyone writes in the same editor; with Yes, each user chooses and links to both editors appear. |
| Default Editor Users > Profile | Each user's choice | Only shown when switching is allowed; handy for a writer who prefers the other editor. |
| Disable the visual editor when writing Users > Profile | Unchecked (default) | A core WordPress setting: when checked, only the Text tab of the classic editor remains. |
| Default editor for all sites Network Admin > Settings > Network Settings > Editor Settings | Classic editor | Sets the editor for every site on the network in one place. |
| Allow site admins to change settings Same screen | No, unless sites have different needs | Without this box checked, site administrators do not see the plugin's settings. |
| Enable auto-updates Plugins > Installed Plugins | On | Recent releases are mostly about staying compatible with each new WordPress version. |
- Create a draft: the screen should show the Visual and Text tabs, not the block editor.
- Open an older post built with blocks and check how it looks on the site before editing it in the classic editor.
- If switching is allowed, check under Posts that each row shows the editor in use.
- If you also want the old widgets screen, add Classic Widgets, another official plugin.
To choose and rearrange the classic editor's toolbar buttons, with advanced table options, Advanced Editor Tools is the usual companion.
Classic Editor security: little code, no recorded vulnerabilities
At the time of writing, the WPScan database lists no vulnerabilities for Classic Editor. The plugin has a single main PHP file, opens no public form and stores only two options plus one choice per user, which leaves little attack surface. Do not confuse it with "Classic Editor and Classic Widgets," a plugin from a different developer with a similar name, which has had vulnerabilities (SQL injection, CSRF) fixed in its own releases.
The useful habit is the same as for any plugin: keep it updated, ideally with automatic plugin updates, and watch whether it stays maintained, since a plugin that stops being maintained becomes a risk (see our article on abandoned plugins). Classic Editor adds nothing to your public pages; the box below shows what WP Masquerade covers for it.
What WP Masquerade hides for Classic Editor
Free version Handled by the free version of WP Masquerade
Classic Editor is one of the 50 most used plugins known to the free version. Pro goes further by renaming its files.
Free version
Nothing to remove
With Pro
Nothing more
Still visible
No known trace
Classic Editor FAQ
Is Classic Editor going away?
No end date has been announced. The official page promises support until 2024 "or as long as is necessary," and the plugin was still updated for WordPress 7.0.
Will I lose content built with blocks if I activate Classic Editor?
No, it stays saved and displays on the site as before. If you still need to edit it with blocks, allow users to switch editors: each post then reopens in the last editor used.
Does Classic Editor work with a block theme?
No. The official documentation says the plugin is not meant for block themes, whose Site Editor relies on blocks. It targets classic themes.
Where is the link to switch to the classic editor from the block editor?
When switching is allowed, the "Switch to classic editor" link sits in the block editor's main menu, the three dots at the top right.